One meeellion dollars. Yeah, prices have risen.

As board game purists, we're obligated to say that the Monopoly Here & Now edition messes too much with our beloved, classic game. The player tokens are new, the cities have been replaced with world locations, utilities and railroads are modernized, and a dreaded credit card replaces the funny money. Even after all of those changes, reeking of desperation to make the game cool, the iPhone edition is actually fun. The on-pitch translation matches most of the capabilities of the device, and the underlying Monopoly mechanics are just the same as we remember.

Don't fall for it! It's an ad for other EA games. 

You can play with up to three computer or human opponents in this capitalist game. Game piece animations, and even the 3D room in which you play are sharp. But the basic Monopoly rules act as a strong foundation. House-style ways to customize the rules, such as tax money going to the Free Parking square, and a range of trading options give just as much depth as the board game. But in the end, it's more fun trouncing friends than computer-controlled players, and you'll have to be on the same device or Wi-Fi network; Internet matches aren't offered.

Underneath an artificial, to-the-max, Here & Now skin, Monopoly still brings old-school fun.

Monopoly Here & Now: The World Edition 1.2
COMPANY: Electronic Arts
CONTACT: www.eamobile.com
PRICE: $7.99
REQUIREMENTS: iPhone or iPod touch with 2.2 software update.
Basic, Monopoly fun survives. Well-crafted controls navigate many options. Local Wi-Fi or single-device multiplayer.

Can't play multiplayer online. Can't play with the original game board. At the end of each game, it hard-sells other EA products.