Summary
Monopolywas first launched in 1903, which makes it more than 100 years old. Although modern incarnations of the game have strayed from the original concept, which was originally a harsh criticism of capitalism and landlord greed gone wild, the game has persevered into a franchise, and hundreds of versions are currently available.
Pop culture versions of modernMonopolyinclude everything from special anniversary editions to themed games that include much more than big IPs likeStar Warsor various anime titles. Each of thosedozens of Monopoly versionshas different rules and a unique aesthetic.
Updated July 17, 2025 by Kristy Ambrose:Monopoly isn’t a complicated game and the standard rules and design are easy to mold to various topics. For example, changing Illinois Avenue into The Simpsons' Springfield Street doesn’t impact how the game is played, the playing pieces can be virtually anything, and it’s easy to add quirky activities like drinking games, trivia, or even cheating into the mix. There are plenty of versions that introduce brand-new boards and mechanics to keep even the most reluctant Monopoly player entertained.
16Monopoly Hotels
A Simplified and Quick Hotel-Off
Monopoly Hotelsis a compact take on classicMonopolywith a focus on building upwards. Each player has their own hotel and takes turns building floors and executing different tasks to make money and grow their business. It’s a card-based game in which each player begins with five cards, which they can play throughout the game to either help themselves or sabotage their competitor.
The winner is the first person to build five floors with rooms, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. Players can add rooms to make money and put celebrities on their floors to improve their hotel. However, players can also place bills on their opponent’s floors to stop them from collecting rent, demolishing their floors, and sabotaging them with negative events like floods and rats. It’s a fun, more streamlined, and easy-to-learn version ofMonopolywith a little more direct PvP than the classic board game.
15D&D Universe Monopoly
It’s certainly recognizable as aMonopolygame, but it also has the details that make it an unmistakableD&Dproperty. The artwork is the first giveaway, obviously, but the gameplay has also been slightly altered to reflect the lore and legend of theDungeons & Dragonsuniverse.
The figurines, for example, are the typical adventuring party and represent the various races of Faerun, the Astral Planes, and other famous locations in the IP. Instead of buying homes or properties, adventurers must slay dangerous monsters like Beholders, Stormgiants, and Demogorgons while building up home bases and collecting treasure.
14Monopoly Junior Edition
A Gentle Introduction to the Monopoly World
Monopoly Junior Editionis a variation ofMonopolywith fewer rules and adjustments that make the game easier to understand and play. As the name might suggest, this version is aimed at younger players and, therefore, doesn’t have allthe confusing mechanicsof a classicMonopolygame.
Some things different in this version include amusements instead of properties, auctions, less money, and costs. A smaller board makes the game quicker and easier, and it is set in a theme park rather than the classicMonopolyboard. As a junior version, it executes its task very well and is much easier to play, but adults looking to switch up theirMonopolynights might find it lacking.
13Monopoly Board Crawl
Drinking To Get Through The Game Is A Thing Anyway
There are a million variations on both Monopoly boards and drinking games, so the only thing strange about this is how long it took for them to come together. The Monopoly Board Crawl is one of the more recent additions to the Monopoly library It’s still an economic and real estate game, but with the fun addition of the drunk and absurd.
It’s definitely not a game for children, featuring sexual jokes and lewd poems or songs in addition to alcohol. The number of players makes the game more versatile; it makes as much sense as an intimate game for two or a party game for as many as ten.
12Monopoly Here And Now: The World Edition
Broaden Your Horizons
Monopoly Here and Now: The World Editionis a fun take on modernMonopolywith a wider scope and updated mechanics. Before its release, people around the world voted for what cities they wanted to appear on the board, and the top ones replaced the typical spaces.
The likes of New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo can be found on this board, updating it to match the modern world. Another change is the money system, which removes physical cash and replaces it with an electronic banking system where players use cards to track their cash. It also features updated Community Chest and Chance cards, making it a great change for those tired of classicMonopolywithout changing the entire game.
11Monopoly Empire
Switching Up the Tactics
Monopoly Empireis a version ofMonopolythat not only changes the goal of the game but substantially changes the rules of play. InMonopoly Empire, players try to collect billboards to fill their tower, rather than collecting properties or houses/hotels.
The first player to fill their tower wins the game, and the rules state that nobody can go bankrupt. Since the ability to trade is nonexistent, swapping billboards can be forced by pulling certain cards, and there’s a little less PvP strategy to be applied as a result.Monopoly Empireis still a fun take on the classic board game, but players might find it lacks some of the challenge and excitement that others can offer.
10Anti-Monopoly
The Opposite of Everything
Players should forget everything they know before cracking open their copy ofAnti-Monopoly. This reverse version ofMonopolywas created by Professor Ralph Anspach, and the Parker Brothers attempted to sue him for the use of “Monopoly” in the title.
The main reason it was uncovered is that the entire concept ofMonopolywas based on Elizabeth Magie’sThe Landlord’s Game- originally intended to be a scathing criticism of monopoly tactics. InAnti-Monopoly, the game opens with all spaces on the board already monopolized - each section owned by “company cartels,” as the game calls them.
Players go around trying to bust these various cartels and end their monopolizing ways once and for all, and collecting social credit. This version ofMonopolyis rare and hard to find, particularly as a second version, also namedAnti-Monopoly, was released in 1987 with a completely different set of rules just to make it extra confusing.
9Monopoly Millionaire
Race to a Million
As its name might suggest,Monopoly Millionairehas one goal; be the first to make a million bucks. This is reflected on the board, with two fewer spaces than a standardMonopolyboard and brand-new Millionaire Lifestyle spaces instead of Community Chest cards.
Another big change is that every property now comes with a Fortune card, which can randomly impact individual players and the game on a wider scale.Monopoly Millionairecan move faster than classicMonopolysince it emphasizes collecting the most money as soon as possible. Instead of waiting for all players to be eliminated, one player can win the whole game by becoming a millionaire.
8Monopoly: The Mega Edition
More Money, More Spaces, More Chances to Win
If players are looking for something completely the opposite ofMonopoly Junior Edition, thenMonopoly: The Mega Editioncan answer the call. This iteration ofMonopolyfeatures more dice, more money, and a bigger board with thirteen spaces on each side instead of ten. It’s calledThe Mega Editionfor a reason, and players will find themselves able to do everything, which includes moving, buying, and winning just a little bit faster.
The main differences in this edition are the Bus Ticket cards, which exist in addition to Chance and Community Chest cards. Players can also build a Skyscraper on a property, or build a Train Depot on any owned railways - making them a much more lucrative purchase than before.The Mega Editionis likeMonopolywith all the sliders turned up, and isa great challengefor seasoned players.
7Monopoly: Longest Game Ever
It Just Keeps Going, And Going, And Going…
Monopoly: Longest Game Everis a self-explanatory iteration of the classicMonopolyboard game. This version has a board more than double the size of the original, and only one die, which means players move slower and have twice the amount of ground to cover, although there are fewerunique propertiesin this version.
It’s safe to say, this version is not for the faint of heart - or those with short attention spans. Some other changes in this version include the lack of auctions, which means that any properties a player doesn’t wish to buy remain unowned until somebody else purchases them. The biggest, and likely most controversial change, is that players can steal properties.
If a player pays the full rent for a property, they can opt to pay only $10 more to forcefully take ownership of the property. The only way to win is to have one player own all the properties on the board. The new rules and variations make it fun and competitive, though, and it’s a great choice fora multi-session playthrough.
