Play Monopoly with unique player tokens and the artwork of Eiichiro Oda in this classic board game.
Was this game sent for review or self-purchased?: Sent for review by The Op.
In two sentences, what do you do in the game: Try to accumulate mass wealth and use that wealth to accumulate mass wealth! Roll the dice, buy properties, use those properties to take money from other players and hope you amass enough wealth to make everyone go bankrupt.
Have we played any other titles by this publisher?: The Op is a very large publisher and we have reviewed numerous titles by them.
What was surprising about this title: The vibrancy of the cards and board were packed to the brim with artwork. Sometimes with licensed intellectual properties, you get a small portrait of the character and it seems like it was added on as an afterthought. The artwork with Monopoly: One Piece seems to have been stuffed in, with the board designed around the art. It’s a gorgeous board with great cards.
How likely is this to return to the game table?: Not likely. The rule changes for Monopoly: One Piece are very minor (mainly being name swaps for cards and board spaces). Monopoly is such a classic board game that it feels as though you are playing the exact same game with a simple reskin. That being said, if you’re a big fan of classic Monopoly and happen to also be a big fan of One Piece, then this is a must for your shelf.
Game length: Depending on the player count and which rules you use, the game can last anywhere from a couple of hours to several hours. There are rules for a shortened play that makes the game last roughly 60-90 minutes. House rules are welcomed as well, so if there are any house rules your play group loves, then that will affect play time.
Language Barrier Playability: Easy. The game entails mostly rolling the dice, reading numbers for payment and the occasional reading of a card. As long as one person doesn’t mind translating the Chest and Flag cards from time to time, this game is a breeze for a language barrier.
Artwork: Amazing. Eiichiro Oda has a unique art style that blends brute force and muscles with silly and fantastical elements. The artwork alone makes for a pretty addition to your shelf.
Quality: Average. The board and cards are sturdy and will last a long time. The money is flimsy and is most likely going to rip at some point. It is the classic Monopoly money we all remember accidentally crumpling and folding as kids. The player tokens are sturdy and made of metal. They do not hold a lot of detail and even if you are a fan of the manga, show or anime, you may have a little difficulty differentiating the characters. The detail on the figures seems almost out of focus.
Strategy: Low. This game is almost entirely based on the rolling of dice with minimal chances for strategy. There may be Monopoly lovers who disagree but too much depends on the dice for you to truly have any say on where you land.
Instruction Manual: Standard. The instruction manual explains the rules and flows from left to right very well. However, there is a mention of “One Piece” special rules that do not seem to exist. The only changes in rules we noticed were some name swaps for cards (e.g. Chance cards become Flag cards) and the quick rules which are now included in most versions of Monopoly. This was both confusing and a little disappointing as we welcome rule changes to Monopoly.
Organization: Bad. The box for Monopoly: One Piece is far too large for the components it holds. The box takes up a lot of precious shelf space and could be reduced by half the volume and still have enough room for all of the components. There is a sort of organizer included in the box insert that can help keep money and title deeds organized but it is not useful enough to keep on the table.
Final thoughts: Monopoly: One Piece is a beautiful looking game that is a reskin of classic Monopoly. The inclusion of coins to the game instead of bills could have helped give the game a refreshing take on the One Piece IP or the simple change of calling the Title Deeds “Bounties” could have been a fun change to the game. Standard Monopoly houses and hotels could have been changed to little ships or islands to make it feel a little more immersive. However, there are Monopoly purists out there who welcome a simple reskin of the classic board game. If you wanted a refreshing change of pace or rules then this may not be a version of Monopoly you enjoy. If you love classic Monopoly and would like a new reskin that looks great on your shelf but plays the same, then make sure you check out Monopoly: One Piece from The Op.
Sushiball Games 