In Nintendo Monopoly, Mario is Boardwalk

by Christopher Grant { Jun 9th 2006 at 6:25PM }

This one is for all the Nintendorks out there. When you're not playing Nintendo's video games, you're probably doing one of three things: cosplaying as famous Nintendo characters, quilting yourself a blanket featuring your favorite Nintendo characters, or wondering why those same Nintendo characters don't permeate every other facet of your life.

Courtesy of Rich Uncle Pennybags and the good folks at USAopoly comes Monopoly: Nintendo Collector's Edition. Yup, we're talking about an actual physical copy of Monopoly, not a video game version. The promotional shots they sent us don't show off the board very well (although we can tell that Mario is Boardwalk, natch), but they do show off all the little pewter figurines. They are: Mario's hat, Koopa shell, NES controller, Donkey Kong barrel, Link's boots (of the iron variety we assume), and Link's shield (of the Hylian variety).

Alright, we love Zelda as much as the next cosplaying Link fan, but two Zelda tokens and not a single Metroid one? Samus ain't gonna be happy. Expect to find it in stores in July for an suggested retail price of $35.95. That's like one DS game, right? Plenty o' pics after the break.

Tags: Board Games, BoardGames, Hasbro, Monopoly, Nintendo

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

epobirs @ Jun 9th 2006 6:29PM

They've turned characters into geography? How bizarre. Wouldn't an actual (within games) place like Peach's castle have made more sense?

Nushio @ Jun 9th 2006 6:33PM

I'm no Nintendork, I'm a Nintendrone, and damned proud of it.

With that said, I need to get this Monopoly game. Now.

lacking cleverness @ Jun 9th 2006 6:34PM

The point of Monopoly is to buy and sell property, yes?
Why, then, have people buy the characters from the game, and not the land where the characters live (Hyrule, Mushroom Kingdom, etc.)?
Buying and selling people? Isn't that slavery?
And how, oh how, do hotels work in this macabre simulation?

MikeyJoe @ Jun 9th 2006 6:43PM

Samus.

I'd buy that.

jOEfRO @ Jun 9th 2006 6:46PM

seems to me as they are simply matching the characters with their matching color

Cephas @ Jun 9th 2006 6:50PM

You forget, board games are impervious to logic.

pennywise969 @ Jun 9th 2006 6:52PM

This isnt all the surprising, they have made every other kind of monopoly game you can think of.

V1L3 @ Jun 9th 2006 6:52PM

If this is anything like the REAL Nintendo monopoly, is there a card that says "The courts have overturned your unethical contracts which gave you a stranglehold on third party developers, do not pass Go - do not collect $200,000 in royalties?"

deft @ Jun 9th 2006 6:55PM

As fan of Monopoly and Nintendo all I can say is:

It's the best of two worlds!

Though I would've preferred Nintendo Characters instead of items. Still pretty damned awesome.

MegaMatt @ Jun 9th 2006 6:56PM

I agree with the other people on this post. Nintendo has some great locations that should have been used. The Rail Roads could have even been warp zones or something cool like that. The cheaper properties could have been the haunted houses from the Mario games and Boardwalk could have been something like Peach's Castle.

Denji @ Jun 9th 2006 7:05PM

At least they realize how worthless Waluigi is.

JB @ Jun 9th 2006 7:06PM

@6: I thought that card said "The courts find your business practices unethical and illegal. You must distribute 200,000 dollars to all customers currently subscribing to your magazine as 5$ coupons off the price of another Nintendo product, while making no changes to your business practices whatsoever."

Your Right @ Jun 9th 2006 7:21PM

I too am a little dissapointed in the fact that the characters are land instead of actual nintendo places. Boardwalk could of been the mushroom kindom. Ill probably still get it tho since im a big fan of monopoly and I enjoy nintendo. I just hope the box is not retarded long like the usaopoly version of the simpsons monopoloy I have. The Hasbro Simpsons edition monopoly was supirior to the USAoploy version.

David @ Jun 9th 2006 7:22PM

The pieces themselves are freaking cool, turtle shell ftw, but I'd have rather seen actual places in the Nintendo world as properties.

For example Mushroom Kingdom or whatever.

The ZeroCorpse @ Jun 9th 2006 7:29PM

So when's that Nintendo edition of D&D come out?

(kidding! Although...)

DarkSol @ Jun 9th 2006 7:34PM

What's that I hear? The sound of a million Nintendo fanboys fapping hardcore to this.

