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*[ 11 June, 2008 ]

sometimes classics are classics for a reason. you hear that, Hasbro?? [ The Friends, The Snark ]

I love games. I always have. I guess it’s my competitive nature. And since ‘playing sports’ to me involves a big-screen television and a big-ass beer, I need to be competitive beat someone somewhere.

Risk. Monopoly. Scattergories. Balderdash. Backgammon. Battleship. Trivial Pursuit. Clue. Scrabble. Boggle. Blokus. You name it. I’ll play it. And I’ll do everything in my power to beat you. And I’ll lie and say that I won’t care if I win, but I do. I care. I want to win. Seriously, i even get annoyed that my 7-year-old can kick my ass at Blokus.

So, when Jack and Ilana brought over their new fancy schmancy Canadian Monopoly…with brand new electronic banking (oooh! ahh!)

I, of course, was thrilled. With the Lakers and Celtics playing in the background, and some cookies in front of me…(yes, i made them. to play mind games with my opponents. distract them with homemade cookies!)

my segway piece and I were good to go.

that was, until, THIS happened…

yes, that would be me. ON FREE PARKING. only with electronic banking…there is NO money to be gotten on free parking. total. scam. (especially since i landed on it, um, about 500 times)

We had a lot of fun despite the fact that not having any paper money in our hands SUCKED. it’s like reading the newspaper online. it’s just not the same as having the actual thing in your hand. there’s just something about it.

and we were thankful that the kind people at Hasbro gave us full warning…

this was NOT a real VISA card.

lest we be tempted to call up Visa and be all like “HEY! the machine said i have insufficient funds! insufficient funds! it’s not possible! i just passed go! i have got to have at least $200 in there!”

I didn’t win. but i didn’t lose either. we stopped the game early because my brother had to catch his 4:30 am taxi to go back to NYC, and i had to watch the end of the Lakers/Celts game (only to be disappointed, of course).

but i totally would have won.

just saying.

survey says…

game is a little assiniboine…hahahaha. but, still fun. all it needs is a little of this…

what about you? like games? what’s your favorite???

Comments [37]

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SciFi Dad said:

“Hey, I know… let’s take the one redeeming quality of Monopoly (the math part) and make it computerized! That’ll benefit the next generation!”

Idiots. Sorry, but that’s how I feel.

As for me… Risk and Stratego were two favourites.

SciFi Dads last blog post..Keyword Madness VII

Britt said:

Electronic banking??? I had no idea it would come to this. We can’t even pretend to have cash anymore???

Britts last blog post..Our BPI Revealed

Christina said:

Have you ever played Apples to Apples? It sounds like the lamest game ever (the instructions involve things like “read the ADJECTIVE…” and “Choose a NOUN…”) but it is hilariously fun. Especially when you have a bigger group (I’d say 6+ people) and there are adult beverages involved. Given your competitive spirit, this game would be right up your alley - it gets pretty heated once people start trying to defend their cards!

Angella said:

Electronic banking would SUCK. I want bills in my hot little hands.

I like board games…but don’t play them as much as I used to.

Angellas last blog post..Relisted

laural said:

I just about died laughing when i read the visa comment. Seriously. Who would assume it was a real visa card?
I think id lose in the no cash version imply because i sometimes cheat.

Kathy said:

I LOVE GAMES. Board games, card games. Of course neither husband nor daughter will play with me. I play the computer version of some and that does kind of tide me over.

My all-time favorite iS YAHTZEE. Also love me some RACKO, MONOPOLY, CHINESE CHECKERS. Card-wise, love CANASTA. I play that online at POGO.

My sister and I used to make long island ice teas and play PENTE. Can’t remember who ever won, though…

Kathys last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Grrr

Shannon said:

Without a doubt “Settlers of Catan” is THE BEST boards game I’ve ever played. It has awesome replay value and has entertained us many, many evenings for the last 7 or so years. We always tell people it’s like the best of monopoly and risk, but waaay better than either of them.

