Does anyone actually like Monopoly? It is the worst board game in existence.
To me, it’s not even a game, because players don’t make any decisions. You roll a die and go a number of steps, no player agency so far. After that you technically have a decision to buy or not to buy the property. But it is not really a decision, you need to buy it, if you can afford it.
I believe the main reason people say that they don’t like board games is because the only board game they played is Monopoly.
Its actually a pretty good metaphor. Imagine playing the game and never buying any assets, just passing Go and collecting a paycheck. That’s how most people live their lives. If you live in a capitalist country, you either aquire assets, or accept you will be exploited by those with all the assets. Its a simple and horrible system, and its all right there in a 100 year old kids game.
The main difference being that most people never have an opportunity to buy assets because they are too busy paying rent on other people’s assets. The game assumes you are a capitalist already, and you are playing against other capitalists.
Which actually is an even better metaphor, regular people don’t even get to play the game.
And, really, the winner will almost certainly be determined by who owns the middle-priced properties. I’m too lazy to look them up, but it’s the ones that are essentially opposite the Go space on the board. It’s a fascinating commentary.
It’s the red ones, they’re about 14 spaces away from jail, which is the most common space to end up on. In the long run people will land on them most often.
Does anyone actually like Monopoly? It is the worst board game in existence.
To me, it’s not even a game, because players don’t make any decisions. You roll a die and go a number of steps, no player agency so far. After that you technically have a decision to buy or not to buy the property. But it is not really a decision, you need to buy it, if you can afford it.
I believe the main reason people say that they don’t like board games is because the only board game they played is Monopoly.
The reason people hate it is because they don’t follow the rules.
They put tax money in the center and pretend “free parking” means “payday”.
They prevent purchases until a lap or two around the board.
They allow landed-on properties to go unpurchased.
They allow no-rent agreements between players.
And then they have the audacity to bitch that the game takes too fucking long. After removing every god damn mechanism the game has to end.
There is strategy in knowing what to purchase, what to bid at auctions, what properties to develop and when and how much, and what to trade.
It was literally designed to be a metaphor for capitalism. You’re not supposed to enjoy playing unless you are lucky enough to be the one winning.
Its actually a pretty good metaphor. Imagine playing the game and never buying any assets, just passing Go and collecting a paycheck. That’s how most people live their lives. If you live in a capitalist country, you either aquire assets, or accept you will be exploited by those with all the assets. Its a simple and horrible system, and its all right there in a 100 year old kids game.
The main difference being that most people never have an opportunity to buy assets because they are too busy paying rent on other people’s assets. The game assumes you are a capitalist already, and you are playing against other capitalists.
Which actually is an even better metaphor, regular people don’t even get to play the game.
I had almost exactly the same exact comment written out before I saw yours. Its original title was “The Landlord’s Game”.
And, really, the winner will almost certainly be determined by who owns the middle-priced properties. I’m too lazy to look them up, but it’s the ones that are essentially opposite the Go space on the board. It’s a fascinating commentary.
It’s the red ones, they’re about 14 spaces away from jail, which is the most common space to end up on. In the long run people will land on them most often.
Boardwalk and Park Place, and yes it eventually comes down to whoever lands on one of those first that doesn’t own it. They probably lose first.