If you thought that Fortnite had reached the peak of its power, you would have been wrong. Despite the battle royale being playable on seemingly everything from the Nintendo Switch to the Atari VCS (ok, maybe not), Epic has apparently seen fit to invade your tabletops, courtesy of Fortnite Monopoly.
That’s right, board game giant Hasbro has teamed up with Epic Games to combine the family friendly battle royale with the family-destroying board game. Some major changes, however, mean that this isn’t just Monopoly with a Fortnite skin over the top, but a pretty new take on the classic game.
For instance, one major change is that instead of money, you’re dealing in hit points, and rather than making sure you have the most money, you actually do need to be the last person standing. Instead of buying or bidding for property (all of which are named for Fortnite locations), it’s simply a first-come, first-served affair. Instead of two traditional dice, there’s one normal dice and another that offers everything from healing bandages to the opportunity to take a shot at another player. There are even Boogie Bombs, which take one health from everybody in the game.
Of course, this wouldn’t really be Fortnite without two key things. First, building – the dice offer the ability to place a wall around the space you’re currently occupying, offering protection from anybody trying to take a shot at you. The second is the deadly storm – storm cards can be placed on locations, and landing on them will cost you two health.
Some traditional Monopoly squares are still around – ‘Go’, ‘Go to Jail’, and ‘Free Parking’ are all there, but Chance and Community Chest have been replaced with Launch Pads, Spike Traps, and Fortnite’s iconic glowing chests. Sadly, the traditional Monopoly icons, from the Top Hat to the little Dog, have been done away with – instead, there are a series of cutouts depicting carious Fortnite skins, which I’m not sure I’m entirely on board with.
Pre-orders for Monopoly – Fortnite Edition are currently open from Zavvi.com (via Eurogamer), and you’ll be glad to know that you can get it in time for Christmas – the expected release date is November 26. What better game to bring out to play with grandma after you’ve finished off the turkey?