There's a lot to be said for the mobile versions of Monopoly that EA have released over the years. In my experience, no game is responsible for causing more arguments amongst friends (maybe Mario Kart), so it's nice to be able to enjoy such a well designed take on capitalism playing against computer controlled opponents. For those of you who don't have a problem playing with friends, there's always that option too, and plenty of tweaks to create the type of game you want to play.

So the question on everybody's lips is “What is Monopoly Millionaire, and how does it differ from the versions that came before it”? That's a valid question. One answer is that you're playing for higher stakes. In a game about acquiring property and bankrupting your opposition, it all feels more visceral the more dollars that are at stake, and in just the simple act of making the goal of the game a million dollars (plus upping the costs of all the properties), it does a lot to up the ante of the experience. Other features include choosing to upgrade your player piece every time you pass go. Upgrading yields greater profits from the chance and millionaire lifestyle cards, but also the potential for greater penalties as well. Finally are the fortune cards, which sit on top of every unsold property, and have effects like forcing unfair trades or blocking such a trade from an opponent.

These little tweaks do a lot to give the game a fresh edge, but a lot of the rest of the experience is a bit lacking. The graphics are quite muddy with particle effects and close ups of the board lacking a polish that should be conveyed in a game about riches. The dice physics are more than a little off as well, finding it hard to come to a stand still and getting caught on the card piles as they brush passed.

These are quibbles however, and if you're a fan of the previous mobile Monopoly offerings, the tweaks to the design here are enough to make this worth a purchase. If you've never head of Monopoly before, we do apologize for not getting into the rules of the game, but suggest you check out the reviews of the original releases, and if you like what you see, this is a good a purchase as they are (all depending if you want the authentic experience or not).