A Sign of the Times

Whoda thunk it? Hasbro is introducing a new version of its iconic Monopoly game - Monopoly Cheaters Edition will debut in June.  Hasbro has known for years that half of those who play Monopoly cheat, so they decided to come up with Monopoly Cheaters Edition, which plays more quickly and crazier than the original version.

 

The original Monopoly game debuted in 1903 as a protest against the robber barons of that time - the Rockfellers, Morgans and Vanderbilts.  They were the Progressive Era's one-percenters.  Monopoly Cheaters pays tribute to those in 2018 who believe (or don't care) if the rules apply to them, and those who lie and cheat with impunity.  

 

The pieces that move around the board include a car whose trunk is loaded with stolen money. The top hat covers a pile of money and the dinosaur has a engineered arm that defies the limits of biology.  And to make the game play faster, you no longer buy houses.  Instead you jump straight into buying only hotels.  

 

The new game incorporates several of the most common cheats from the original version, such as stealing money from the bank, moving the wrong number of spaces on a dice roll and taking someone's hotel from the board.  There are five spots on the game board for active cheats such as a bank heist which tempts players to steal money from the bank at any time.  If they get away with it, on the next roll of the dice they can brag about the theft and get an extra bonus for stealing.  However, if they player is caught stealing, they are required to pay each of the other players $100 and they then go to jail.  But unlike the original version, those cheaters who are caught actually have to wear handcuffs that lock the player to the game board.  

 

Hasbro wanted to add more humor to the game so it came up with monikers for different illegal activities. Removing a hotel from the board is dubbed "Surprised Demolition" and sneaking a hotel onto one of your properties is called, "Unlicensed Contractor."  

 

Similar to the original 1903 edition, Hasbro has created a board game that is also a social commentary that speaks to the mentality of 2018's cheating class.  A company executive did point out however, both in the board game and in life, if you get caught, there are penalties to pay.  At least for some there are.