Monopoly: Star Wars: Heroes vs. Villains. Looks much less boring than it should be
There is hardly a more dangerous phrase than “Monopoly video game based on Star Wars.”
This could mean a lazy redesign of the look. This could mean Darth Vader collecting rent on Cloud City while everyone slowly remembers why family board game night is actually a Sith ritual.
But the new gameplay overview trailerMonopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains makes the game much more interesting than expected. The latest video from Ubisoft shows a team-based version of Monopoly with characters, where locations can be fought over, abilities matter, and the playing field is a tiny plastic galaxy ready to cause controversy.
According to the official description of the gameplay trailer from Ubisoft, the game will be released on June 11 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, GeForce NOW and PC via the Ubisoft Store, Steam and Epic Games Store.
It's Monopoly, but with blaster fire.
The main highlight is that Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villainsisn't just your standard Monopoly with the Death Star plastered on the box.
The game is built on a team-based approach, with competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes available both online and in co-op play on the same screen. Players form teams of Star Wars heroes and villains, and these characters are really important because each of them has abilities that can affect the outcome of the match.
This alone makes you perceive the whole game not as “roll the dice, buy property, ruin friendships,” but rather as a strategy game based on "Star Wars" wars",dressed in the guise of "Monopoly".
Honestly, this is how friendships break down.Just in better lighting.
28 characters, 14 abilities and skins to hunt.
The new trailer confirmsthe presence of 28 characters, divided into heroes and villains from different corners of the franchise. Ubisoft highlights names such asLuke Skywalker,Princess Leia,Darth VaderandDarth Maul, while extras and the trailer point to a wider roster of characters, includingAhsoka Tano,Rey Skywalker,Han Solo, Chewbacca, Yoda, Bo-Katan, Jin Erso, Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala, General Grievous, Boba Fett, Cad Bane, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress,Kylo Ren,Emperor Palpatine,Reva Sevanderand many others.
The trailer also shows off 14 unique character abilities, which means that not every character is just some fancy token sliding around the board like a collectible having trouble paying the rent.
What's more, players can unlock many skins by completing in-game challenges and earning rewards.Alternate skins like Luke's X-wing pilot suit and Darth Maul's hooded costume are shown as examples, and it's small cosmetic touches that subtly become reasons to keep playing.
22 locations from the Star Wars universe across the country
The board features22 iconic locationsfrom across the galaxy, each accompanied by a unique3D diorama.
Ubisoft specifically names locations such as Ewok Village, Sand Rover, Echo Base and Jedi Temple, and the gameplay demo also points to such important worlds of the saga as like Coruscant, Hot, Ahch-To, Mustafar and others.
Perhaps this is the most successful part of the concept. Monopoly already works because the playing field becomes familiar over time. Replacing the streets with Star Wars locations gives each piece more personality—especially when they're presented as small animated dioramas rather than flat squares with galactic symbols.
Small property dispute in Mustafar? Quite normal.
Dice battles change the nature of the battle for property
The most interesting mechanic is the system of battles using dice.
When a player lands on the same space as another player, it can initiate a dice battle to determine who controls that location.This means that ownership is not just about being first and smugly possessing your plastic empire like some banking robot.
The change of power may occur more aggressively.
This single tweak could make the game much more dynamic than the classic Monopoly, where long stretches can become slow economic strangulation as one player quietly transforms into cosmic landlord Palpatine.
The game has also addednew GOevents, special tiles, missions, rewards and dynamic moments on the playing field, designed to diversify matches from turn to turn.
Incredibly clever Star Wars board game for parties
This will not replace Knights of the Old Republic, Jedi: Survivor or Battlefront IIin the hallowed sanctum of Star Wars gaming. No one is pretending that Monopoly has suddenly become the new emotional center of the galaxy.
But being a lighter Star Wars game, it actually has a more distinct personality than expected.
The command structure creates an atmosphere of social chaos. Character abilities add a strategic component. 3D dioramas of locations give the playing field the feel of a real Star Wars toy box. Combat using dice makes control of property more confrontational.Skins and missions give players a purpose beyond just ruining Uncle Steve.
In a year where Star Wars games are expanding into racing games, cleaning simulators, mobile updates and board game adaptations, it fits the current trend: smaller, more unusual Star Wars projects that know exactly what direction to go in.
For anyone who follows the vast universe of Star Wars games, our complete list of every Star Wars game ever made remains the easiest way to spend an afternoon researching the dates exits, ports and making discoveries like “wait, did this even exist?”
Game Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villainswill go on sale June 11.
And contrary to all reasonable expectations, it can even turn out to be fun.