By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Hasbro and classic game designer Winning Moves announced at BLE this week their lineup of new products coming out this fall.
The licensing partners made the announcement at the Brand Licensing Europe expo, unveiling RISK: Stranger Things edition; the MONOPOLY: Sonic the Hedgehog Edition; and MONOPOLY: Hello Kitty.
The classic strategy game RISK (my favorite board game as a kid) has been reworked to allow fans to experience the Upside Down from Stranger Things in a version that was collaboratively designed by the shows creators, the Duffer Brothers.
It includes never-before-seen artwork from Kyle Lambert, who produced the Stranger Things promotional poster in 2016.
This brand-new special edition will see fans playing as either good or evil forces, both sharing a common objective to stop the demon Vecna reaching the Creel House.
The game features custom-designed territories, iconic locations from the series, and includes bespoke tokens including Vecna himself. “This game is a true collector’s item,” the partners say.
The new edition of MONOPOLY featuring Sonic the Hedgehog comes as Paramount and brand owner Sega are gearing up for the third film in the popular series.
This special edition of Monopoly is packed full of the popular characters from the video game and film, including the new and mysterious character Shadow. Game tokens are inspired by the Sonic games, and include items like Sonic’s shoe, Tail’s tail, and one of the gold rings from the game.
Game play is changed so players race to purchase labs and high-tech facilities, while snatching up fan favorite characters like Sonic, Dr. Eggman, and Knuckles.
The other game released at BLE is the Hello Kitty edition of MONOPOLY, which is ‘purrfectly’ timed for the 50th edition of the iconic brand. MONOPOLY: Hello Kitty Edition combines the nostalgic “adult fan” trend with the classic board game. With six adorable tokens including Hello Kitty’s bow and face.
All of the new games are produced under license through the long-time collaboration between Hasbro and Winning Moves, which allows the partners to deliver high-quality licensed products that combine the hottest trends with the world’s favourite board games.