Monopoly Junior (PC) > Reviews (5)

There are various forms of Monopoly Junior available today, from the basic board game to Shrek Monopoly junior etc.
The version we have is Monopoly Junior Pc Game from GSP games.

Suitable for/System requirements:

Windows 9x/ME/XP (required update included on CD)
Not suitable for Win2000
Pentium 166 MHz or higher
32 MB RAM
2 MB video card
Soundblaster compatible sound card. DirectX 6.1

Although I couldn't find the update to run this game on my windows XP, I was able to access the information from the internet. This was from GSP technical support and basically it told me how to run the game in a compatibility mode as though the game was run in Windows 98.
Technical support can be found at www.gspsupport.co.uk

The game:

First of all you are asked if you would like to run a saved game or new game.
On selecting a new game, Mr Monopoly appears and introduces himself. He asks if you are playing alone or with friends. There is a choice or one car on the left and 4 cars grouped together on the right.
As I was playing with my young son, we chose to play alone against the computer. You can then select your choice of colour for your car. We choose the green car (seems luckiest) which moves towards the curtain and after clicking on the curtain to begin the next screen we see is the game itself.

It is basically very similar to a standard monopoly game board but set around an amusement arcade with arcade games that you can 'purchase'. Mr Monopoly begins by asking you to roll the dice which you do by clicking on the dice at the bottom of your screen. He disappears down his hatch and reappears on the game board and with a flick of his hat or stick, he rolls the dice for you.
You then have to move your car along by clicking on the correct square following the correct no of moves. If you get it wrong, Mr Monopoly is very helpful and corrects you until you find the correct square, which is great for the younger children.
There are chance squares where Mr Monopoly goes onto the board and picks up a card for you. They can be anything from more to start or free ticket booths where you claim the coloured arcade game without paying for it.
The ticket booths are the coloured squares that you can land on and purchase if un-owned. These are also what you would charge your opponent on if they land on them.
If you land on an un-owned arcade game, you purchase the square by clicking on your coloured wallet which also at the bottom of the screen. Everybody starts with £31 in their 'wallets'. If you end up owning both coloured squares, you can charge double rent. The rent is the same as the purchase fee.
There are four coloured stations around the board which entitle you to have another go and roll again. There is a go to lunch square where you pay £3 for the privilege. This money goes in to Mr Monopoly's loose change, which if you land on this square, you win his loose change.
There are also fireworks and dolphin show that would also go into Mr Monopoly's loose change.

Around the board are 8 arcade games which are all timed,
Water slide, 3 levels, catch the ducks in the basket
Dodgems, 3 levels, burst the balloons
Minature Golf, 3 levels, self explanatory
Helicopter Fishing game, move the helicopter to hook up the bags of money.

Big Wheel pipe game, fix the big
Merry Go Round game, move Sandy across without hitting the animals
Haunted House game, 3 levels, hoover up the ghosts
Rollercoaster, take a picture at the correct time

Whilst playing alone against the computer, you are able to go and have a go at the games when it is your turn, whereas if playing with friends, you can only play when you land on the arcade game if un-owned by yourself.

If they tire of playing you can end the game and your game will be saved until next time and you can then either click on saved game or start new game and off you go again.

This is a fantastic game for all children aged 3+. It really helps with their mathematical skills by counting the dice no', number recognition when choosing the correct amount of money and counting skills whilst moving the car around.
They learn to recognise colours when selecting their car and clicking on the correct colour whilst taking their turn.
The only thing I get frustrated about is the amount of time Mr Monopoly sometimes takes to get onto the board and roll the dice, pick up chance cards and his voice is slightly annoying after a while, but these are adult niggles. The game is designed for children and it is extremely easy for them to play alone or with friends. I would definitely recommend it to anybody with children.

We bought our game from ebay auctions, I found it avaiable from pricerunner on the internet £3.79. I also found it available at tesco at a cost of £4.74