Editorial Review

This classic game of luck, strategy, and determination is easy to grasp for children as young as 6 years old, yet it's fun for adults and older siblings too. By drawing cards, players move their game pieces around the board, hoping to eventually accumulate all their pieces at the final destination--home sweet home. Sorry is known as the game of "sweet revenge," since players can send each other's pawns back to the starting line, thus forcing one another to lose ground and begin all over again. This kind of frustration may be hard for children under age 8 to handle. In fact, young ones typically crumble into tears of outrage when their pawns are cavalierly sent back. The only recourse is to teach children how to plot their own revenge, which makes them feel as powerful as superheroes. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Great game!
I've played this game since I was a teeny kid and it's still a ton of fun.
As with most games, there are small pieces involved that very well may end up someplace where they're not supposed to, plus you can't really afford to lose any of the pieces. Plastic bag 'em!

get rid of the video games ;0
My kids love this game.They sit down together and play this game all of the time.The neighbor kids come over to our house because they love to play board games and SORRY is the one they choose the most.We do not have video games at our house, and this was considered a drawback to the neighbor kids until my kids introduced them to board games.Now they come over all of the time just to play board games.I say hide the video games and let the kids interact with each other playing board games.

Sorry is top game in our house.

Sorry!
This game was fun the first and second time you play it but when you figure out that the game is pretty much based on luck and no strategy you'll think twice when you want to play this a third time. Although this is still a good game for the family. It features a detailed bored with a deck of cards that have number 1-12 and selected cards that say SORRY! this means you switch places with another player. All in all I would recomend this game to anyone who loves a game of luck.

Your Friend
the Z-MAN ... Read more

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Editorial Review

In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, an unemployed heating engineer from Pennsylvania created the game of Monopoly. Realizing that his get-rich theme might appeal to other Americans, he had the game printed and distributed in a Philadelphia department store. When he couldn't keep up with the overwhelming requests for more sets, he arranged for Parker Brothers to take over the game. And the rest, as they say, is history. But Monopoly is far from a quaint historical relic. To this day, it remains a riveting game of luck, chance, and savvy wheeling and dealing--all of which can make some lucky dog rich, rich, rich! Based on the purchase of Atlantic City real estate (a city currently renowned for its get-rich gambling opportunities), Monopoly is now printed in 26 languages with more than 200 million sets sold worldwide. Players still scoot the same beloved board pieces: the old shoe, the terrier, and the hot rod. This set also includes rules for a shortened version of the game and a new token, winner of Monopoly's recent "design a token" contest. This is capitalism at its most fun and ruthless, a must-have edition in the family game closet. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Monopoly
Many of you may have played Monopoly, but for those who have not you are missingout on a great board game.I have played it many times.When ever my family says lets play a borad game I say "MONOPOLY".Here are a few things good and bad about Monopoly.
Some great things about Monopoly is that you can do math so when your having fun you can also be learning.It is a fun family game, but the down side is that it is time consuming.When I play Monopoly I can never finish it.It may get frustrating, but it can teach patience.Monoploy may have hard math skills for younger players.On a rainy day Monopoly would be the best game to pull out and play.
So remember Monoploy is not the perfect game but I do recommend it.

A Classic!
No house can be without Monopoly. It's a simple game, no ridiculously elaborate rules and is so much fun to play.I've found that Monopoly is more fun to play with 3 or more players as opposed to only 2 since half of the fun is in the negotiations!

A classic - but how good is it?
NOTE: I've often wondered how Monopoly would be viewed if it were released in 2005. Would it garner the same popularity/negativity that it does today? Therefore I'm writing this review, trying to depict how I would play Monopoly if I had played it for the first time, current year.

Negotiation games certainly depend on the group. I've played negotiation games with hard-headed, fun-loving groups and have had a blast the entire time. However, I've also played negotiation games with folks who were having problems outside the game, didn't want to trade with a particular person, didn't want to trade at all, etc. With these people, any kind of trading and bartering can fall flat, destroying the fun in a game. Monopoly (Parker Brothers - designer debated) seems to add a twist on negotiation games - adding luck and "rent" to the equation.

At first, the board appears to be that of the "roll-and-move" variety, where one simply follows the roll of the dice. And this is indeed true, but the crux of the game is in the fact that players attempt to minimize their chances of landing on a poor space, and maximize their opponents. Dice are not the only randomness in the game, as some cards are also drawn during game play, contributing to the luck. But players cannot make any real headway in the game unless they dicker with the other players - so the luck only holds so far. I enjoy a good game of Monopoly, but only every once in a while. Even though negotiation is a mechanic I enjoy, the randomness that comes along with it doesn't elevate Monopoly over other, better trading games.

