Playing Classic Monopoly with Europeans: Observations
February 25, 2008 § 4 Comments
I detected a deliberate refusal to embrace American currency, resulting in demands for £200 every time they passed Go. Which, as we all know, is totally cheating since $200 would be only £100.
There was a very poor knowledge of New York geography, as made clear when someone tried to purchase “Broadwalk” or “Marsailles Gardens.”
Players were much more interested in forming coalitions to stop the superpower than becoming the superpower themselves.
They repeatedly mispronounced Reading Railway, which obviously should rhyme with “Reading Rainbow,” not “breading.”
Finally, there was much more wine involved.
The outcome: The top hat, representing the European “old money,” was the winner. Second place was the shoe, representing the “pull-your-self-up-by-your-bootstraps” self-made American man. In last place was the wheelbarrow, representing the working class. Go figure.
Out of the Basement 
What thoughtful insights you gained! I think you should challenge them to a game of Risk next.
I’m really enjoying nosing around your posts. Thanks for the giggles,
-Edna
Haha! Risk would be a great idea, although I think Europeans would certainly know not to start a land war in Asia, and British especially would know that Australia is the place to be!
Marseilles Gardens!!
Does a European version of Monopoly exist? I own the Houston version, which is super cheesy… Boardwalk and Park Place are like NASA and the Astrodome or something. Meh.
Yes they do have many European versions. I played with an Irishman, a Brit, a Swiss girl, a Dutch girl, and a Canadian. Each country had their own version.
Apparently, in the British version, the Boardwalk space is called “Mayfair.”