Monopoly celebrates its 85th anniversary with a special Hong Kong edition
New golden tokens – helicopter, wristwatch, sunglasses – should keep wannabe property tycoons happy during the board game’s coronavirus-driven revival
Millions of people worldwide will have fond memories of Monopoly, the game that calls for players to dream and scheme their way around a board using tokens and fake money to buy and sell properties, while trying not to end up broke or in jail.
Created in the United States in 1935, with the first Chinese version, Choi Yuen Kwong Chun, launched in 1965, some might consider Monopoly a tad old school in the digital age. It’s hard, though, to ignore its impressive numbers: available in 114 countries, the game has been translated into 47 languages, with more than one billion players worldwide and 300 million sets sold. If that’s not enough, the official Monopoly Facebook page has over 10 million fans.
The second highest selling board game after chess, Monopoly is currently experiencing a revival as housebound folk battle boredom during the coronavirus outbreak.
This year, in Hong Kong the game marks its 85th anniversary with a special edition that should keep tai-tais and gold-diggers satisfied, with new gold player tokens: sunglasses, a yacht, a bow tie, a jet, a helicopter and a wristwatch. The top hat and racing car of the original are also included.
It’s not the first time the city has had its own version of the game: a commemorative edition was released in 1997to mark Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty, and a limited edition was launched on the 10th anniversary of the handover, in 2007.
