Monopoly is one of the oldest and most popular board games available on the market, other than Chess and The Game of Life.
Created in 1906, it has remained a favorite amongst board game enthusiasts.
However, everyone loves a bit of variety, so we’ve selected 10 of the best games that are similar to Monopoly in various ways.
Key Components of Monopoly
There are seven key components to the Monopoly game, which will help you choose which games below will suit you best.
Whether you enjoy collecting the most points, trading with other players, or collecting money, we have a game for you.
Decide what it is you love about Monopoly to find the perfect alternative.
The seven components are:
- Purchasing Property
- Debt Collecting
- Money Management
- Empire Building
- Making Money
- Railway and Road Development
- Cutthroat Business Strategy
Most games similar to Monopoly will feature multiple components, so it should be easy to find a board game that will appeal to the whole family.
You will also be able to find games that are suitable for younger children, such as Pay Day, Ticket to Ride, or Cash Flow for Kids.
Top 10 Games Like Monopoly
Whether you like becoming a property tycoon, managing money, or making heaps of cash, you’re sure to find a game below that you’ll love.
There are also transport, empire-building and cutthroat business games for you to try, too!
Game of Life
Players: 2-6
Ages: 10+
The Game of Life was invented before Monopoly in 1860.
For a game to remain popular 160 years later, it must be exciting, engaging, and enjoyable.
The Game of Life follows the journey of life from childhood all the way through to retirement.
The aim is to earn enough money to ensure that you can retire comfortably.
Players must avoid life’s trials and tribulations, such as accidents, hospital stays, and taxes.
They also need to purchase insurance to reduce the risks of the challenges mentioned above.
Throughout the game, players will draw cards that will positively or negatively impact their retirement trajectory.
This game is a wonderful addition to game night and will pique the interest of anyone who likes to play Monopoly and wants to prepare for their own life journey.
Lords of Vegas
Players: 2-4
Age: 12+
This casino-based board game involves developers looking for large profits and extensive properties in the famous town of Las Vegas.
Players use dice rolling to progress in the game, where they must build buildings, reorganize their plans and gamble on the various casinos to make the most money possible.
The Lords of Vegas game board can seem quite complicated initially, but as soon as you’re familiar with the rules and layout, you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself.
In terms of gameplay, this fun game is most similar to Monopoly, as it requires you to purchase the most land and build the biggest buildings to win.
Monopoly players will love this different take on the game!
Pay Day
Players: 2-6
Age: 8+
Much like Monopoly, Pay Day requires you to budget carefully, making your money last as long as possible.
In this board game, you need to manage your cash to get you through the month while making deals and paying bills.
You can also take loans if you need to, although this may cost you later in the game.
Each month brings a new payday, and if you have managed your money well, you will build up a good level of savings.
However, you must remember to contend with any loans you have taken out.
Unlike other games, Pay Day provides a fairly realistic scenario, which thankfully is combined with heaps of fun, removing the stress generally associated with earning money and paying bills.
When looking for board games like Monopoly, Pay Day is one of the most similar options out there.
Of all the Monopoly-like games, this is the ideal game choice if you’re looking for something quick.
Players decide how many months they wish to play for, and each month can be played in as little as 10 minutes.
Machi Koro
Players: 2-4
Age: 10+
Machi Koro is a fun and fast-paced game set in the real estate industry.
Players roll dice to move forward in the game.
The game focuses on building landmarks as quickly as possible and managing any city problems.
In this game, the dice decide whether or not a player receives a building.
To add a twist, the result of your dice rolls can benefit your opponents and vice versa.
As in Monopoly, you will earn revenue from your properties, but you can also steal from opponents.
As soon as a player constructs all their landmarks, the game ends.
Acquire
Players: 2-6
Age: 12+
This investment business game was created in 1964 and will suit those who like the wheeling and dealing aspect of the Monopoly game.
Instead of acquiring property, players acquire businesses.
With aspects of both Monopoly and Scrabble, this is a tile-based game.
Players place the game pieces on the board, building businesses, buying stock, and taking over smaller companies as the game continues.
Players compete to gain the most money, with the wealthiest person winning the game.
Different from the other games on this list, Acquire is quite technical, and the gameplay is complex, which may make it tricky for younger players.
However, this classic game is a great way to learn about the cutthroat business world.
A word of caution – the most significant similarity between Acquire and Monopoly is their ability to start family arguments!
