Day 244, Game 244 - Monopoly

Evolution is the key to growth, or so I hear. Actually, I don't know if I've ever heard that expression, but it seems like a pretty legit concept as it stands. All year, I have been playing video games, both for this blog and for my own personal enjoyment. I mean, I've been playing video games all my life, but this year especially, obviously. Well, for as much as I love video games, I've never really gotten in to many board games - like the kind you sit around the kitchen table and play with other people kind. 

It's not that I had no interest in them, I just have never had an outlet to jump in to them. Sure, I have played all the old, regular, standard board games, but as far as the trickier, geekier European style board games, I've been in the dark. Well, recently I have been shown the way and actually brought in to the board game world, and I am now convert to board games. I'm not saying I'm ditching the video games in lieu of board games, but I am very anxious to continue my exploration through all types of these games.

And yes, I am aware that playing board games involve actually playing with other people, which I am well-known to be adamantly against when it comes to on-line video games. But sitting at a table with a group of friends playing some awesome board games and just having a good time? Yeah, this social introvert can definitely get behind that. A guy has to come out of his shell eventually, right?

Anyway, I have started my search to get some cool board games for my iPad, not in place of actually playing board games, but more or less so I can practice and get to know how all these complicated games are played, so when I do eventually play the real versions of them, I'm not totally lost. No one likes to be "that guy" that needs instructions every time a new game is played. I'm just preparing for the future. 

Well, in my attempt to find games, I stumbled upon the iPad version of Monopoly. This completely derailed me from my search for other games, quickly, because Monopoly might be my favorite board game of all time. Sure, almost everyone hates playing monopoly, only because it can last for several hours, and really, lots of people don't like to be cut-throat, but for me, it's great. I can play this game any time, with anyone, and love it, whether I win or lose, or everyone just ends up quitting after a couple of hours. I can't remember when exactly I discovered my love for this game, but it goes back to my childhood, for sure.

So of course I jumped on the iPad version without hesitation. I played a match, which took a little bit longer than expected (I figured playing against AI, digitally, would go quicker, but thus this is Monopoly). I dug every single minute of it. From the dice rolling to the animations to the ease in which it is to play. No more having to count out money, arranging property cards or having to remember who's turn it is if you step away for a little while. Sure, this isn't the first time Monopoly has been in digital form, but because of how breathtaking the iPad screen is, it is clearly the best version, hands down. Apparently, you can also sync up to your iPhone and use your phone as just the dice, which is a cool feature, but one I haven't gotten to try yet. Better yet, you can use the iPad as if it was the actual board game, sitting on a table around a group of friends. While I would rather use the actual board game for this, it's a nice option for those who hate setting up the game and playing the legit way. 

Yes, I had a good time, and will a lot with this app. And yes, I found some other iPad board games, which I'm sure you'll get to read about as this blog continues. If not, it's probably because I'm having to much fun socializing and stuff. Gasp!

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