If you have longed for a way to bring the frenetic, banana-peel-tossing excitement of Mario Kart into the real world, well long no longer. Thanks to Hasbro’s continued partnership with Nintendo, a Mario Kart version of Monopoly is now available, and it’s much more than a simple refresh of the classic board game.
Called Monopoly Gamer: Mario Kart Edition, it is the second Nintendo-inspired version of the game, following last year’s Monopoly Gamer. It includes new player tokens based on popular characters from Nintendo’s universe, with Toad, Princes Peach, Luigi, and, of course, Mario all coming standard.
But this isn’t just a colorful new coat of paint on the same old game. As with the first Monopoly Gamer, the Mario Kart Edition is rooted in property trading, but it has its own set of rules with completely different gameplay from the standard Monopoly. And, as you might expect, it’s all about racing — which should help speed up the pace of the usual Monopoly slog.
While netting a cool $200 for completing a circuit was always a perk of classic Monopoly, this new version brings even more excitement to passing “Go.” Each time a player rounds the starting corner, a Mario Kart Cup race is triggered. Players can throw shells, toss banana peels, and collect coins along the way, trying to scrounge up enough to purchase Rainbow Road or other Mario-themed property spaces. Whoever wins gets to take home the “Grand Prix” game card.
As with Monopoly Gamer, players roll a Power-Up die that activates a special ability unique to each character. While the game ships with four characters, additional characters will be available to purchase, with Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, and others planned. Coming in the fall, “Power Pack” tokens will also be available, which will further expand on the gameplay.
Monopoly Gamer: Mario Kart Edition is priced at $25 and is currently available exclusively through video game retailer Gamestop, but will hit other stores, including Hasbro’s online Toy Shop, by the fall. If you are still saving your coins for a Nintendo Switch, this might be just the thing to help tide you over.
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