Description: Step into the Star Wars galaxy with a bold new twist on MONOPOLY. Experience iconic cinematic moments while competing with family and friends across iconic locations from every era of the saga.
The Game
Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains offers a fresh and arguably more ruthless twist on the classic board game Monopoly. Players choose to form either a team of heroes or a team of villains, allowing them to take control of iconic characters such as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Ahsoka Tano on the Light Side, or Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and Dedra Meero on the Dark Side. There are plenty of other characters to choose from, including Yoda and Princess Leia, but these were the standouts for me.
As far as the rules go, this is a fresh take on the traditional Monopoly ruleset, albeit with a few caveats and some fun Star Wars themed twists. Unlike classic Monopoly, you can’t go bankrupt in this version, as the end goal is about more than simply becoming the richest player. Instead, the objective is to earn the most influence across the board.
Trading between players has also been removed. Instead, if your team purchases a property and a member of the opposing team lands on it, they’ll have to pay rent as normal. However, they also have the option to buy that property from you for twice its listed value, and as the seller, you have no say in the matter. If they can afford it, the property changes hands.
Another new rule comes into play whenever a hero and a villain occupy the same space on the board. They must battle one another until one side loses. Winning the fight earns you additional influence, while losing costs you influence.
The rule that Star Wars fans will probably enjoy the most is what happens when you pass GO. Yes, you still collect your 200 credits, but whenever a player lands on the “Advance to GO” space, they trigger a dice rolling mini game that recreates a classic moment from one of the Star Wars films. During my playthrough, I got the Emperor’s throne room scene where Luke discovers that the second Death Star is fully operational. There are memorable moments drawn from across the Star Wars saga, which adds a nice bit of fan service to each game.
Graphics
The graphics are fairly decent throughout. I particularly liked the visual design of the board, while the brief animated cutscenes each character receives are well produced and heavily stylised, yet still instantly recognisable as iconic moments from the films. One of my favourite touches is what happens when you go to jail. Rather than simply moving your token to the Jail space, your character is frozen in carbonite before being transported there. It’s a fun little sequence that adds plenty of Star Wars flavour to the game.
Gameplay & Playability
As far as the gameplay goes, this is very much a multiplayer experience. You can play locally with friends using either a single controller or multiple controllers, or you can take the game online and play against other people. Unfortunately, from what I could tell, there isn’t currently a dedicated single-player mode. That may change if the game proves popular enough and there’s enough demand for one.
That said, it’s still a great deal of fun. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll enjoy seeing the various animated cutscenes as well as discovering just how cutthroat some of the new gameplay mechanics can be.
As someone in his fifties, I’m old enough to remember the original Star Wars Monopoly released in the 1990s. While I enjoyed it, I also remember being a little disappointed because, beyond the cosmetic makeover, it was essentially the classic game with a Star Wars skin. The same can’t be said for MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains. This genuinely feels like an attempt to rethink the formula rather than simply re-theme it. I can easily imagine matches becoming surprisingly deep and lasting for hours, especially when both teams are playing strategically.
Overall
MONOPOLY: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is a fun game if you enjoy competitive multiplayer titles or simply sitting down with friends for a game night in the living room. I can easily see matches becoming incredibly competitive, with plenty of bragging rights on the line. Star Wars fans will also appreciate the wide selection of playable characters, each with their own unique abilities that can influence the outcome of a match.
In short, the Force is strong with this one. Priced at £24.99 on the PlayStation Store, it’s also one of the more affordable new releases you’ll find this year. The game is also available on Xbox and PC through the Xbox and Steam stores respectively, while physical editions can be purchased from retailers such as Amazon.
- Gameplay8.5
- Graphics9.6
- Playability8.3
- Sound & Music9.8
The real question is does the game allow you to make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs? 😉
The answer to that is probably. I’ve not come across it yet as have only played three games. But I’d not be surprised if I come across it in one of the Advance to Go mini games.