{"id":13711,"date":"2019-08-06T10:37:42","date_gmt":"2019-08-06T15:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/?post_type=articles&p=13711"},"modified":"2022-06-08T09:49:46","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T14:49:46","slug":"in-defence-of-monopoly-why-a-toxic-attitude-is-bad-for-the-hobby","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.meeplemountain.com\/articles\/in-defence-of-monopoly-why-a-toxic-attitude-is-bad-for-the-hobby\/","title":{"rendered":"In Defence of Monopoly: Why a Toxic Attitude is Bad for the Hobby"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monopoly. The whipping boy of the tabletop hobby. Trashed in conversations, burned in forums, and lambasted in reviews by some of the tabletop media\u2019s most influential people. Even the great Tom Vasel descended from his Tower to record a video<\/a> explaining exactly why he despises Monopoly.<\/p>\n

But you know what? I don\u2019t think this attitude is fair and there\u2019s a strong argument to be made that it\u2019s actually harmful to the hobby. Let\u2019s take a deep dive into the good and the bad of Monopoly and explore why an ugly attitude doesn\u2019t help anyone.<\/p>\n

1) The Good: In Praise of Monopoly<\/h2>\n

Monopoly\u2019s long-lasting popularity isn\u2019t just down to effective business practices and marketing – there\u2019s substance behind its survival. Modern Monopoly was published in 1933; it should be admired for its continuing capacity to please. It\u2019s even been commended<\/a> for its accessibility<\/a>, with the individual playing pieces easy to distinguish by almost anyone.<\/p>\n

Monopoly was easily the best game of the 1930s and for several decades following.\u00a0 Old video games are revered despite their flaws, old board games despised because of them. Older cars are cherished as vintage. Dismissing Monopoly for those reasons alone is like suggesting that Nintendo\u2019s Ocarina of Time was rubbish because Breath of the Wild exists now. Perhaps we need to remember Monopoly\u2019s charms on its own terms?<\/p>\n

Gluttony, Citrus Fruit and the Noose<\/h4>\n

The different phases of Monopoly satisfy separate gaming itches. The initial gluttony of buying and auctions moves seamlessly into plotting and dealing until towards the end you\u2019ve played your hand and the game tightens like a noose whilst you tip-toe tensely around the board. Someone crows that they\u2019ve gone to jail, safe from the deadly path for a few turns and the table roars with laughter when they\u2019re freed next turn with an unlucky roll. The old boot skips nimbly between hotels only to trip on the solitary dangerous space for half the board. The sign of a good game is frequently generating moments such as these, to create stories that draw you back for another go.<\/p>\n

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