While many of us grew up with a combination of classic cardboard and electronic board games (the latter including Simon, Girl Talk, even Operation with its little LED), today we're seeing a lot of our old favorites being converted to include batteries and electronic parts. Is this a good or a bad thing?
Are electronic additions to classic board games a way to enhance the gameplay, or a way to charge more money for the same -- or even an inferior -- product? You be the judge.
Some of the games that have been modernized:
Reviews tend to be mixed. For some games, like Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble, the additions can augment gameplay or create a new, fun or more quick-paced version of the original, while with games like Battleship it may actually make the game harder to play and enjoy.
Do you -- or would you -- play electronic versions of your favorite classic games? Share your opinions in the comments below.
(Image: Flickr member pirate johnny licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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If you're paying $123 for Life, I have a few I'd like to sell you :)
I all seriousness though, I enjoy the digital upgrades to Life and Monopoly but wonder how it will effect longevity of the game. I learned to play Monopoly on the same set my mom did. I just can't imagine the electronics holding up that well.
I think I dislike these updates. The entire success of the decades-old board games is the ability to play them no matter what: power outage, in the car, or on a plane...
Yeah I like the old school games.
I think the electronic Monopoly is a horrible idea. Kids need to learn how to make change without a calculator telling them what to do.
Agree with everyone above. Defeats the whole purpose of the board game. Might as well play Monopoly on the wii, alone, locked in your dark room, with only the cold blue glow of the TV to keep you company...
i had electronic battleship when i was kid, it was fun but harder to set up and play since you had to literally put in where the boats were. But yeah that one has been around for a VERY long time.
I like the electronic version of trivia games because it allows you to update the questions. If you play with a regular group you can go through lots and there's no fun when you've all heard the question before and remember the answer.
As for Monopoly, it's pretty much perfect as is. Is having to know how to add and subtract ever a bad thing?
Agreed BrianneA, when I first say the credit card version of monopoly all I could think was it seemed to miss one of its major draws, teaching kids basic math.
I don't have a problem with electronic boardgames if the electronic portion is something that isn't really feasible to do otherwise, but these updates just seem lame.
Ok, the trivial pursuit one I don't have a big problem with actually, if they actually use it to allow you to get updated content.
tragic!