Monopoly levels up the board game world as it celebrates its 90th anniversary with brand new expansion packs, adding new twists and excitement to the classic game played by new and old players alike.
Over the past nine decades, Monopoly has remained a staple in millions of households. However, to accommodate consumer desires, Hasbro has been working to create and release new products.
“The game has remained basically the same all these years. They make minor updates in each of their new game editions, but other than that, the rules stay the same,” said Sophia Lee, a sophomore at Carlmont.
On Jan. 7, Hasbro released three new expansion packs: Go to Jail, Buy Everything, and Free Parking Jackpot. These expansions offer players a chance to collect new cards, buy the bank, win every space on the board, and more additions to make the game even more popular.
“Monopoly has been one of my favorite games since I was a kid. It is nice to know that Hasbro is considering the ideas of customers and always open to changing the game to create some variation,” said college student Natalie Ghofrany, an avid Monopoly player.
For many players, one of the main concerns of the typical Monopoly game is the long game duration. On average, the game spans over 90 minutes, according to Hasbro’s official game rules. Ultimately, the game ends unfinished or paused to be finished in the near future.
“A lot of people tend to steer away from Monopoly due to its extremely long duration, sometimes taking multiple days or becoming a full-day commitment,” said freshman Nicolai Liu, the president of the Carlmont Puzzles and Games Club.
With the new expansion packs, however, players can play the game in 40 minutes or less. This allows the game to finish in one time frame and accommodates players looking to play a quicker game.
“With the game lasting shorter, it can definitely attract more people who are in a time cramp or want to refresh the game more often,” Liu said.
In addition to a faster-paced game, these expansions can be switched out at any given time between either the classic Monopoly or one of the three packs. The packs connect to any preexisting Monopoly board game.
Currently, all three expansion packs are sold both in-store and online at Target, Amazon, Walmart, and other retailers for around $9.99.
“$9.99 is definitely a reasonable price because the packs aren’t permanent, and they add versatility to the game,” Ghofrany said. “I would one hundred percent buy these packs.”
As the expansion packs roll out into more stores and online retailers, players like Lee are bound to give the new additions a try.
“If I come across the expansion packs in a store, I am definitely going to buy it and relive my Monopoly memories,” Lee said.
