If you have any Star Wars fans in your home, they will likely welcome anything into your home that has even the slightest connection with their obsession. Star Wars Monopoly board game, with its numerous related editions, is another version of the game we all loved to play as kids. Looking back, we tend to remember the laughs and forget the competitive streak that it brought out as we battled to become the winner. Including the Star Wars theme, adds a little magical, moon dust to this family favorite.

Over the years there are many reasons from technology, to finance and a general change in culture that has meant that we don’t spend as much time together as families as we used to. Much of the time we do have is spent on just getting through the drudgery of life and we forget about the fun. Can a board game, like Star Wars Monopoly, help to us to reconcile the important things in life like family and education in a way that is entertaining?Well before we get all deep and meaningful, let’s see what the game itself has in store.

The primary rules of monopoly are all the same and you can still be sent to jail at the throw of a dice! However, every aspect of the game from the markers to the place names come from a galaxy far, far, away. You get to choose to be a Star Wars character at the start. The money has been transformed into Republic Credits and gone are the houses and apartments. These have been replaced by cities and settlements. You can also choose to add in some Star Wars related rules if you wish to add another dimension to the game.

Often, we are so busy taking care of the practical side of life that we forget to spend time just talking to each other and indeed listening to the other members of our family. When we are tired after a days work, the battle over schoolwork commences and sometimes it can just be all too much.A game like monopoly that has a financial aspect to it is the ideal playing field for your kids to improve their math skills and to learn something about the value of money. They are having fun and they won’t even notice that they can add and multiply at a quicker rate than before. If they have even a hint of a competitive streak, they will want to get better at calculating the money and even the strategy. Please be patient in the beginning and never allow a calculator at the game table. This will encourage your child to work it out themselves and this is a good brain workout (sometimes for the adults too!).

These days children often misbehave, and can even become aggressive towards each other, as they vie for their parents attention. They will try anything just to get a reaction and this can lead to an unpleasant atmosphere in the home.A family board game is a great way to teach your child about shared play. Taking turns and following the rules has its rewards. You will need to ensure that good behavior is praised and that if you have a child that is behaving in an inappropriate way that they are simply removed from the “fun zone”. They will learn quickly that they need to play nice in order to be part of the family fun.

So Star Wars Monopoly board game does not come with a Brady Bunch transformer card and I am not sure that we would really want it to. But if you give it a regular time slot and put aside that time as family fun time, I think you will find that you can get so much more from it.

Find out more about the different editions available, features and prices right here.

The Star Wars Monopoly Saga Edition is the edition for long standing Star Wars fans. Its theme covers all 6 movies and this is carried thr0ugh in the characters (tokens) and the place names. While all the usual monopoly rules apply, there are a few additiitonal options, with a Star Wars twist, that you can throw into the equation if you want to. Now to be honest the monopoly money or should I say Republic Credits are a bit flimsy, like in all monopoly editions but the quality of the 8 collectible Star Wars characters makes up for this, in my opinion.

Now I know that choosing characters and getting to be your favorite, may set for a competitive pre-match atmosphere but I am sure you will work that one out. As I said there are 8 characters to choose from and I am going to be a big tease and not tell you who they are. Ok, Ok, I’m a big softie – you can find that out here!

Like all Star Wars Monopoly editions the place names have been changed and instead of Boardwalk and Park Place you might have Death Star for example. Houses and hotels are replaced with settlements and cities. You can own Mustafar and Utapa,  Hoth and Cloud City, for example. You can still end up in jail though!

If you are a real Star Wars fan this edition comes with a translation guide for the Star Wars galaxy Aurebush language. This will help you  to read the words on the “Republic credits” , so you can really show off to your friends and family. Just watch out that you don’t get distracted from the business at hand.

All in all, this Star Wars Monopoly edition is getting some great reviews. It seems to appeal to both older and younger Star Wars fans and let’s face it is always food to sit around a table and have some (competitive!) fun.

The Clone Wars version of Star Wars Monopoly is based on the popular animated Clone Wars movie and TV series. If you have any Clone Wars fans in the household and would like to have something to play that is a bit more interactive than a video game, then this might be a good option for you.  All the regular monopoly rules apply, although there are a few extra optional Star Wars themed games that can be played with this edition. Lots of bargaining and fun to be had.

The figures include Clone Commander Rex, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress,  Anakin Skywalker,  Ahsoka Tano and General Grievous. Money is replaced with Republic Credits and the community chest and chance are replaced by Sith and Ransom. The theme is continued with Clone Wars property names – your child might be more familiar with these that you are!  Instead of hotels and houses, you all get to try to buy settlements and factories.

I know that when we played Monopoly as kids it was about the fun (and the competition of course!). We didn’t realise that we were honing our maths skills, at the same time. You don’t even have to mention the math part – your child will need to add up their deals and the dice rolls as they play.

All in all I think most of us have enjoyed playing monopoly at some stage or other. Star Wars Monopoly – Clone Wars edition is a game  that is  interactive, enjoyable and educational. These factors combined make it a really great asset for any household, particularly if you find it difficult to fit in some quality family time.  Sitting the family down for a good game of monopoly, a bit of banter and a few laughs together on a Saturday night, can sometimes be just what everybody needs!

If you are looking for a way to share your love of Star Wars with family and friends or you need a gift for an avid Star Wars fan then Star Wars Monopoly may just be the answer for you. We all know and love the traditional monopoly board game and have no doubt spent endless hours developing our property portfolio’s and letting out tycoon tendencies loose on our friends and siblings.  I know that in our house it could get quite competitive (in the best possible way of course!). The Star Wars edition, while following the same overall rules, adds  a fun, new dimension to the game.

May the force be with you as the battle commences. Will you get to be your favorite character? Are you going to be a good guy or will you go over to the dark side. You will have to be quick as the choices are made. Board Walk and Park Place are replaced by  Coruscant’s Monument Square and the Imperial Palace.  You are in the Star Wars Galaxy now.  Instead of   hotels and houses we now have cities space ports, apartments and towers (depending on the edition).

There are a number of Star Wars Monopoly editions available, so if you have a favorite era of this saga you can have choose the monopoly edition that best suits you. You can also choose from the traditional broad game and the CD Rom version. The editions available include: Monopoly: Original Star Wars Trilogy Edition, Monopoly Star Wars Classic Trilogy Edition, Twenty- Five Years, Monopoly: Star Wars Saga Edition, Star Wars Episode 1 Collector Edition Monopoly with 3-D Gameboard and 8 Exclusive Collectible Tokens from Episode I Characters, Monopoly Clone Wars and Monopoly Star Wars Edition (CD Rom) (phew what a choice!)

All in all if you are a Star Wars fan or indeed if you know a Star Wars fan it is great to know that you can enter the galaxy while having some good, old fashioned fun as well!

I will be bringing you more news and information about the different editions but in the meantime, you will find more information on the Star Wars Monopoly including honest reviews right here.