A hybrid between MONOPOLY and Mario is coming, and it’s named MONOPOLY GAMER Edition. The long-lasting board game, according to Hasbro and Nintendo in a press release, will be receiving a modern upgrade and also will feature characters from Nintendo’s fan-favorite franchise, Super Mario.
“The MONOPOLY brand has been a staple in the gaming aisle for more than 80 years, and we’re excited to give Mario, Yoshi and other characters the chance to ‘Pass GO’ and bring their powers to life in MONOPOLY GAMER Edition game,” said Tom Prata, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives in the press release. “This collaboration is the latest example of Nintendo’s efforts to give fans a variety of fun and surprising ways to interact with their favorite Super Mario characters.”
The game is point based, not on how much money a player has in the game, giving the game an interesting spin. The player will still be buying property and earning money, but they have been redesigned (you earn coins instead of money) in order to fit into the gaming theme of this new MONOPOLY board.
The Title Deeds have been made to fit the Super Mario theme, including Acorn Plains and Bowser’s Castle. Also, Pipes, Question Blocks, Stars and Thwomps are included in the spaces, while in classic MONOPOLY-style the Free Parking, GO and In Jail spaces will still be in the MONOPOLY GAMER Edition.
Also, boss battles will be a feature of the game, although it isn’t described how exactly these battles will carry out in the press release. The boss battles will earn points for your character, and players will be able to fight against Bowser and have to win to beat the game. Along with Bowser, other famous Super Mario bosses will be featured in the game.
The four Mario characters that will be featured in the game are Mario, Princess Peach, Yoshi and Donkey Kong. Players will be able to buy other characters like Luigi or Wario through MONOPOLY GAMER POWER PACKS, which are $2.99 each and sold separately from the main board game.
These characters will have special Power-ups that will give them certain advantages in game. The example given in the press release is that when Peach lands on a Super Star space, she will earn rent from the bank because she has the Princess Peach Super Star Power-up. More information on Power-ups and MONOPOLY GAMER Edition can be found in the press release and on Hasbro’s official website.
“The MONOPOLY GAMER Edition game combines the world of Nintendo with the physical, face-to-face world of the MONOPOLY game,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, senior vice president of global marketing for Hasbro Gaming in the press release. “By giving MONOPOLY tokens unique abilities and adding game-play elements such as the Power-up die, we are offering fans an exciting new way to engage with two of their favorite gaming brands.”
MONOPOLY was first created for commercial use in 1935, but had been around since the early 1900s, while the first game of the Mario franchise was Donkey Kong, which was released in 1981. Even if these games have about 50 years between them, this new collaboration will bring them together and give both franchises a more modern look. Along with this collaboration with Monopoly, the Super Mario franchise will continue to expand with the release of Super Mario Odyssey for the Nintendo Switch this fall.
MONOPOLY GAMER Edition will be available in August of this year at various retailers for $24.99. There will also be a MONOPOLY GAMER Collector’s Edition available, but details for this edition for the game will be released at a later date.
Featured image via Hasbro official website.
