go directly to jail. do not collect $200.

Some things never change. Battleship, on the other hand has gone completely wacko and/or electronic, but Monopoly remains pretty much unscathed. I don't recall the "fast play" option but I suppose that is just a sign of the times.

We bought both games this week and I'd have to say it was the best near $50 I've spent in a long time. Do I say that a lot?

This is a shot of our ongoing game which, I have a feeling, will remain ongoing for some time. I honestly didn't remember quite how much time could actually spent on one game until we got started. This one is about 4 hours in and we've barely made an impact.

But what has amazed me most is Gage's ability to play. Really, I thought it would be a challenge but he jumped right in and was actually kicking my butt about two hours in (I caught up). It's fascinating to watch our five year old rapidly adding the numbers on two dice together (most games up to this point have just used one), counting money & making change. It's also fun to see his strategies & levels of risk he's willing to take. Come to find out, he's quite the shark. Who would have thunk?

If you have a kindergarten age child and, like me, have been hesitant to try monopoly don't wait. It's time. And it takes time. So be prepared. Don't set yours up on the dining room table like we did...cause I'm guessing it's going to be there a while...