Monopoly Editions Explained
There is more than one Monopoly on the shelf, and they are not interchangeable. Here is what sets each box apart, so the one you bring home fits the people you play with.
Start with the classic
The classic Monopoly board game is the one most people picture: a square board, 28 title deeds, houses, hotels and a stack of paper money. It has been played this way since 1935. It seats 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up, and a full game can last a whole evening. The current edition comes with a storage tray and larger tokens. If your family has never owned Monopoly, this is the box to buy first.
Monopoly Junior: for players 5 and up
Monopoly Junior keeps the idea of buying spaces and collecting rent, and removes almost everything else. The money comes in single bills, there are no houses or mortgages, and a game ends when one player runs out of cash. It comes with Bluey, Super Mario, Spidey, dinosaur and unicorn boards, and one version has a 2-sided board with two levels of play. It is a gentle way to teach counting and taking turns.
Monopoly Deal: the card game
Monopoly Deal is a deck of cards, not a board. Players collect property sets, charge rent and steal with action cards, and the first to lay down three complete sets wins. A game takes about 15 minutes, which makes it our most portable Monopoly. It comes plain, in a collectible storage tin, in a tougher No Mercy version, and in themed decks such as Harry Potter, Disney Stitch, Hello Kitty and Friends and the NFL.
Themed editions
A themed edition changes the setting and keeps the rules familiar. The properties, tokens and cards come from the theme, and some editions add a small twist of their own. Current boxes include Pokémon, Wicked, Batman, Harry Potter, House of the Dragon, Fourth Wing, A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Mandalorian and Grogu. Age grades and player counts differ from box to box, so read the listing. They make good gifts for a fan who already owns the classic.
Banking editions and expansions
Ultimate Banking and App Banking do the arithmetic for you, which speeds up the game and ends arguments with the banker. The three expansions — Go to Jail, Free Parking Jackpot and Buy Everything — each add a new element to the classic board. They are not stand-alone games.
How to choose in four steps
- Check the youngest player. Under 8, go with Monopoly Junior.
- Check the clock. For a game under half an hour, pick Monopoly Deal or Knockout.
- Buying a gift for a fan? Look for a themed edition that matches.
- Already own the classic? Add an expansion to change the game you have.
Every box mentioned here is on the Monopoly shelf. For other games in the same age range, see family classics.
