Played an interesting card game last Sunday that I thought I’d pass on…

Do you love Monopoly, right up until an hour into the game when things start to get ridiculous and boring at the same time? Yeah, I’m right there with you. Monopoly Deal sounds pretty hokey at first - another Monopoly knockoff? - but it really does bring out the fun of Monopoly’s gameplay in a condensed form that lasts all of twenty minutes.

Gameplay consists of each player drawing cards from a central pile and playing them, rummy-style, into their table of properties and cash. Some cards allow a player to demand rent from their opponents; others allow straight-out stealing properties. All the classic Monopoly property groups are included; the goal is to complete three property groups before your opponents do. The game mechanics allow for rapid changes to the players’ relative standings, which keeps things interesting. BoardGameGeek lists Monopoly Deal rated at 6.27 stars out of ten, which seems low to me. I think that between the easy learning curve, nostalgic material, and high degree of game movement, it definitely makes for a great family or party game.