| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that Fortune Street is like a deeper, more complex version of Monopoly. In addition to collecting properties ("shops") and investing money to make the rent at each shop more expensive, players can buy and sell stock attributed to groups of properties, allowing them to also collect money when someone else is paid, or when someone else invests money into a shop. There are numerous strategies for players to develop. When playing against computer opponents, players are presented with an onslaught of comments that are usually arrogant or mean-spirited in nature, though not overtly harsh or obscene. Because of the complexity of the gameplay, this game skews older into the teen range.
The easiest way to describe FORTUNE STREET is to say it is like the classic board game Monopoly, just lots more complicated. Players roll a die to move around a board and purchase unowned shops. If players land on a shop that is already owned by someone else, they must pay the shop owner. The winner is the first player to reach a pre-determined monetary goal. There are numerous layers of strategy that include buying and selling stock within each group ("district") of shops, stealing other players' shops by forcing a buyout, and correctly navigating around game boards that have winding paths and non-linear progression. The game includes characters and themes from both the Mario franchise as well as the RPG series Dragon Quest.
Fortune Street will appeal to an extremely select group of players. Its nuanced strategy requires brain-bending critical thinking and the ability to adapt to constantly changing circumstances. The game is captivating from a cerebral level only. The graphics seem outdated; and there is no other content to keep players entertained. There is one space on the board that lets players compete in a mini-game, but there are only four mini-games to cycle through. This is definitely a no-frills game. For those who appreciate the deep and complex gameplay style, it can be a fun and entertaining experience. For anyone else, which is probably a much larger audience, the game's hours-long, turn-based, complicated presentation will be off-putting and not worth their time.
Families can talk about this game's emphasis on cunning and strategy. What are the best strategies to win in this game?
This game lets you steal other players' shops. Do you think this is fair?
What would happen if you tried to manipulate stock prices in real life?
| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Strategy |
| Developer: | Nintendo |
| Release date: | December 5, 2011 |
| Price: | $49.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E for Comic Mischief |



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