It’s a lot harder to find board games like Monopoly than you would think. Pulling the game type (economic – negotiation) together with its mechanics (i.e., Auction/Bidding, Money, Player Elimination, Roll and Move, Lose a Turn and others) in other games is near impossible…….
However –
We have been able to pick out a bunch of games with enough similarities and others that add something different and possibly better to give you Monopoly fans something to consider.
Let’s take a look at our choice of board games like Monopoly while considering mechanisms that match.
Cashflow – Good Monopoly Match
Similarities: Economic, Money, Roll and Move, Loans, Player Elimination, Luck Based, Banker
Cashflow at a Glance
| Game Type Educational, Economic, Math, Betting & Bluffing, Player Elimination, Roll and Move | Play Time 180 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light |
| Age 10+ | Publisher(s) Rich Dad | Published 1996 |
| Categories Family / Educational | Players 2 - 6 (4 - 5 Ideal) | Rules Manual Cashflow Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 7/10 | Cost Approx $79.99 |
Cashflow is a financial game where players seek out investments and create passive income to get out of the rat race and into the high life. There are two parts of the game with the first being the Rat Race where players stay until there their passive income is higher than their expenses, then onto the Fast Track where it’s much more profitable.
The winner is the first person to either have a monthly income of $50,000 or the person who purchases their Dream.
Cashflow is a roll and move dice game that’s played with a banker just like Monopoly, and some poor unfortunate players will get eliminated during play. Players receive paychecks while going around the board which is similar to passing go in Monopoly and plenty of luck is required, rather than skill.
The game requires players to use a financial sheet and pencil to calculate income and expenditure which does add an educational component to the game among other aspects. It even throws in a square to land on that lands you with babies with the cost added to the expense sheet, which in sense shows players real life lessons involved that may be useful for the younger players.
Light in complexity, Cashflow is suitable for adults and children aged 10 and up. Length of play is quite long for a family game, at 2 hours or more.
Hotel Tycoon – As close as a comparison Gets
Similarities: Economic, Money, Banker, Roll and Move, Luck Based, Player Elimination, Hotel Theme
Hotel Tycoon at a Glance
| Game Type Economic, Player Elimination, Roll and Move, Auction/Bidding | Play Time 60 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.5 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Asmodee and others | Published 1974 |
| Categories Family | Players 2 - 4 (4 is Ideal) | Our Rating 7/10 |
| Cost Approx $38.99 |
Hotel Tycoon is about as close as games get that are similar to Monopoly. Players roll dice to get around the board while trying to purchase as many hotels as possible in the hope of players landing on their hotel and having to pay enough fees for a stay that they go bankrupt. The more upmarket the hotel bought by a player the more they can charge others that become a guest when landing at the hotel entrance.
Hotel Tycoon requires a banker just like Monopoly, and when players pass the yellow line near the bank they collect $2000 (Monopoly pass GO). Players also have to auction off their hotels and deeds if they run out of money and just like Monopoly there is a plenty of bad luck stuff that can go down to annoy and upset players.
You are out of the game when you run out of money, and have no land or hotels left. Last player left with land or money, or both wins the game and becomes the Tycoon and has the Monopoly on hotels.
Hotel Tycoon plays out for around an hour and requires 2 – 4 people to play. The age recommendation is 8 years old and up, and it’s light in complexity.
Pirate King – A Piratey Monopoly (almost)
Similarities: Economic, Money (coins and stones), Banker, Luck Based, Dice Rolling
Pirate King at a Glance
| Game Type Thematic, Economic, Roll and Move, Pick Up and Deliver | Play Time 120 mins | Skill/Complexity (2.2 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Temple Games and others | Published 2006 |
| Categories Family | Players 2 - 4+ | Our Rating 6.9/10 |
| Cost Approx $19.99 |
Pirate King is known as a game that combines elements of war likethe board game Risk and the economic side, and similar gameplay aspects of Monopoly, only with the pick up and deliver aspect added. While is has the element of luck like Monopoly it does require more thought on choices to make further along in the game and does not rely solely on the roll of the die.
Within the captivating Pirate theme the players board markers are wind sails that can be blown in various directions with the roll of a die, and when they land on a space they are required to take the action given. The luck element, just like Monopoly, is based on die rolling that decides on a move and combat results, and cards that decide where to move next.
Players are given choices in this game that balances out some of the luck where they can choose from a set of actions to take, but overall luck of the die and cards or lack of luck wins or loses.
One aspect you may like within Pirate King that Monopoly does not have is combat. There are three ways to initiate combat including landing on another pirates crosswinds space.
A game of Pirate King ends when a player reaches 16 prestige points which means there is no player elimination during play that works better for most people, especially younger players.
Pirate King has quite a lengthy playtime like Monopoly of 2 hours or more and it’s slightly more complex, although it is still just about light in view of our complexity ratings. The manufacturers age recommendation is aged 8 and above.
Boomtown – Get Bidding & Lucky
Similarities: Economic, Money, Dice Rolling, Luck Based (a little), Auction/Bidding
Boomtown at a Glance
| Game Type Economic, Card Game, Dice Rolling, Auction/Bidding | Play Time 30 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.8 - 5) Light |
| Age 10+ | Publisher(s) Face 2 Face Games and others | Published 2004 |
| Categories Family | Players 3 - 5 (5 Ideal) | Our Rating 7.1/10 |
| Cost Approx $24.99 |
Boomtown is one of those games like Monopoly and also very different in other ways including having no board, as it is card based. However, the economic aspect of acquiring and getting rich while others stay skint is very much the same.
