Monopoly City Streets: A Quick-Start Guide
Google and Hasbro recently launched Monopoly City Streets, a free online version of Monopoly that gives players a chance to go from average Joe to real estate tycoon.
This game is different than traditional Monopoly. Instead of using the traditional game board, Monopoly City Streets works with Google Maps, meaning you can buy and sell real-life streets across the globe.
Once you've bought a street, spent your virtual cash building houses and other buildings, their rent will keep cash flowing into your coffers. After all, the ultimate goal of any Monopoly is to have the biggest bankroll by game's end.
Monopoly City Streets is relatively easy to pick up and play. Find out how to get started in our eight-step Quick Start guide:
Monopoly City Streets Quick Start Guide:
1. Go to the Monopoly City Streets site (monopolycitystreets.com)
2. Click the cash icon at the bottom of the screen to search for and buy a street. That will open the Google maps to the city/street you selected, along with a list of streets for sale in the area. All streets are color coded: purple streets are for sale, yellow streets are locked and not for sale, blue streets are already sold and the streets you buy will be highlighted in red.
3. Once you buy a street, you will be prompted to register and create a profile for the game. It's a relatively painless process, and doesn't require you to dole out any personal information.
4. You start the game with $3,000,000 in Monopoly money. After buying your first street, there are two options: buy more streets or start erecting buildings on your street and raking in the rent.
5. You can build buildings by clicking on your street, which pops a window containing information on your street. Select the Build Property option. When prompted, select the building you want to buy, then click on a traffic cone to place it on the street. Note: Once you place a building, you will not be able to move it later.
6. If you want to buy a street that's already taken, negotiate a sales price with the owner. Start by clicking on any taken street, which will pop a window with the street's information, owner name and a box to enter a bid. Enter how much you're willing to pay for the street, and the owner will approve if the price is right. Note: If the current owner does not respond to you in seven days, you automatically take over the street.
7. To keep things from getting too predictable; the game also doles out random Chance cards, that can give players an edge or take them down a few notches. Soon after signing in, we received a card that said we could bulldoze an opponent's building of our choosing. Score!
8. Log in to the game daily to pick up your rent and buy and sell buildings and property, then grow wealthy enough to register on the local, national or global leaderboards.
Another important note, Monopoly City Streets has been overwhelmed with players and has started crashing often. That means, you might find yourself coming back later to play again. The official blog says once the game stabilizes, they will restart the game, meaning everyone will have to start over from scratch (and ends January 31, 2010). That means if you've been dreaming of building high-rise condos on the streets of NYC, you might get your chance.
If you're yearning to play some more traditional Monopoly, check out these four Games.com games:
Monopoly by Parker Brothers
Monopoly Here & Now Edition
Monopoly SpongeBob Square Pants Edition
Monopoly Downtown (Cash Competition)