We also really like Apples to Apples as a party game (it’s only fun if you have at least 5 people, better with more). Phase Ten is a fun card game that only costs a few bucks at Walmart. We play a lot of more unusual games like Carcassonne, Tigris & Euphrates and Giza that are all fun as well.

But Settlers is still our all time favourite. Highly recommended!

KathyM said:

What happens when you run out of money? Are you SOL and out of the game? Or can you beg/borrow/steal/hide money like you could with the paper kind…and what about IOU’s? Naaa, give me some paper Canadian money…

KathyMs last blog post..My bouncing baby boy

Missy said:

NO FREE PARKING?! No freaking way. That blows.

Missys last blog post..BlogHer Progress Report

LAVENDULA said:

we don’t play games anymore but when we did my fave still is is was twister.hahaha!nothing like a couple of drinks and somne twister and i love trivial pursuit and other games with lots of ? …

LAVENDULA said:

ohh sorry my fave online game is mah-jong.

AJ said:

I love games that make you use your brain…or more specifically, showcase useless knowledge…since I’m full of it. Every time my sister visits, it results in a week long trivial pursuit tournament (that I must WIN!) Scrabble is a big hit with my mom and I, but the rest of the family just doesn’t get it. I wish we had friends who liked board games! This once every other year thing gets old.

SleepyNita said:

I love Yahtzee, yet I have never won it in all the years of playing. My partner and I also get some mean game of double bubble bubble gum ante poker going on in the house on a regular basis, but my 2 year old tends to run off with the gum :(.

Overall I al all about WORLD DOMINATION RISK. Boo-yeah. Stewart says I am good at it becuase that is the obsessive way I run our house.

GO figure.

SleepyNitas last blog post..Zenni Optical: A Cheap Pair of Glasses (or three) Review

Kristabella said:

I love games too. We used to do game nights back when I lived in California. It was SO much fun.

I love Taboo, where people have to guess a word, but you can’t use the words on the card to describe it. Seeing people try and say things without saying things is awesome!

Kristabellas last blog post..I Do Look Good In Red

Katie said:

I love board games! Jon and I registered for all of the old classic games at Target that look like books. I love any trivia game
Katies last blog post..The Post in Which I Still Don’t Recap our European Adventure, but Write About Geese Instead

mamatulip said:

Woah, Monopoly done got all pimped out, eh?

My favourite board game is Yahtzee! I HEART it.

Sarah said:

I would say…
Apples to Apples
Dreamphone (um, it’s a classic)
Clue…
but I’m really not a good gamer. I always lose. Oh well. Somebody’s gotta be the loser!

Sarahs last blog post..Spend-day Wednesday

Lottifish said:

I am a Catch Phrase addict! Love, love, love that game!

Lottifishs last blog post..Stealing My Mom’s Funnies

camels & chocolate said:

Ali, seriously, when are you and that lovely family of yours moving to San Francisco so we can have game nights every weekend??!?!

My absolute favorite is Beyond Balderdash, but if I’m not feeling that creative, I’ll opt for Catch Phrase, Taboo or Cranium. Apples to Apples is way fun, too. Oh, and when I went on a girls’ weekend recently, we played Trivial Pursuit, the ancient version from 1981, and damn, was that hard! Scott recently brought home a game of Sorry, and do you know how excited my inner 10-year-old self got??

camels & chocolates last blog post..What’s in a Name?

Karen MEG said:

Oh I just wish they would leave a good thing. No money at free parking?
I was ms Milton bradley-parker brothers as a kid… Clue, Risk, Masterpiece, Sorry, Payday…
nowadays we don’t play much, but I do like Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Balderdash.

Karen MEGs last blog post.."Wordless" Wednesday

Tena said:

I bought the American version of the new monolopy for my husband for Christmas, he like you in a total board game junkie, and man he gets brutal, especially if he is loosing, which is the case most time, but I remember seeing that on the back of the card, and I had already had…. hmm maybe a few glasses of wine, and I thought I was going to pee my pants!

