Digital board games are pretty hit-or-miss, depending on how well they translate the core game to the screen. For Monopoly, the iconic game has often been better on the table, but a new twist on its core mechanics and game loop is well executed in Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains. The overall experience of this twist on the classic staple hits the mark; it’s just the overall presentation and implementation of the IP that feels a bit like a force choke on your ability to have fun.

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains is a creative, alternate take on the traditional Monopoly experience. In 2v2 and 3v3 matchups, you play as a team to command the board, win during exciting GO events, and end up on top against your foes. The game features 28 characters across the timeline of Star Wars media, 22 locations from the films, and memorable moments turned into Monopoly events and twists.

Your goal in the game is to earn Influence Points by taking control of locations and completing GO events. Properties are spread across the board like traditional Monopoly, but upgrading these properties can allow you access to special bonuses. If you have a property that your opponent lands on, they can buy it for a higher price and take it over. To defend against this, you can upgrade the properties and downgrade them if your strategy changes, as long as you have the credits to back up your activity.

When you land on the same tile as an opponent, you also battle, which is carried out via dice rolls and the need to have a higher roll in each quadrant of the board. This is the main mechanic in taking over areas that your opponent laid claim to first. When passing Go, you also see challenges play out in the form of minigames that can give you an edge in the next battle or trip around the galaxy. These events, paired with each character having a special ability, help the game to feel quite unpredictable and fresh each time you play a new round.

I enjoyed the spin on Monopoly, and the rules, although a little convoluted to start, make sense after seeing them in action. Even unlocking new costumes and dice skins was a fun reason to keep playing. My issues with the game really lie in how quickly you start to see the crossover’s shallowness. I’m not a huge fan of the art style of the Star Wars characters, but I can live with it. The lack of music in the series and the lackluster voice acting are unfortunately harder to ignore.

Some abilities also feel a little uneven. For example, Chewbacca can zip around the board with ease, while Padme gets properties at half cost. These should provide different ways to try varying strategies, but Chewbacca’s ability is just more functionally impactful than Padme’s. These advantages shouldn’t break the game if you’re in it for the fun, but they are distracting.

From a presentation perspective, there is just a ton of animations and visuals that take far too long to play out. If you’re eager to get to the next move, you may have to endure slow-moving characters on the board, menus, computer-controlled turns taking a lot of time, and other elements that drag out the playtime. Playing solo is almost a drag thanks to these computer-controlled turns slowing down the pace to a near-halt.

For Star Wars fans, however, it’s a fun twist on Monopoly I’m happy to have in my library for game nights. I don’t think it’s quite as fun as a Mario Party, but there is something more engaging about it than traditional Monopoly video games that leave you wondering why you didn’t just break out the physical board game. Overall, there’s plenty to like here, just not a whole lot to love. If you host game nights often and need an extra title in rotation, or love Star Wars, this might be a good pickup for your Switch, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X|S.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains was provided by Ubisoft for this review. 

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains

29.99

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Core twists on gameplay are fun
• Good spread of Star Wars characters from over the years
• Good variety of events and moments

Cons

• Lack of licensed music and voice actors are distracting
• Some character abilities are a bit too OP
• Animations can really slow the gameplay down to a halt