A Galactic Twist On A Classic Board Game
Monopoly’s origins date back to 1903, when Lizzie Magie devised an educational tool called The Landlord’s Game, illustrating the negative aspects of land grabbing and monopolies. In the 1930s, the Parker Brothers bought the rights to the game, and the rest is history. More than 275 million copies of Monopoly have since been sold worldwide, with countless city editions and personalised versions released over the years.
Star Wars and Monopoly are certainly no strangers either, with numerous board game editions and even a video game adaptation back in 1997. Now we have Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains. But is the Force strong with this one?
The biggest problem with Monopoly in modern life is how long it takes to play. You have to be prepared for a two- or three-hour game filled with arguments, accusations of cheating, and plenty of sulking. Some family members may never speak to each other again after a Christmas session. Thankfully, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains understands this and completely reworks the rules and structure to make each match much quicker and more exciting. Monopoly purists, however, may see that as a step too far.
Star Wars Reimagines The Rules Of Monopoly
You aren’t ever going to be playing a classic game of Monopoly here, but why would you want that in a Star Wars version? Instead, this is a team-based experience where you play as either the Heroes or the Villains. Matches are either 2v2 or 3v3, with characters drawn from across the entire Star Wars saga. On the Heroes’ side, you might choose Luke Skywalker, Rey, or Chewbacca, while the Villains offer characters like Darth Vader and General Grievous.
Around the board, the traditional Monopoly locations have all been replaced with famous Star Wars settings. So, instead of Whitechapel, you might land on the Cave of Evil, while Mayfair has become the Jedi Temple. Money is no longer the main objective either, as the game instead revolves around earning Influence Points from properties and defeating your opponents.
Fast Matches And Frequent Battles Keep Things Moving
Each turn sees players rolling the dice, moving around the board, and claiming locations. If an opponent lands on one of your properties – or even on the same space as you – a battle begins. Battles are decided by dice rolls and happen frequently enough to become one of the game’s most enjoyable mechanics. Winning earns valuable Influence Points that help your team move closer to victory.
Passing Go also introduces a new feature called the “Go Event”. These short story moments culminate in another dice-based battle and quickly became something I looked forward to each time someone completed a lap of the board.
Multiplayer Is The Real Draw
Games are considerably shorter than a traditional session of Monopoly, but there is still plenty of replayability thanks to the roster of 29 different characters, each bringing their own unique flavour and events to the experience.
This is definitely a game that’s at its best with other people. You can play solo, with AI filling the remaining spaces, but it’s nowhere near as entertaining as playing with friends. Both local and online multiplayer are available, and the online matches I played were easy to join and great fun. Once everyone starts embracing the strategic elements, the game really begins to shine.
Strong Presentation With One Noticeable Weakness
Visually, the presentation is reminiscent of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, with everything taking place on a holographic game board inside a cantina. It’s great seeing iconic Star Wars locations appear in the centre of the table whenever you land on them. I also enjoyed the animations during both battles and Go Events.
The biggest disappointment is the music. It seems as though the developers couldn’t secure the rights to John Williams’ iconic score, so instead we get something that’s very similar. It works well enough, but it’s perhaps a little too close to the original without ever becoming memorable in its own right. Sound effects are solid throughout, and the voice work is excellent, including Anthony Daniels returning to voice C-3PO.
A Great Party Game For Star Wars Fans
As a solo experience, I suspect you’ll only play a handful of matches before the novelty begins to wear off. But as a party game online, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is a completely different story. I really liked the revised rules, the 2v2 and 3v3 team structure, the frequent battles, and the entertaining Go Events.
The only question is how long that novelty will last. But for now, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is certainly more enjoyable than a two-hour family argument on Christmas Day.
Important Links
The Force Is Strong – Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains Rolls Onto Xbox, PlayStation, Switch And PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-force-is-strong-monopoly-star-wars-heroes-vs-villains-rolls-onto-xbox-playstation-switch-and-pc/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/monopoly-star-wars-heroes-vs-villains/9N1CHNHW8Q4L/0010
Buy from the PlayStation Store – https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP0001-PPSA29182_00-ARTEMISPS5000001
