Monopoly U-Build out now on Java mobiles
If you build it, they will come?
EA Mobile has dropped Pocket Gamer a line to talk about the latest Monopoly game to hit Java mobiles – Monopoly U-Build.
Monopoly U-Build’s most striking feature from the off is that there is no set board. Instead every square is now a hexagon, which are linked together into ‘tracks’, five of which are selectable in the game (and all can be randomised).
The layout of the tracks significantly alters the way each game pans out, with certain boards more suited for quick purchasing of land, whereas others demand more of a restrained approach to purchasing (and some decent auction-skills).
Elsewhere, the whole role of houses and construction has been completely overhauled.
Instead of just the standard houses and hotels, now players (up to four human or AI on one handset) can either build industrial or residential constructions, as well as skyscrapers and stadiums that are placed inbetween hexes.
These buildings both affect how much rent is generated, but also how much protection your properties have from unscrupulous opponents using the new ‘Hazard’ buildings (think sewage plants) beside your properties.
The game is designed to be quicker than the standard game of Monopoly – there’s no need to have all the coloured cards to start building, for one thing – but the game’s producer Brian Sheehan assured us that it still retains the underlying spirit of the classic original.
We’ll find out if it’s gets a rebate from the Pocket Gamer community chest very soon, so stay tuned for our review.
