The newest Pokémon game isn't what you expected, but it's still surprisingly good

0
The newest Pokémon game isn't what you expected, but it's still surprisingly good

A new version of Pokemon Monopoly just hit the table, but surprisingly it's not just a copy and paste of the classic Monopoly game. Despite being one of the biggest media franchises of all time, Pokemon has surprisingly few table games outside of the crescent Pokémon trading card game. While Pokemon fans who grew up in the 1990s may remember Pokémon Master Trainerlatest Pokemon Board games are simply licensed versions of popular games like Maze and Guess who?

Earlier this month, Hasbro Gaming released a new version of Pokémon Monopoly. Although two previous licensed editions of Monopoly were made using Pokémon, this new Monopoly the game introduces several new mechanics that make the game very different from a simple Monopoly repel. The result is a different kind of Pokemon tabletop game, which really tries to capture the feeling of Pokemon franchise instead of just being a simple money maker.

What Makes This Pokémon Monopoly Different

Pokémon Monopoly has several unique mechanics, including battle options

The original Pokémon Monopoly the games were basically remakes of Monopoly, with the same rules and objectives as the original game. In the new Pokémon Monopoly, players are competing to catch eight different types of Pokémonwhich can be collected from various color-coded biomes. The first player to land in a specific biome must pay a Poké Ball fee to claim the area and explore it for wild Pokémon. Players don't automatically catch Pokémon in these areas - they roll a special die with a 50/50 catch rate. If players miss an initial throw, they can pay for an extra Poké Ball to have another chance at catching the Pokémon.

Once an area is claimed, any other trainer who lands in it will have to pay a Poké Ball fee to explore it, similar to paying rent in a regular Monopoly game. However, players also have the option to fight the trainer who controls the biome they land in. When players battle, each player rolls a six-sided die and adds to the roll the number of all Pokémon they have captured. The player with the highest score wins, and the tie goes to the player who controls the area. As a note, coaches cannot attempt to take an area if a player controls both areas of the same color.

Is Pokemon monopoly good?

Better than its predecessors, but some flaws and frustrations remain


Pokémon Monopoly promotional image

The capture and battle mechanics make Pokémon Monopoly I feel very different from normal Monopolya game that relies heavily on area control and is quickly dominated by one or two players. A player can still achieve their goals even if they don't control many areasalthough they will need to figure out a way to collect a steady stream of Poké Balls as a result. As players add all the Pokémon they control to their roll, a player can also simply catch as many Pokémon from their regions to increase their strength and try to intimidate other players into giving up their land.

Still, there are some major drawbacks Pokémon Monopoly. The game largely depends on luckas even a player who controls a lot of land can still have a series of unlucky rolls when trying to catch Pokémon. The game also still features a large power imbalance similar to the original. Monopoly. A player who controls a lot of land will control the Poké Ball's resources, while players who have a lot of Pokémon can intimidate those who don't. If you don't like the injustice built into the original Monopolyyou won't like it Pokémon Monopoly.

Will there be more Pokémon board games?

Pokémon Monopoly bodes well for the future


pokemon monopoly roll

While many other video game franchises have had ambitious board game adaptations, Pokemon fell far behind until recently. While the Pokémon Trading Card Game is one of the biggest card games in the world, and Pokémon TCG PocketWhile the new Mythical Isle cards continue to grow into their new digital counterpart, there are surprisingly few other tabletop games that truly delve into the world of Pokemon. In truth, Pokémon Monopoly is one of the first board games that really tries to capture the spirit of Pokemon in a significant way in years. This bodes well for the future of tabletop gaming, especially if other publishers can find a unique and engaging way to adapt the franchise through board games.

While Pokemon maintained tight control over table adaptations, appears to be loosening this control in recent years. Pokémon Maze was released a few years ago and now we have a Pokémon Monopoly game that looks like another Pokemon game than a simple Monopoly game. Currently, there are no other Pokemon board games announced for release, but we have a feeling more Pokemon tabletop games could hit shelves in the not-too-distant future.