Monopoly vs. Monopoly Junior: Which One to Get?

When it comes to the all-time most popular board games out there, there is nothing more famous than the good old Monopoly. Monopoly has been around for very many decades and there are literally hundreds of versions of this game.

What we want to do today is to compare the normal version of Monopoly with Monopoly Junior, which as you can probably tell, is designed for kids. Let’s find out what both the similarities and the differences between these two versions of the popular game are.

Monopoly vs. Monopoly Junior: Similarities

All in all, Monopoly is of course going to be quite similar across the board, particularly when it comes to the aim, the rules, and the gameplay. Sure, Monopoly Junior is definitely much more simplified than normal Monopoly, but the basic rules are still very similar.

Let’s take a look at all of the similarities which these two versions of this great game share. The most important thing to remember here is that in Monopoly Junior you can do more or less everything that you can do in the normal game of Monopoly, but the big difference is that just everything is much more simplified and child-friendly.

Goal

The aim of both of these versions of Monopoly, as well as all other versions of Monopoly, is to have the most properties and the most money.

Basic Gameplay

The other major similarity that both of these games share is the basic gameplay. You start at GO, you roll some dice, you move squares, you buy properties, you pay rent, and so on and so forth. This is the case with all Monopoly games. This is how the game is played.

Different Versions

Although this could be seen as a difference, the fact of the matter is that just like there are many versions of Monopoly, there are also a few versions of Monopoly Junior. At this time there are somewhere around 10 versions of Monopoly Junior, but that said of course there are many more versions of Monopoly overall.

Monopoly vs. Monopoly Junior: Differences

Now that we know what the few similarities between both of these versions of Monopoly are, let’s take a closer look and figure out what all of the differences are. Once again, keep in mind that Monopoly Junior is designed specifically for children, so there are quite a few differences, particularly when it comes to simplifying the gameplay and the rules.

Theme

The normal version of Monopoly features a city-based theme, whereas the Monopoly Junior version features an amusement park-based theme. The theme is just a little more entertaining for kids. One game is about buying properties and building houses/hotels, whereas the other is about buying the various amenities and rides that can be found at amusement parks.

Spaces and Board Size

The normal monopoly board consists of 40 spaces, but the Monopoly Junior board consists of only 32 spaces. It’s smaller with fewer spaces and therefore easier for kids to play.

Money

In the normal version of Monopoly, you start with $1500, which is divided into various denominations. But in Monopoly junior players start with only $31, which is divided into specific denominations. It is just a lot less counting to do, something else that makes it much easier for kids.

Rolling the Dice

In the normal version of Monopoly, players roll two six-sided dice per turn. If a player rolls a double, they must go again. If doubles are rolled three times in a row, players must go to jail. On the other hand, in Monopoly Junior, there’s only one six-sided die, and if a player lands on one of the four railways, they may roll again.

Passing Go

In the normal version of Monopoly, when a player passes go, they collect $200, but in monopoly junior players collect only $2.00.

Buying and Improving Property

In the normal version of Monopoly, buying properties is optional, when you land on them, but in Monopoly Junior, when you land on a property, you have to buy it. On a side note, in the normal version of Monopoly these are called properties, but in the Junior version, they are actually called amusements.

Moreover, in the normal version of Monopoly properties can be improved upon by building houses and then hotels on them. However, in Monopoly Junior, once an amusement is bought, it cannot be improved, or in other words, you do not build anything on those properties.

Color Groups

In the normal version of Monopoly, each color group can contain up to five properties, whereas in Monopoly Junior, each color group contains only up to two amusements.

Jail and Fines

In the normal version of Monopoly, if a player lands on jail, they must go to jail, but in Monopoly Junior, instead of jail, what you have are cafes, lunchrooms, and restrooms, which people have to pay for. In the normal version of Monopoly, there are some pretty hefty fines for landing in jail, but in Monopoly Junior, a player can go further the next turn without any kind of penalty.

Cards

In the normal version of Monopoly, all cards are either Chance cards or Community Chest cards, whereas in Monopoly Junior all cards are Chance cards.

Winning the Game

In the normal version of Monopoly, the game ends when there is only one player left standing, or in other words, when everybody else runs out of money. However, in Monopoly Junior, the game ends when the first player runs out of money.

Borrowing Money

In the normal version of Monopoly, extra money can be borrowed by mortgaging properties, whereas in Monopoly Junior it is not possible to borrow money at all.

Which of the Two Should You Get?

This is really quite simple. If you are an adult, get the normal version of Monopoly and if you are looking for a game to play with a child, get Monopoly Junior. Moreover, if you are a family who wants to have a family game night, then Monopoly Junior is probably the better option to go with. With all that being said, even the normal version of Monopoly is not all that hard, so it is ideal for fairly young people either way.

Summary

The bottom line here is that both of these versions of Monopoly are great to play. The only real difference is that one is for adults and the other for kids.