Tenas last blog post..Isn’t swimsuit shopping hard enough w/out seeing these…..

Backpacking Dad said:

It pisses me off that the rules don’t allow for the big wad of cash to be doled out when you land on Free Parking. It’s so unrealistic.

Because whenever I find a free parking space anywhere in San Francisco I usually also find a few hundred bucks there. Then I go build a house with the money.

Backpacking Dads last blog post..Dilettante

Bronnie said:

omg!! I’m just like you. Absolutely love monopoly! My family hated playing with me because I always won. lol. so now no-one will play with me

I can’t imagine monopoly without the cash. it needs it!

Haley-O said:

Blokus? Wtf is Blokus. Have to check that out…. Cookies look goooood….!

Haley-Os last blog post..Cheaty Tequila!

Miss said:

So is that like the Canada version?

Misss last blog post..…

ohmommy said:

LMAO… not a real VISA.

We haven’t gotten into games. Yet. Perhaps I should ask everyone to bring a board game as a gift to Jay’s bday. I think I just figured it out.

Thanks Ali!

ohmommys last blog post..My son. He broke a commandment.

The Over-Thinker said:

I think you need to go to your nearest Wal-Mart and try to use that thing. Make sure you’re wearing your nightgown under your coat and maybe put your hair in rollers.

I loved Facts Five. I think it was the original Scattegories.

The Over-Thinkers last blog post..If this is "Wordless Wednesday," is it totally wrong to say, "Hey! No Talking!! Just a picture!" Maybe I’m completely missing the point?

Pants Wearer said:

And how exactly is this “new-opoly” supposed to be played on holy Sabbaths?

My brothers, so obsessed with Monopoly are they, bought Tri-opoly, a multi-level version that takes seven or eight years to complete. Which might have something to do with it no longer being available except on EBay…

Pants Wearers last blog post..Weezer’s new album - I’m so, so sorry

shannon said:

clue is my favourite. and trivia pursuit is good too. andddddd, i like the new scene it games, some versions anyway. ahha.. and i like winning, though i don’t mind not winning and not losing.

Teena in Toronto said:

I was never big on games … but I’ll take some of those cookies!

Teena in Torontos last blog post..Crop update

slynnro said:

I am disturbed by the credit card. Disturbed! And no one should endorse the usage of a Segway.

slynnros last blog post..She’s got legs. And she knows how to tone them.

Kelly said:

I love monopoly - who doesn’t?! But I also love love love (can you tell I love it) Balderdash - it is just too hilarious! I have not played it in a couple of years…now I am just going to have to play it!

Kellys last blog post..Kindergarteners

Yvie said:

I love Monopoly and I also love playing Mad Magazine Board Game. I played this when I was 10. So crazy, we had to splurge all our Mad money and whoever still have lots is the loser. Not only that but it also got loads of surprises and dares that goes around with it.

Well…now, don’t challenge me in Chess ’cause I won’t be playing that one even if my life depended on it.

How about you, have you played this too?

Yvies last blog post..Wordless Wednesday (v.2) : Super Adley

Chris Cactus said:

I always liked old-school Scrabble. I always lost everything at Monopoly.

Chantal said:

Assiniboine, ha ha ha, I am laughing, really, I am. Too funny.

I am super competitive when it comes to board games. My husband was shocked when we started dating and I got all crazy over a game of Sorry. I am not competitive normally so I get it out of my system with board games.

Chantals last blog post..Part deux

Jana said:

I couldn’t play Monopoly without cash. It’s just wrong somehow.

I love Clue… that game is just awesome. The new electronic version is pretty cool too!

Janas last blog post..Progress Report

Teena in Toronto said:

I’ll meet you in Trinity Bellwood Park for a stash of cookies, okay?! Ha1

Teena in Torontos last blog post..Toronto FC

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