The classic board game Monopoly has been made into a city- themed version. Walmarts around Western North Carolina the area and Ohio based company Late For the Sky have come together and created“Sylvaopoly.” This game maps out the town of Sylva in a familiar setting.
The game has landmarks like Judaculla Rock, The Sylva Herald, The Jackson County Courthouse, and more. Instead of buying houses on the properties, players build blocks and Iinstead of hotels, they get the key to the city.
Playing the game is not much different than regular Monopoly. But, being familiar with Jackson County is a prerequisite for enjoying this game because otherwise it would just feel like playing an off-brand version of Monopoly. The little quirks it has bring a subtle grin to the face of players as they are reminded of the unique characteristics of their town. The game has no different rules than Monopoly, so the novelty of playing the game based on Sylva does wear off rather fast when playing. Much like any collector version of the game once players get into it their eyes are on the prize. However, the comic relief of losing a turn, “you ate too many fried tomatoes at Lulu’s”, does give the game an added dose of entertainment. Especially for those of us who play the never-ending game of Monopoly.
Other notable differences in the game are that players don’t go to jail, but, instead, players get stuck in a traffic jam, which is a common occurrence in Sylva. Anyone who has tried to drive through Sylva at 5 p.m. will understand that frustration. Also, instead of having the four railroads Sylvaopoly has different street names, and instead of water works and the electric company, the game has the police station and the fire department.
The dark green properties are the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Tuskagee River, and the Balsam Mountain Reserve. Instead of Boardwalk, Sylvaopoly has Historic Downtown Sylva.
Instead of community chest and chance Sylvaopoly has “Big Fun” and “Contingency.” Overall, it’s clear that a lot of time and attention to detail was spent on creating Sylvaopoly because it really does capture that essence of the community and the creators did a good job of not leaving anything out.
The game reflects well on the culture of the town and the players may start to feel a sense of identity when playing. This game really was made for the residents of Jackson county, and for that alone makes it a fun game to play. But at the end of the day it’s still Monopoly, which is an awesome and familiar game to many. Assuming you know how to end the game.
However, as in any game the best way to learn about it is to play it. The game is sold at Walmart for about $20, but it may be too late to buy it because supplies are extremely limited. Late For the Sky only delivered 360 of the games to Walmart. At this point the best place to buy it would be directly from Late For the Sky on their website.
Late For the Sky is a company that is dedicated to making 100 percent Earth friendly games, using recycled materials and soy based ink to print. They also are making their metal game pieces from zinc. So, beyond the novelty of Sylvaopoly, the game has a lot of positive factors that are good for the community and the environment.
So , if board games are your thing check out Sylvaopoly and get to know your town a little better while playing a classic game with your friends. And you never know, you might even be crowned “Miss Sylva!”
If someone wanted to make their own custom Monopoly style game they could at www.lateforthesky.com.
