Hasbro The Game of Life

Other reviewers have described an earlier edition (60's, 70's) that seemed to be more strategic and more fun.

Also detracting from the game is the fact that the people-pegs constantly hurl themselves out of the mini-vans and the spinner completely sucks.

As an educational game, it let me down. I would prefer a game that has more decision making and associated consequences. As far as a fun game, my daughter says "it's OK, but kinda boring".


Read the Reviews Before You Buy!   May 19, 2000
64 out of 69 found this review helpful

I wish that I had read some of the reviews before I purchased this one. We had this game when I was a kid and it was one of my favorites. However, I didn't realize that they had revised the game.

I find the new format frustrating and empty. There isn't as much interaction between players in this one (others don't have to give you money when you get married, have children, etc.), except for the career spots and those detract from the game - they're pretty pointless and not true to the real world as we know it.

I have to agree with the previous reviewer who found the LIFE cards very annoying. There doesn't seem to be any hope for the underdog in this version; if you don't happen to pick a good salary, you won't win, no matter how many LIFE cards you pick up along the way.

I really wish that they had left the game the way it was! I think we'll go dig up the old one that my husband's parents have somewhere. That will be more fun!

Bottom Line: After wanting to own this game for a while, I wish I hadn't wasted my money. I'll just find an older used one. One word - disappointing.


BEWARE! This is not the game you remember!   August 10, 1999
37 out of 39 found this review helpful

Do NOT confuse this new version of LIFE with the old version!!! The old version is a classic--this new version is a big disappointment. In the new LIFE you don't get to choose your career or anything. Instead of monetary bonuses throughout the game (e.g. spinning for gifts when you have a child) you get these silly "Life" cards that you can't look at until the end. At the end you get huge amounts of money with each "Life" card and it's possible to win even if you don't have very much cash in front of you because of those cards. It's disappointing to play the whole game and then lose because of those cards, which are totally random. It's like you play the whole game and then spin to see who is the winner. We became very bored with this game very quickly because it's almost nothing like the old Life game. The old Life game was more true to life. The new game isn't.


Newer isn't always better   February 21, 2003
Efrain Rivera Jr. (Anasco, PR United States)
37 out of 37 found this review helpful

If you have ever played the earlier version of life please do yourself a favor and avoid this "new" version like the blak plague. My friends and I used to play the old version every single day up to late hours. Once we learned the new version was out we ran and bought it. WHAT A DISAPOINTMENT!!!! Compared to the old version this one is HORRIBLE. It isn't fun. The new rules [are not good]. You can not bet anymore. Money isn't the way it used to be (what's with the litte pieces of carton?) Maybe if someone at MB reads this they will go back to the basics and bring back what was once a great and fun family game to play. Lucky for us we still have, and play with, our old and much better version of Life.


Luck is critical, but allows anyone to win.   October 7, 2004
Lonnie E. Holder (Sullivan, Illinois United States)
31 out of 38 found this review helpful

The game of Life is a great equalizer for family members. Because there is so little strategy involved, an 8 year old child may win as easily as a 30 year old adult, assuming the 8 year old gets a minimal amount of guidance.

In some respects the game has similarities to Monopoly, but is much less complicated. Also, the game has a much shorter time limit since you follow a preset path from the beginning to the end, with the exception that you can choose between parallel paths in some places.

The game does introduce some basic adult concepts, such as insurance, taxes, and paydays. Essentially many of the things that can happen in real life can happen in the game of life. You can even get married and have children! We have also tried variations, such as playing multiple cars.

While the game is great for families where there is a tremendous age difference, for older teenagers and adults the game may not be that much challenge and thus may be boring. The spinner is not of the greatest quality and we have had some problems with ours. We have had some minor problems with keeping the pegs in the cars. I suspect that people with large hands may find moving the cars about the board to be difficult.

I have played many games of Life with my wife, my brother and sisters, and my children. While there are times when we argue about the results, we kept on playing the game because most of the time it was fun. Perhaps one of the most important things that anyone can learn from this game is that no matter how much you plan, sometimes chance can be an important factor in Life just as in real life.