Monopoly Casino

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1999 12
• Genre: Traditional
• Style: Gambling
• Similar Games: Hoyle Casino (IBM PC Compatible), Expert's Las Vegas Casino (IBM PC Compatible), Monopoly Casino: Vegas Edition (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

Gamers who love the high stakes thrills of both Monopoly and Las Vegas casinos will want to check out Hasbro Interactive's Monopoly Casino. With Mr. Monopoly as your guide and card dealer, try your hand at one of 19 different Monopoly Slots games, 12 poker games, 5 blackjack variations, 2 roulette games, 4 money wheel variations, 4 kinds of Keno, 10 games of video poker and 5 varieties of craps.

Once you've signed in and decided how much money you want to start with, decide which Monopoly board game token will represent you in your gambling travels. Once you're inside the 3D casino you can approach any table, decide which variation on the game you wish to play, and place your bet. Once you're done, remember to click the Cash Out button to add your winnings to your moneyclip.

Among the old standards such as poker and roulette you'll also find three versions of slot machines created by WMS Gaming Inc. and actually in use in casinos around the United States. They are Chairman of the Board, Once Around and Reel Estate. Each of them has a Monopoly look and feel to it.

If you want to play online against a few friends, just log on to the MSN Gaming Zone and exchange messages via ICQ or America Online's Instant Messenger while you gamble.

If you have at least $15,000 in your moneyclip and want to join a tournament, you can play in one of seven different types at any time. If you lose all your money while playing, you're out of the tournament. The player who has won the most money at the end receives a $25,000 bonus.

Roots & Influences

This game combines the look and feel of the Monopoly board game, which was created by Charles B. Darrow in 1934, with the traditional games found in a Las Vegas casino.

Review: Overall

Anyone who enjoys casino games will really love Monopoly Casino, unless they find that goofy little Monopoly mascot with the top hat and mustache annoying or think the overt pervasiveness of Monopoly icons is too much. Otherwise, this is a top notch game in every regard.

The graphics are excellent. All of the animations are smooth, and it's obvious that plenty of care was put into the little details. For example, the roulette wheel has a gleaming wood finish and the ball spins around its exterior and bounces around inside it in a very realistic manner. The Monopoly mascot appears in any of the games which require dealers such as roulette and black jack and poker, where he deals out the cards and asks you to place your bets.

On the audio side, there's a great jazzy soundtrack which pops up every so often; it's got a real sultry feel to it, as if it's accompanying a dancer at some dinner theater show in the casino. All the sounds you'd expect such as the flipping of cards and the clicking of the roulette ball as it bounces around the wheel are here. While little touches such as the sound of crowds on the casino floor or the reactions of the other computer-controlled players as they win or lose would be nice, they're not vital to the game.

One nice addition is the presence of some Monopoly-themed slot machines which are a lot like ones found in real casinos. While I've never played the real ones, I thought their video counterparts were enjoyable. All three of them have neat bonus rounds where you place Monopoly-related bets such as trying to flip over properties in the same color group.

Overall, this is a great game for anyone who wants to gamble without worrying about losing real money. While a great deal of luck is involved in many of the games, some such as blackjack and poker need a certain amount of skill as well. It's tough to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em; too bad the goofy guy with the top hat isn't available to give you advice. Maybe this game would have been better off with a country singer guiding you instead.

Review: Enjoyment

A lot of fun for anyone who enjoys casino games.

Review: Graphics

Top notch work here. I can't find any serious faults.

Review: Sound

More ambient sounds would have been nice but they weren't required.

Review: Replay Value

Casino games can get a bit old after a while, though; I would recommend playing online to liven it up a bit.

Review: Documentation

The manual explains everything you need to know.

Production Credits