Earlier this year we reviewed Monopoly HD on the iPad but EA have recently released a new edition to the game called Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition which includes a variety of the world's most coveted real-estate properties from around the world. As opposed to the iPhone/iPod version of this game, Monopoly Here & Now: the World Edition it looks so much better on the iPad and iPad 2 compared to the smaller Apple smart devices. The other most noticeable difference is that multiplayer is so much more enjoyable as you can lay the iPad down flat on a table and it's like playing the original board game, minus all the peripherals. So no lost dice or Monopoly Avatars.

In essence, the game is identical to the original board game (including the last game), however this version is based on locations from around the world as opposed to select countries like the UK or Australia. The premise is identical, you pick the numbers of players (AI players are available also) and your various Monopoly avatars which are also different such as a windmill or statue from Easter Island. The idea is to purchase as many properties as possible on the board and then populate them with houses or hotels. If a player lands on your property, they then need to pay you rent and basically, the person who manages to become the biggest mogul... wins!

If you have no money, you can mortgage your house or sell it off to make money but generally this happens when you're on a losing streak. There are other bonuses on the board as well such as being awarded monopoly money when you pass go or taking a risk with chance, it's all classic monopoly fun. The game makes good use of the touch screen, especially when you throw your dice as you move your finger over them and then rub the screen to shake. It's that easy. I must admit that the touch screen works perfectly with Monopoly and everything feels just right. If you are still a little unsure as to what Monopoly here, there is a Teacher Mode that is  a glorified tutorial mode and is actually quite in-depth. You can even customise the "House" rules in the game to further tweak the gameplay such as giving better bonuses or even taking them away.

Graphically, the game looks far superior on the iPad thanks to the detailed graphics. There is also some basic animations in the game such as your Monopoly avatars moving from point A to B and this animation may be the dog running or a ship moving through the water. With sharp images, extremely clear text, Monopoly is a very good looking title on the iPad. Match that with some board game type sound effects and a Jazz like soundtrack and everything is bridged perfectly from the board game to the virtual world. The only issue with Monopoly is the soundtrack that does become repetitive unfortunately.

Final Thoughts?

In conclusion, Monopoly: Here and Now the World Edition for iPad is great with friends and even solo if you want to be captivated by one of the world's classic board games. I'm quite impressed at how well the developers have transferred this premise to the iPad because it's just as good as playing the real game... probably better because you don't have to setup or clean up afterwards. If you don't own Monopoly on your iPad yet than this is the one to get!