A board consisting of forty spaces in a square track is placed on the table, with two stacks of cards - "Chance", and "Community Chest" - shuffled and placed down on it. Each player chooses a playing piece and places it on the space marked "Go", and receives $1500 from the bank. The remainder of the money is placed in the "bank", as well as a pile of green house pieces and red hotel pieces. Twenty-eight property cards, each associating with a specific space on the board, are also placed in the bank area. One player is chosen to go first, with play proceeding clockwise around the table.

On a turn, each player must roll two six-sided dice and move their piece clockwise around the track that many spaces. Depending on what space they land on, they then take an action:
- Chance: The player draws a card from the Chance deck and follows the instructions on it (gaining money, losing money, going to a specific space, etc.)
- Community Chest: Same as above, but with the Community Chest Deck
- Free Parking: The only space on the board where nothing ever happens - a breather.
- Luxury Tax: The player must pay the bank $75
- Income Tax: The player must pay $200 or 10% of all their monetary value (must be decided before the player counts up their money)
- Unowned property space: There are twenty-eight spaces on the board that are property spaces. Twenty-two of these properties are divided up into "color-groups", two or three properties of the same color. Four other spots are "railroad" spaces, and the final two properties (the Electric company and Waterworks) are utility properties. A player landing on an unowned property space may immediately buy it for the asking price (from $60 to $400, depending on the property). If they decide not to (or can't), an auction occurs, and the highest bidder gets the property.
- Owned property space. If a player lands on a property space they own, nothing happens. If they land on a property another player owns, they must pay that player "rent". Each property has a small amount that is charged to the player landing on that space. If a player owns all the properties in one color group, the rent on those spaces is doubled. Players may also increase their rent on their properties by building houses and hotels on them.
- Go to Jail: A player landing here must immediately head to the jail space.
- Jail: A player landing here is put in the part of the space marked "just visiting", and ends their turn. A player who is stuck here must either roll doubles to get out, or pay $50 to the bank. (Some cards also allow a player to escape). If a player does not roll doubles in three turns, they MUST pay the $50 to escape.
When a player rolls the same number on both dice ("doubles"), they must immediately roll again. If the player rolls three doubles in a row, however, they immediately go to jail. When a player passes "Go" normally, they receive $200 from the bank.

On their turn, or in the short downtime between other players' turns, each player may trade/sell their properties to one another for whatever deal they can get. Players also have the option of buying houses for their color-properties, if they have all of one set. Players can buy up to four houses for each property, for the price specified on the card, and then build a "fifth" house - which is actually a hotel piece that replaces the four houses on the property. Houses/hotels must be built evenly on both/all three of the color properties.

If a player needs to pay more money than they have - they can sell their houses/hotels back to the bank for a loss, and sell properties to other players or "mortgage" them to get the funds they need. If this still is not enough to cover their debt, the player is out of the game. The last player still in the game is the winner!

Some comments on the game...

1.) Components: Probably the most distinctive part of Monopoly is the playing pieces, which are different tokens (iron, dog, ship, etc.) rather than colored pawns. For some reason this is easier to identify (Why don't more games do this?) and the pawns do usually elicit a positive reaction. The money included with the game is fairly thin and forgettable, as I much prefer poker chips or better quality money; but it works. The green houses are made of plastic, as are the red hotels; and they offer a good, quick visual of the dangers of landing on a particular property. The properties on the board themselves are arranged in order of value, starting with the cheapest property (Mediterranean Avenue - cost $60, highest rent - $250), and going to the most expensive property (Boardwalk - cost $400, highest rent - $2000). The board itself is a little bland, with a lot of wasted space in the middle; but when the houses and hotels are added, everything looks pretty neat. The property cards have a lot of info on them, and since almost every property is different, quite necessary. I'm not sure how the property cards and money will hold up to repeated plays - they look a little beat up after only a few.

2.) Rules: The rules are fairly simplistic to learn and only take a few pages. There are tournament rules that can be found online - and clarify some of the gaping holes in the original rules. For example, the original rules don't clarify timing issues - as there are only a limited amount of houses and hotels to go around, who gets to buy them first? Also, is rent something that MUST be paid, or can a player who is not paying attention miss the money due to them? These seem like innocuous questions, but I've seen all of them greatly debated at games I've played.

