RETRO: Monopoly Had An Official Expansion?!
Monopoly has been around for a long time but did you know it also had an official expansion? Also BONUS! Read until the end if you want to see something you’ll hope isn’t real! But it is!
Evidence of the first game of Monopoly dates back to 783 BC when it was found in the tomb of an unknown Assyrian king. No one knows the true origins of the game but the widely accepted theory is the game was bestowed upon humankind as a curse for their hubris. Legends say if humanity can learn true humility and kindness, then the curse will be lifted. And since that will never happen, we’ve learned to live with it.
Like Naomi Watts in The Ring, the Parker Brothers have bypassed the curse by spreading it to so many others. It is this which also keeps them sustained indefinitely, allowing them to exist in an abominable mere half-living state. For so long as people keep forgetting to auction every property, the brothers’ Parker will continue their vile quest.
“What do you mean Luxury Tax?!”
It was only after a few years of peddling their wares that people started to realize Monopoly isn’t a good game. So, in an effort to increase sales, Parker Brothers decided to add a gameplay element which would add tons of control and stability to their highly random and chaotic game.
What’s more stable than the stock market in the 30’s?
Initially released in 1936, it was also reprinted in 1992 for anyone without a time machine and no regard for temporal causal disruptions. Even during the Great Depression caused by the stock market crash of 1929, the Parker Brothers campaign of terror would not falter. But don’t worry, this isn’t the worst idea they’ve ever had. We’ll get to that later.
For a mere 50 cents American, any lowly paper pusher or factory worker could become not only a big wig real estate mogul, but also a wolf of Wall Street. Margot Robbie not included.
The box lists the expansion as ‘new’ because the Parker Brothers have long since lost their ability to conceptualize the timeline of a human lifespan.
The main component of the expansion is the Stock Exchange space, which works as a replacement of the Free Parking space and has a handy thing that slides over the corner of the board to replace the spot. Anytime a player lands on that space, they have an option of options.
Any of the stock options can be purchased for their stock price. Buying additional copies of the same stock offers additional income anytime that stock pays dividends. Stocks will pay dividends anytime any player lands on the Stock Exchange space or caused by one of the new event cards.
The expansion also comes with a handful of replacement Chance and Community Chest cards, which incorporate the new mechanic. As per usual, they seem pretty evenly split in terms of beneficial and detrimental. However, as you well know, the Parker Curse prevents any of the beneficial cards from being drawn during gameplay, which is a real shame.
And that’s it. It’s admittedly less of an ‘expansion’ and more of an ‘add-on’ since it’s a pretty small package, but no one uses the term ‘add-on’ anymore. All in all, it creates more options to gain money, which is only going to prolong the game, so take that for what it’s worth. That said, it does make Free Parking space not pointless, which is nice.
Thanks for reading!
…Oh, sorry. One more thing while I got you here.
This exists now.
Not joking. It’s real. Good job, Hasbro.
Really look closely at the box art. It hides so many things.
Okay, NOW thanks for reading!
