EA reinvents Monopoly

EA's upcoming Monopoly game - part of a multi-game partnership with Hasbro - will feature a special fast-paced family mode full of mini-games when it comes out later this year on PC (Pogo.com), PS2, Wii and Xbox 360.

According to Newsweek, "The Richest" will reduce the popular board game to bursts of 20-30 minutes where up to four players play at once. Sorry, enhance! Enhance the popular board game. Probably.

Each round will begin with a multiplayer mini-game based on a Chance or Community Chest card, after which the game will roll one die for each player, with the winner of the mini-game getting to pick whichever number they want out of the results.

The game will then give them ownership of that number of random squares. Any vacant properties will come under their control, but any occupied squares will mean having to hand over some property as a payment to the previous owner. Presumably the winner will be the person who has the most property at the end.

Mini-games detailed so far include one about breaking out of prison, and another where you race around train tracks trying not to overshoot the stations, as Newsweek puts it, and there will be unlockable themed boards for dedicated players.

Hopefully you will also get to play the original Monopoly! Although you could always go round your Nan's to do that instead. Or play Halo.

Check out our lonely-looking Monopoly Wii screenshot if you like. We won't judge you.