3.) Money and theme: The game revolves around money - if you lose it, your out! Money changes hands frequently during the game, so I'm sure that the game could help children learn how to handle money. Oddly enough, while the game seems to promote monopolies, all I've ever seen was how it showed the negative sides of them. In the beginning of the game, the money amounts being handled are fairly small; but near the end, they can get rather enormous. If players aren't staying on the same level as other players, they can be eliminated quickly. And this does add some interesting decisions to the game - how many houses/hotels should one buy? If you buy a lot of them quickly, your chance to make a lot of money is increased, but your available cash is low. Also, should players buy every property they land on? At first, it seems like the answer is generally yes, but occasionally it doesn't help a player to buy everything - besides, you just might get it cheaper in auction?

4.) Elimination: Monopoly's biggest problem, in my opinion, is the fact that the game has player elimination in it - something that usually doesn't go over well, especially in a game of this length (usually around two and a half hours). The rules include a variant that ends the game after the second player is eliminated - and I've found that this works much better - even though it still causes one player to be eliminated.

5.) House Rules: I've played the game with many people, and several people have invented their own house rules, such as awarding money to people who land on Free Parking, auctioning off all properties, etc. Some of these rules really bog the game down, and a few (minute, actually) improve the game. So far it seems that most variants don't do much to help the game - and some of them actually make it quite dreadful - so I personally tend to ignore them.

6.) Variations: I've already seen several variations on Monopoly - Star Wars, Loony Tunes, etc. A few of them add minor rule changes, but it is interesting how the theme of the game can be cut and pasted at will. Since most of these themes change little to, or nothing, I would tend to look for one with the highest quality bits when buying the game (Star Wars Episode I version so far has the best I've seen.)

7.) Problems: The game has two problems other than elimination. For one, there is a high luck factor. A player who lands on all of one group of properties (all the railroads, all the reds, etc.) can have a huge advantage at the beginning of the game. A player who lands on very few can also be in a bit of a jam. The Chance and Community Chest cards range wildly from being slightly annoying (pay $50) to extremely hurtful (go to a property that just happens to ha ... Read more

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Editorial Review

Sure, this real estate trading game has been the world's most popular board game for more than six decades, but what makes this edition "deluxe"? For one thing, it brings back the sturdywooden (not plastic) houses and hotels of years gone by. It also features an extra gold-colored train token, a handy holder for the Title Deed cards, and a banker's tray to keep your cash on hand. The cash, Community Chest, and Chance cards are all newly redesigned. And the 19-inch-by-19-inch board is stamped with a golden "Deluxe" arch. Featuring the original Atlantic Citylandmarks like Boardwalk and Park Place, this version is for the serious Monopoly lovers on your gift list.For further perspective on Monopoly, you can read about it in The Greatest Games of All Time and New Rules for Classic Games.--Rebecca Hughes ... Read more

Features

• This spiffed up version of the classic game includes wooden houses and hotels, golden tokens, title deed carousel, bankers tray, and deluxe graphics.
• MONOPOLY®, the distinctive design of the gameboard, the four corner squares, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board, the playing pieces and the RICH UNCLE PENNYBAGS name and character are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment.

Reviews (48)

OVERPRICED, CHEAPLY MANUFACTURED AND DISAPPOINTING

The only thing "Deluxe" about this addition is the glossy foil cover of the box, which is designed to make you think you are getting something special by paying more money.

Nothing could be further from the truth. This edition screams "CHEAP" from the second the lid comes off.

Let's go thru the hype above and set the record straight on all the "Deluxe" features:

The board is a quad-fold affair, redesigned presumably to allow a smaller, less expensive box. It has much less rigidity than the single-fold board of the "classic" version. When it is left out for an extended period of time, especially overnite, the ends of the board curl up and refuses to lay flat.

The houses and hotels are completely featureless, just small blocks of wood. They looked to be dipped in some type of vegetable dye rather than painted. This is probably an attempt to eek out a few extra cents of corporate profit.

The "bankers tray" and "property wheel" are flimsy plastic jokes. Neither would last under play by children much more than a few games.

This edition is a sad legacy to a great game, and the cheapness of the set detracts from the joy of play. For the additional cost, all you are really getting is the fancy foil cover and one extra play token, plus a board that curls up at the edges: Whoopee!

My advice: Save the extra money and buy the "classic" version.