Sabre @ Jun 9th 2006 7:45PM

I'm so pre-ordering that...besides...my old Monopoly has fallen apart and is missing pieces.

Sejarki @ Jun 9th 2006 7:48PM

Needs Kirby and Metroid themed pieces. And yeah, I'm with everyone saying they should have gone with Nintendo locations instead of characters, there's deffinately enough locationsto pull it off after all.

Blink @ Jun 9th 2006 7:48PM

Come on now, the original monopoly board has a tophat(mario's hat), wheelbarrow(barrel), car(f-zero racer), battleship(arwing), horserider(epona & link), old boot(Goomba's Shoe), cannon(arm cannon), thimble(Pokeball), scotty dog(Nintendog), and iron(NES controller). They just could have had such a better set than they did, I hope there's more than just 6 pieces in the final board.

Oh, and I find it hysterical that Waluigi is the cheapest spot on the board.

Chaps @ Jun 9th 2006 7:52PM

I can already imagine the exclamations that are going to be made when the typical Nintendork gets this:

"Wow, look at those graphics! They look like, real life!"

"Wireless gameplay?! You mean this game doesn't need batteries?!"

voice of reason @ Jun 9th 2006 8:21PM

@20
someone needs to grow up.

the_game_master @ Jun 9th 2006 8:27PM

Why is this not a 3D game for DS? Cause I want it.

Is there a Monopoly game for DS?

cringer8 @ Jun 9th 2006 9:02PM

I wonder when Sony's coming out with their version?

All they would have to do is double the prices for all the property and add a rule that after two trips around the board, you have to re-buy them.

Jason C, @ Jun 9th 2006 9:15PM

This looks pretty good. I would rather of had more variety. It would have made a lot more sence if they made a Monopoly game tailored to specific Nintendo games. A Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Metroid, Kirby, Old-school, and other big franchises could have worked very well. The problem would be the cost of course. I do like the idea and am planning on picking this item up

Bored @ Jun 9th 2006 9:30PM

I was thinking to myself that the world needed another themed base monopoly game.

R0DJOh @ Jun 9th 2006 9:35PM

Man I was looking forward to this, but why they make us buy characters? That sucks.

GEH @ Jun 9th 2006 10:16PM

Who's Mayfair????

Sabre @ Jun 9th 2006 10:17PM

...and I was just thinking, no one is making you buy one so what does it matter.

Andir @ Jun 9th 2006 10:32PM

"I wonder when Sony's coming out with their version?

All they would have to do is double the prices for all the property and add a rule that after two trips around the board, you have to re-buy them."

...or Microsoft's version where you can only win by relying on one territory and nickel and dime the rest of the players by requiring they pay monthly fees and buying partial houses at inflated rates. Everyone starts off with $5 billion and has 10 years to try to make it back. The game can only last for 4.5 rounds because after that you run out of virtual real estate ... unless you can somehow figure out how to reduce the cost of the land so you can go around another 4.5 times without switching boards.

You'reNotHardcore @ Jun 10th 2006 12:07AM

@23. & 28.

Lol...Nice!!!

Do you think in the Sony-opoly version of the game you'll be able to steal ideas/jump on the bandwagon to try and boost your chances at coming out on top?

CNE @ Jun 10th 2006 1:37AM

You know, I *am* a Nintendork (http://www.nintendorks.com). The least the submitter could do is give some brothas a link in the article.

Evidently somebody in NOA IP Licensing got a letter from upstairs with the subject "Do what must be done!"

And I actually bought the Nintendo-themed UNO deck:
(http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-2057298-5793434?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B00023DETE)

Honestly, I was happy to buy the Nintendo Uno. I've been wanting an Uno deck for a while -- I lost mine in college. Instead of 8 regular Wild Cards in the deck, there are 4 WCs and 4 "Power" cards, which allow you to negate the Draw-2 or Draw-4 played on you (and pick the next color). Of course, the Power card has an invincibility star on it. The new card type gives Uno an interesting compontent in play (albeit doesn't change much of the strategies, or what strategy there is in Uno).

turtleboy @ Jun 10th 2006 3:02AM

sony and xbox would be a hard board to come up with if we based it on buying people like the nintendo monopoly. I mean for xbox boardwalk would be master cheif for sure but then who else do they have. Sony I guess it would be crash. They both lack charcters compared to Nintendo.