In Boomtown players begin playing as a gold digger in the quest to find gold and become a tycoon. Players take it in turns bidding at the auction to buy mining concessions where players collect gold, however, some of these mines may collapse which will no longer provide gold. The game continues until all drawing cards are used and the winner is decided based on the amount of points they have from their gold, mine values and mayor pawns.
Dice rolling does infuse luck in Boomtown, but it does not dominate the game as players do need to make smart decisions when bidding at the auction and weigh up the risk vs reward.
Boomtown is suitable for 3 – 5 players and plays out within 30 minutes, so if Monopoly is too long for your players at times then this game may suit you well. The recommended age range is aged 10 and above, and it’s low in complexity, making it easy enough to learn.
For Sale – Buy and Sell those Properties for Profit
Similarities: Economic, Money, Dice Rolling, Luck Based (a little), Auction/Bidding
For Sale at a Glance
| Game Type Economic, Card Game, Auction/Bidding, Hand Management | Play Time 30 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.5 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Gryphon Games and others | Published 1997 |
| Categories Family | Players 3 - 6 (6 Ideal) | Our Rating 8/10 |
| Cost Approx $26.99 |
For Sale is a bidding and bluffing game that has players bidding for houses and then selling them in the future to make a profit……sort of house flipping. There is some simple strategy stuff involved in this game when it is time to cash in the houses as getting rid of a low value card at the right time could be profitable in the future.
When comparing this to Monopoly and the mechanisms there is a lot missing such as dice rolling, roll and move, no board, no player elimination and other aspects including less play time. However, the economic aspect of buying and selling houses match very well and we reckon it’s great to bring other functions of game to players to expand their board gaming experience.
For Sale is a fast and fun time filler game that also makes a cool travel companion (the box is neat and compact) that’s suitable for children aged 8 and up, and takes around 30 minutes to play out. It’s easy to learn but engaging and has enough going on to create tension at selling up time.
I’m The Boss – In your face Negotiation Game
Similarities: Economic, Negotiation, Money, Roll and Move
I'm The Boss at a Glance
| Game Type Negotiation, Roll & Move, Take That, Hand Management | Play Time 60 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light to Medium |
| Age 12+ | Publisher(s) Eagle-Gryphon Games and others | Published 1994 |
| Categories Strategy / Family | Players 3 - 6 | Cost approx $54.99 |
| Our Rating 8/10 |
I’m the Boss is a classic game that’s pure negotiation and quite brutal. You do need the right bunch of people to play this to handle the emotional debate and arguments (something like Monopoly right?)
Players are investors moving around a board, making deals with some of the players. However, it gets messy at times when a players hand of cards may have another investor which can enable them to reject another player investor or investors, which causes some rejection. Players involved in the deal are able to negotiate to get the best deal, and then other take that cards including the ‘I’m the Boss’ card really mixes up the game.
This is messy financial negotiation at its best and kind of meets the needs of those that like aspects of Monopoly that have one or more players monopolizing the deals.
At the end of game, the player with the largest sum of money wins.
I’m the Boss is suitable for 3 – 5 players aged 10 and up, with each game playing out for about an hour. It’s not overly complex, although strategic negotiating is needed and the luck of the die does not run the game.
Lords of Vegas – Risk and Reward
Similarities: Economic, Money, Dice Rolling, Luck Based, Banker
Lords of Vegas at a Glance
| Game Type Casino Theme, Tile Placement, Dice Rolling, Resources, Trading, Negotiation | Play Time 60 - 90 mins | Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5) Light to Medium |
| Age 12+ | Publisher(s) Mayfair Games and others | Published 2010 |
| Categories Strategy / Family | Players 2 - 4 (4 is best ) | Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9/10 | Cost approx $48.99 |
Lords of Vegas is a crazy and fun economic game that has players moving through Las Vegas developing the casino strip and becoming the boss of as many casinos as possible – ultimately to get rich.
Like Monopoly there is an element of luck, however, you’ll find luck helps but ultimately players need to make strategic decisions with the actions taken available that show on the cards, although rolling the dice can certainly change a game in an instant. Risk and reward is what Lords of Vegas is all about, and luck has to play a part in the casino industry (luck makes total sense in Vegas).
When the last card of a game is played and the last casino strip has been paid players tally up their points and the player with the most wins.
In our experience this game is slightly more complex than Monopoly (light – medium) in a good way and keeps the game interactive with various actions going on. It could be seen as a gateway game into the world of board games for newbies.
Lords of Vegas has the recommended age of play at ages 12 and up, and plays out in less time than Monopoly at around 60 – 80 minutes.
That’s About It!
That covers a decent bunch of board games similar to Monopoly in their own unique ways, with Hotel Tycoon and Cashflow having the most similarities overall.
There are a bunch of older games that shared many similarities which unfortunately are no longer in print that was best not added here as we can’t point you in the direction to buy a copy. Most games with similar mechanisms were published from the 1960’s to 1980’s and then in the 90’s board games took on a new dimension.