Catan
Players: 2-6
Age: 12+
Possibly the most popular of the games like Monopoly, Catan is a well-known and loved strategy game originating from Germany.
The game involves building roads, placing houses and cities, and collecting resources.
Players can trade resources with other players and gain victory points by creating the longest route or by using various action cards the most.
As with many Monopoly-like games, Catan combines a game board with a card game, making it more exciting and complex.
The cards represent the various resources, as well as different action cards.
You advance through the game by rolling dice, after which you may build roads and trade resources.
Your advancement through the game is measured by the number of victory points you collect, and the person to reach ten victory points first wins.
Catan can be played with more players when using the various (and many) expansion packs.
These can also give the game more variety in resources and storytelling.
Cash Flow
Players: 2-6
Age: 14+ (Kids version available)
If you’re looking for a game that will teach teenagers how to manage money successfully, then Cash Flow is an excellent investment.
The game revolves around managing your money and personal finances to avoid debt while ensuring good cash flow.
Cash Flow for Kids is one of the best age-appropriate games, like Monopoly, if you want to involve your kids in a money management game.
Ticket to Ride
Players: 2-5
Ages: 8+
If your favorite part of Monopoly is buying up the railways, then you’ll likely be a fan of Ticket to Ride!
This is one of the best games involving transport.
You’ll cover the game board with railway routes by collecting cards that allow you to build various pieces.
Build longer railroads to increase your points and even high rewards when you connect cities.
To have even more fun, consider adding the various expansion packs to expand your gameplay.
Raccoon Tycoon
Players: 2-5
Ages: 8+
Another one of the favorite games, like Monopoly, Raccoon Tycoon, is based in Astoria, where everyone wants to own railways with the highest income.
To create an income, you need to produce commodities of high value.
You then build and sell towns using these commodities, which will help you to raise money for the railway auctions.
More buildings in your town result in more money, making it easier to increase your income and get your desired railroads.
Raccoon Tycoon doesn’t have a traditional game board, but it is still a great game to play with friends and family.
For Sale
Players: 3-6
Ages: 8+
For Sale is a game that is similar to the original Monopoly.
The first few versions of the game had an auction option when players decided not to purchase the property they had landed on.
In this way, For Sale is like Monopoly: the players bid on various property cards to get them at the best possible price.
They can then build houses and improve the property before selling them for a profit (ideally).
A fantastic game to enjoy with family members, especially if you like making deals and turning a profit.
Monopoly Game FAQs
What board game is similar to Monopoly?
If like everyone else, you love Monopoly, you may be interested in finding games in a similar niche.
For Sale is an excellent option if you like to collect income to earn money.
If you want a game where the player with the most points wins, Catan will be right up your alley.
How about purchasing all the railroads? If this is your passion, we suggest trying Ticket to Ride.
Buying empty lots, building infrastructure and power plants, and maintaining the power grid are key aspects of Raccoon Tycoon, where you are the Mayor of a town and need to ensure its success.
Thankfully there are plenty of Monopoly-like games to keep board game fanatics happy!
What style of game is Monopoly?
Monopoly is a real estate game where the aim is to get the most money while forcing bankruptcy on your opponents.
This is done by buying as many properties as possible, then upgrading and charging rent for them.
The person with the most money at the end, or the first to bankrupt the other players, wins.
It is a superb strategy, money-management, property buying, and business game with a sprinkle of luck and chance that will keep the family busy for hours.
Bear in mind that you may need to deal with a few family arguments along the way!
What are the top 10 most popular board games of all time?
The following board games have ranked in the top 10 of all time, and the list is not surprising!
- Chess
- Stratego
- Monopoly
- Risk
- The Settlers of Catan
- Scrabble
- Battleship
- Clue
- Dominion
- Ticket to Ride
Is Catan like Monopoly?
In many ways, Catan and Monopoly are similar. You play for resources, trade with other players, and a dice roll starts each new turn.
The aim of the game includes having the most resources (or money, properties and housing in Monopoly) and mastering the art of trading with fellow players.
It would be best to employ strategies to ensure you gain the most money and prevent your friends from advancing faster than you.
Final Thoughts
Monopoly-like games are a great way to take a break from the original while still having the same thrill and maintaining your strategy and money-making skills.
Some great options are suitable for younger players if you want to introduce your kids to strategy and money-making games at a young age.
While we all love Monopoly, you can’t deny that there are some excellent alternative choices on the market, and we hope that you consider giving them a try!