Over the course of its 83 years in existence, the classic game of Monopoly has come in many bizarre iterations, including, according to this listicle that of course exists on Buzzfeed, Bass Fishing Monopoly, One Direction Monopoly and Blackberry Phone 25th Anniversary Monopoly (a real collector's item, I'm sure). But now comes a game that truly caters to our morally dicey times: it’s the “Cheaters Edition” of Monopoly.
The Cheaters Edition comes with all the same rules as the Monopoly you grew up arguing with your siblings over, with the caveat that, this time, you’re actually supposed to break them. Go ahead, steal money from the bank when you think no one’s looking! Don’t pay rent on your cushy Boardwalk property! In true capitalist fashion, the objective is to finish the game with as much dough and assets as you can get your grubby little paws on, by whatever means necessary. Because, I guess, why let politicians and CEOs have all the fun?
Okay, so I lied—it’s not a total free-for-all. According to INSIDER, the game comes with special cheat cards, five of which are to be placed in the center of the board during game play. Players are encouraged to act on the cards, which direct them to do things like collect rent for someone else’s property or take extra money from the bank, at any point during the game. If they succeed in doing so without being caught by another player, they get a reward. If they don’t, they get punished. And fair warning: a bungled cheat could land your plastic avatar in jail (just think of it as a very tiny white collar prison) or even get you physically handcuffed to the game. Yes, this is a board game that comes with handcuffs.
All this swindling is made possible by the fact that, for the first time in Monopoly history, there’s no banker, making it significantly easier to swipe an extra $100 when passing Go. There are also a few variations on the board itself. For example, if you’re the first one to land on Pennsylvania Avenue, it’s yours without you having to pay for it. What a time to be alive!
The game will hit shelves this fall and is still said by Hasbro to be appropriate for ages eight and up. But with all the shady dealings (not to mention the handcuffs), one has to wonder: is it really, though?