GREAT
This is a great game.The new box is nice because it's smaller, so it takes up less space.There's a nice money-holder, and little places for pieces and hotels, and even enough room for all of your old pieces and hotels (2 other boards worth).Places to store property cards and everything.The comm. chest kind of cards are a little flimsier, but that's why you use the old ones you have until they wear out.Games aren't supposed to last forever.If you want something that will, don't expect to pay 18 bucks.A haircut costs more than that, and it only lasts a week.Enjoy what it is.

M. Deluxe
Monopoly Deluxe is the best because it is the perfect board game! The box and the 2 blue cases inside are perfect because they don't tear easily. What about the things in the cases? Well, there are a lot of money in one of them, the chance and the (I forgot what those other small cards were called)are with the money and so are the cards for the places. The other case is for when you start playing, it's the bank. You will put the money in that and there are playing tokens, houses and hotels, and a special place where the dice goes. It is the best! Everything about it is perfect if you want to play during your family game nights! If you do buy it, I'm sure you won't regret it! ... Read more

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Editorial Review

Poor Mr. Boddy has been shockingly murdered in his own mansion. To win this game, you must become a roving detective, sniffing out the answers to the classic mystery questions: Who among Mr. Boddy's guests committed the murder? What was the murder weapon? (Lead pipe? Wrench? Candlestick?) Where did the murder happen? (Library? Conservatory?) Because the answers change each time, the game is constantly challenging. A gameboard map of the mansion, detective notepad, deck of cards, one die, wandering playing pieces, and a healthy dose of intuition will help players be the first to figure out the answers. This edition of Clue is a departure from the old faces and mansion rooms that were beginning to look dated after all these years. Sultry Miss Scarlett looks like Lesley Ann Warren from the movie Clue. Mr. Green looks convincingly sinister, Mrs. Peacock snobbish and potentially cruel. Colonel Mustard is still Pompous, Professor Plum still clueless. Mrs. White, the grandmotherly maid, is downright spooky. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (79)

The Game Clue
The game Clue is a detective game that entertains you and your friends by seeing who is first to solve the murder mystery. I usually play this game with my family and friends because it is a game for the entire family and we enjoy it. This is my personal favorite board game because it is simple and it perks you up if you are having a gloomy day.
This game has some some positive things about it and some negative things about it. One poitive thing is that there are very few directions. Another is that it gets your mind thinking by using your knowledge or "Clues" that you have discovered and try to guess the person who committed the murder, where it happened, and with what weapon they did it with. But along with positive comments, there are also negative ones too. For example, it takes a long time to set the game up because you have to sort the cards, hand the out to each player, and without looking take three cards and put them into the confidential envelope.
I have played this many times and I am only 11 years old. I would rate this game 5 stars!

The classic whodunit game
Known in Britain as Cluedo but in America as Clue, this classic game is based on a simple idea but your enjoyment of it (or lack thereof) will depend to some extent on what sort of brain you have. The game is basically a logic puzzle so it is not a game of luck (though there is a little luck involved) so the most skilful player will win most of the time.

With six possible murderers, six possible weapons and nine possible locations, there are 314 possible solutions to the puzzle. By a process of elimination, each player tries to work out the combination. Each player is dealt some cards containing names of people, weapons and locations, so is able to eliminate some possibilities immediately.

The main skill lies is in knowing what is the best combination to guess when it is your turn to guess, and understanding the implications of your (and other people's) previous guesses. When you guess a combination, you announce it aloud for everybody to hear. Going round in a circle, your opponents have to either say they haven't got any of those three or they show you a card. Nobody else sees this card but they know that this person has one of the three you guessed. Of course, that person may have more than one of the three but as only one card need be shown, you don't know that. If none of your opponents is able to show you a card, then either you have guessed correctly or you've got one of the cards in your own hand. In the latter case, it seems like a wasted guess although there are occasions when bluffing might be useful. In any case, those players who can make most use of clues offered by all guesses, not just their own, have the best chance of winning.

Yes, this game can be a lot of fun, but you need a brain suited to solving logic puzzles to really enjoy it.

