1 Monopoly, the board game that rewards players for sending their competition into bankruptcy, is turning 60.
2 Since it was introduced by Parker Brothers in February 1935 during the depths of the Depression, more than 160 million copies have been purchased. It is sold in 45 countries and printed in 25 languages, including Icelandic, Arabic, Croatian and Russian.
3 To mark the birthday, 'Rich Uncle Pennybags,' the character on millions of Monopoly boxes, rang the opening bell at the American Stock Exchange in New York Tuesday. Parker Brothers is a subsidiary of Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro Inc., whose shares are traded on the exchange.
4 Edward Parker, former president of Parker Brothers, once said the appeal of Monopoly is 'clobbering your best friend without doing any damage.'
5 'When you come to the table, everyone comes equal. Everyone starts with the same amount of money,' said Bob Wann, senior vice president of marketing for Hasbro Games Group. 'The game plays simply enough that an 8-year-old can play, but it's still challenging enough for an adult.
6 'There's also a balance between skill and luck.'
7 Monopoly calls for up to eight players to use dice to move game pieces -- which include a horse, dog, lantern, iron and wheelbarrow -- clockwise around a square board. There are properties, railroads and utilities that may be purchased when landed upon.
8 Players may 'build' hotels and houses on their properties and charge 'rent' to players who land on them.
9 Everyone starts with dlrs 1,500 and collects dlrs 200 each time they complete one trip around the board, but may be sent to jail, fined or awarded money after landing on certain squares. Players drop out as they become bankrupt.
10 Versions sold in other countries are altered to appeal to those citizens, Wann said. For instance, Boardwalk becomes Mayfair in England, Rue de la Paix in France and Schlossalee in Germany. Currencies also vary from country to country.
11 Monopoly was invented by Charles Darrow in 1933. The first board was actually an oil cloth on his kitchen table and was comprised of properties named after streets in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
12 Darrow eventually sold the rights to Parker Brothers, which started producing the game in 1935. The company couldn't say how much it paid for the rights and isn't sure how much money it has made off the game.
13 It acknowledges, however, the profit margin is something Uncle Pennybags would be proud of.

Monopoly , the board game that rewards players for sending their competition into bankruptcy , is turning 60 .
bankruptcy ,
Is this really the goal of Monopoly? What is the appropriate age range?