The banker is now an app: Monopoly goes digital for its 90th year

Pics/Junisha Dama

Ninety years. That's how long Monopoly has been the reigning champion of gatherings. We all remember the tyranny of the banker, the thrill of passing a fat wad of cash across the table, and the sheer, satisfying crumple of paper money. It was purely analogue, and chaotic, and we loved every minute of it.

Now, as Monopoly celebrates its 90th year, the game has taken a modern-day pivot. Hasbro India's latest offering, the Monopoly App Banking game, is a nod to the reality of digital payments. The classic stacks of pastel paper are out. The sleek, instantaneous tap-and-pay system we use for everything from the neighbourhood chai stall to apartment rent is in.

The playing tokens have changed, too. Forget the thimble and the boot. We are dealing with cooler icons now, such as a cat on a roller-skating board, a car with an ice-cream cone on top, a T rex sitting in a chair, and more. And the board? It features contemporary, fictional places, ditching Atlantic City for a fresh, imaginative world. You have to land on places like Ice Cream Skating Rink, Chocolate Factory, Art Fort, or Hovercraft Racetrack. No more fighting to land on Park Place first. Now, you have to compete to land on The Moon. But here's the question: By embracing the future so completely, does this classic game lose its analogue soul?

The tactile joy of Monopoly is entirely absent. There is no deliberate counting of tens and fifties. No delightful, clumsy thunk of paper currency hitting the board. And, no way to bluff that you paid rent, even if you hadn't. Instead, every transaction is handled and documented through a dedicated smartphone app. Players simply scan unique QR codes on the properties to instantly credit or debit the amount. This means you are constantly scanning different QR codes, and the only analogue experience is rolling the dice and moving the playing tokens on the board. Which begs us to ask the question: Why does the board game come with a huge phone stand in the shape of a throne? Especially when the phone barely rests on it, as you are constantly using it to proceed through the game.

It is, technically, flawless. The app runs with the same fluidity we have come to expect from any modern FinTech solution. The rules are streamlined, eliminating those painful banking delays that always bogged down the game. Crucially, the introduction of mini-games within the app - quick challenges for bonuses or penalties if you land on Free Parking or Jail - adds a genuinely fun, necessary competitive pace. These, too, are played by scanning a QR code at the back of their respective cardboard pieces.

However, we hit a philosophical snag. The whole point of gathering for a board game is to switch off. It's a deliberate, collective effort to put the phones down. We want to engage in a shared, tangible activity that exists entirely outside the glowing rectangle. This version makes the phone the centrepiece, rather than the board. You can't secretly count your assets or plot your next move, or even tease other players by trying to cheat. For a game that is 90 years old and meant to facilitate human interaction, this feels like a missed opportunity for a true digital detox.

For the generation raised on UPI and instant payments, this digital version will feel completely intuitive and relevant. But for those of us who cherish the experience as a true escape from the digital noise, this new Monopoly feels like a compromise. It's a well-thought-out, high-quality board game that works beautifully within the digital context. It is fast, fun, and the mini-games are a welcome addition.

Just remember: if you are looking for that nostalgic pleasure of physically hoarding property and feeling the weight of paper wealth in your hand, you might want to stick to the original. The digital banker is efficient, yes, but the paper banker always had more character.