Bored @ Jun 10th 2006 4:00AM

#27 Because it is taking up shelf space that could be devoted to Axis and Allies. Seriously, it doesn't matter.

Matt @ Jun 10th 2006 4:25AM

@26:

Mayfair = Boardwalk = Mario.

I'm guessing Park Lane (whatever the Boardwalk's other half is) is the Princess.

And yes, I need this too.

BPM? @ Jun 10th 2006 5:00AM

This is kinda similar to the Pokémon Monopoly from a while back.
Each "property" was a Gym Leader's Pokémon. And when you buy them you actually "defeat" them.
Houses and hotels were replaced by Pokémarts and Pokécenters, respectively.
And a neat bonus feature were Pokémon Powers that activated when both dice landed on the same number. Like you could warp to different squares, or draw a Chance card, etc.

I do agree, though, that have two Zelda items isn't a good idea. With so many things in the Nintendoverse, they could have opted for some more variety. A Poké Ball? Samus's Gunship? An Arwing? The Blue Falcon? Kirby's Warpstar?
And, having both Koopa Shell and Mario's Cap is a bit redundant, too. Though, they still make better choices than a pair of boots.

And I say a star to V1L3 for post #8! XD

fraxyl @ Jun 10th 2006 5:05AM

Considering that their characters are their property, it makes sense, to a degree. It's just hard for most people to come to grips with that since in regular monopoly, you're buying and selling land.

Maybe instead of building houses, you're creating minigames and instead of hotels, Triple A titles. I'm guessing they're gunna stick with houses though... which in that case, characters as property wouldn't make sense.

kevnt @ Jun 10th 2006 10:09AM

I'm a little upset at the lack of Pokemon, but I suppose since they have their own version of Monopoly it balances out.

Exbzurg @ Jun 10th 2006 10:47AM

noone is mentioning the fact that they are pimpimg out princess zelda at the ohh so affordable price of $300.
Now as soon i as i get that anti-pimping law out of the way.....

Ragnarokender @ Jun 10th 2006 12:03PM

Nah, just like any other Monopoly out there but with a few pictures. I could do better with a printer.

Jesse 3rd @ Jun 10th 2006 12:16PM

Now theres only one board game left to complete my Mario collection:

Mario OPERATION!

Although, I'm sure Mario wouldn't enjoy that....

Xander224 @ Jun 10th 2006 1:08PM

@ #29

LOL!
They should make the Nintendo version where you have to go around the board 5 times, to buy all their GBA revisions!

Or you have to jump on the DVD bandwagon!(a generation too late!)

truplaya @ Jun 10th 2006 2:48PM

I absolutley love nintendo, but I CANNOT sit and play a game of Monopoly for nothing. It gets boring to me....it just lasts too long.

If they come up with The Game of Life: Nintendo Edition let me know though. :-P

Aaron @ Jun 10th 2006 4:39PM

Ok, what... the... fuck. You guys rag on comments that show fanboyism, but then you go ahead and completely bash people that play Nintendo games? Obviously your website is never going to get any type of respect from major companies, unless you bring in writers that can post sensible blogs, and not this imature shit you've been working with recently.

withoutasol @ Jun 10th 2006 5:58PM

the microsoft version would somehow require 4 d sized batteries =D

C. Grant @ Jun 10th 2006 9:49PM

Are you actually serious Aaron? I think you'll find we're all big Nintendorks as well. But I guess you're right, thanks for the advice. We'll get on that right away ... right after I post some more immature shit.

Marin @ Jun 11th 2006 8:33PM

OMG! Nintendo Monopoly? What's next? Let me guess... Nintendo Duck Duck Goose? I can see it now..." Mario, Mario, Mario, LUIGI!" Or "Link, Link, Link, GANON!" Oh, the world must be ending.... ¬_¬

no @ Jun 12th 2006 3:42AM

@43, 45

cmon guys play nice...everybody needs some light hearted posts every now and then other wise joystiq would be another ign, gamespot. (as in the very sterile approach to gaming)

Black Monkey @ Jun 12th 2006 9:58PM

So tell me AGAIN WHY WE'RE BUYING AND SELLING PEOPLE, I mean I want a night out with Zelda as much as the next guy (...kidding...) but seriously, dont do dumb crap like that. And why is there no Samus figurine and 2 Zelda figurines? NO ONE, NO ONE cares about Link's boots! And aren't there usually more then 6 players (I don;t know, I'm asking) and who actually started monopoly, USAopoly or Hasbro?