Mystery Madness!
Who killed Mr. Boddy? Was it Mr. Green in the Ball Room with the Rope? Colonel Mustard in the Dining Room with the Revolver? Miss Scarlet in the Lounge with the Lead Pipe? Professor Plum in the Study with the Knife? Mrs. White in the Kitchen with the Candlestick? Or Mrs. Peacock in the Library with the Wrench? If you love solving mysteries, then Clue is the board game for you! Six suspects, six weapons, and nine rooms are available in the game: Mr. Green, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Peacock are the suspects, the Revolver, Rope, Knife, Lead Pipe, Wrench, and Candlestick are the weapons, and the Hall, Library, Billiard Room, Ball Room, Lounge, Study, Kitchen, Dining Room, and Conservatory are the rooms. You are the detective and you must solve the murder of Mr. Boddy before another person does! The game includes six moving game pieces (green for Green, yellow for Mustard, red for Scarlet, purple for Plum, white for White, and blue for Peacock), six weapon pieces, a pad of detective notepads, the game board, a "CONFIDENTIAL" envelope, and rules for playing. Supply yourself with some pencils in order to mark your clues down on the notepads. Read the rules for gameplay. What I like about the game is that it is challenging fun for everyone. You can't stop playing this game, because it is SO much fun!! I totally love it!! I give it a five-star review, for it being such an excellent game! ... Read more

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Editorial Review

Just like its big brother, Monopoly Jr. is big-time fun for everyone! Spend a day at the amusement park. Ride the roller coaster, bumper cars, or Ferris wheel. How about a game of miniature golf or a visit to the haunted house? It's simple--set up ticket booths on as many boardwalk amusements as possible, then build your fortune collecting the entrance fees as other players land on your properties. If someone else already owns an amusement, you pay up. Watch out--if one player owns both amusements of the same color, you must pay them double! So have some fun. And don't forget--pass GO, collect $2. --Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (34)

We LOVE this game.
This is a wonderful game!!!My 6 year old loved to play Monopoly, but it was very hard for her and no fun for me.This version is WONDERFUL!!! My little girl can count out her own money and tell me what to pay when I land on her property.I like and want to play this game with my daughter. My 3 year old can also play this game with a little help.

Ok for kids
I baby sit a lot, so I bought this for when the kids come over. It's not hard at all, there isn't much thinking involved and the kids actually enjoyed it. But I will say that they outgrew it really fast. Pretty soon they were wanting to play "real" Monopoly with the "big kids". And I must say, they won a lot!
Over-all though, it's a good starting point to a good "real" Monopoly player.

My son's favorite game!
My son receive this as a gift when he was four. He loved playing this game on the computer and loves the board game version even more. We have lost a few of the "ticket booths" but when you're five that just doesn't matter. A great way to start the foundation of adding and subtraction. The money could be a little more durable but overall for the price you get great family fun! ... Read more

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Reviews (1)

Takes the bite out of Clue
It's the classic game of Clue the Disney way!What does that mean exactly?Well for starters you play as either Pluto, Goofy, Diasy, Donald, Minnie or Mickey.Additionally, instead of finding out who murdered Mr. Body, you try to figure out who got scared, by which ghost and in which room of the Haunted Mansion.So instead of the classic Clue weapons you get six glow-in-the-dark ghosts.Kids love these ghosts and I must admit that making them glow in the dark was a great idea.

Gameplay is just like classic Clue with players moving aaround the mansion, making guesses and taking notes on their detective pads.The tin the game comes in is rather sturdy and has held up well in the months I've had the game.

This is a great game for Disney and Clue fans of all ages.Something that the entire family can enjoy together.However, I must admit to liking classic Clue better.The scaring motif takes away the dark tone, tension and urgency of the original.But I guess that should be expected of a Disney version of this game. ... Read more

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Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Party Games    5. Grownup   

Features

• A faithful replica of the original 1949 version of the perennial family favorite, CLUE.
• Features original artwork, weapons and tokens that duplicate the ones used in 1949.
• Includes beautifully illustrated "Clue Memories" 12 page booklet that describes Clue throughout the years with special hints!
• Contains: Game board, Deck of CLUE cards, Detective notepads, Silver-toned weapons with "real rope", Wooden tokens, Die, Pencils, Clue booklet and Suspect, Rooms and weapons card with 1949 illustration.
• For ages 8 and up. 3 to 5 players.

Reviews (2)

Perfect gift for my Grandparents
This turned out to be the perfect gift for my Grandparents because this edition is from their generation.Not only is it nostalgic, but it also fun to play.

Clue is so wonderful!
This is a very fun game.Can be played for hours and hours, and even better, for kids, it makes them think, something some of them aren't doing nowadays!The game is really a murder scene, and throughout the game, you must find out the other players cards, so you can discover which cards lie in the confidential envelope.Find out who the murderer is, which weapon, and in which room first to win.The perfect game for all! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Party Games    5. Grownup