Australian Monopoly Here & Now Electronic

Last week, we decided to pick up a family board game. Among other things, we thought that it would help keep our daughter RD busy during the school holidays. It would probably be a good bonding activity, especially as we come close to cold winter days when we’ll probably just curl up inside the house as a family.

So off to Toys R Us in Westfield Parramatta to hunt for a cool board game. Without much effort, the Australian Monopoly Here & Now Electronic Edition caught our fancy. As parents who were once kids playing the old Monopoly game most of us are familiar with, we know how entertaining the game can be (not to mention the long hours that it can possibly burn).

This edition comes with an electronic banking feature that pulled us to the decision that ‘this is it’. With a 3-year old kid who makes toys out of practically anything, we know that having the original version with colourful play money increases the potential to make this game board unusable in no time (I could imagine the play money being used all over the house and in countless play situations). The electronic banking feature is also a relief for the ‘banker’ and other ‘players’ in the game… pretty much close to how ATM/Debit cards make things easier in real life. A payment transaction simply requires the banker to insert the involved cards on both ends, keys in the amount and voila! the transaction is completed. Other aspects of the game are pretty much the same as far as I can recall: metal tokens/movers, chance and community chest cards, dice, and the actual game board (obviously, this version has Australian cities/places).

It’s amazing how this game has evolved! Who knows what’s next?!