The Game of Life on Steam, Part 1: The Basics

The Game of Life on Steam, Part 1: The Basics

Important note: This new series of mine is a guide that covers the older of the two PC games released on Steam to be based on Hasbro's long-running tabletop game, The Game Of Life, specifically the version in print from 2007 to 2013. Much of the advice contained in this guide is therefore relevant to the actual board game as well. There is another PC game of the same name currently available on Steam as well, but it is based on a newer version of The Game of Life, one that is still in print today; as such, it will require its own guide, if I ever choose to make one.

Introduction
Throughout its history, The Game of Life, as it is most commonly known, has always depicted the life of the person you play as, from college to retirement. In this new series, I will describe how the game works, along with some tips and strategies that can help you win it. Let's start with the basics. The Game of Life is a game for two to six players, distinguished by its use of a spinner with ten numbers from 1 to 10 instead of a dice of any kind. In this game, the objective is simple: be the wealthiest player of all in order to win.

Starting Up
When you start the game, you will be asked to select the color of your car (which represents you on the game board). There are six colors available (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple). Once you have selected a color, you must now select from one of ten characters, five male (Bob, John, Malcolm, Ernie and Bernard) and five female (Rachel, Mary, Sarah, Joan and Zoe). Finally, you must select the number of players in the game. Note that the same color cannot be selected more than once for each game, nor can the same character be chosen more than once. Moreover, in a multiplayer game, you must select the number of players first before each player chooses a color and character.

Each player will then be given three random Share the Wealth Cards. For human players, this process is handled by selecting three of six random cards at the start, followed by being shown the type(s) of the cards selected. Each player then spins to see who goes first; the player who spins the highest number always goes first, followed by the player who spun the next-highest number, and so on. At the start of each turn, the player whose turn it is must spin the spinner; the number spun determines how many spaces that player will advance on the board.

Space Colors
The spaces on the board have one of four colors. They are as follows:

• Yellow spaces: These comprise the majority of the spaces on the board. Always follow the instructions printed on these spaces when you land on them.
• Green spaces: Collect your salary (including Pay Raises) as indicated on your Career Card whenever you land on or pass over these spaces. Some of these are Pay Raise spaces, which yield a Pay Raise (see below) if your career has either not reached its maximum salary or does not have one.
• Orange spaces: Stop immediately upon reaching these spaces (even if you have moves left), follow the instructions printed on them as you would for a yellow space, then spin again.
• Blue spaces: These spaces are reserved exclusively for lawsuits, in which you can collect $100,000 from any other player of your choice, unless they use an Exemption Card upon being sued. In that case, they will have to give that to the bank instead, and no payments are made.

Career Cards
There are a total of 12 Career Cards in the game: six normal careers and six college careers. Normal careers can only be selected upon selecting the Start Career option at the start of the game or upon landing on a Lose your Job space.  College careers can only be selected upon landing on the College Career Choice space (accessible only from the Start College option at the start) or by changing careers after returning to school.

The list of regular careers is as follows:

• Salesperson: Initial salary of $20,000; maximum salary of $50,000; $5,000 in taxes.
• Mechanic: Initial salary of $30,000; maximum salary of $60,000; $10,000 in taxes.
• Hair Stylist: As above.
• Police Officer: Initial salary of $40,000; maximum salary of $70,000; $15,000 in taxes.
• Entertainer: Initial salary of $50,000; no maximum salary; $20,000 in taxes.
• Athlete: Initial salary of $60,000; no maximum salary; $25,000 in taxes.

And here is the list of college careers:

• Teacher: Identical to the Police Officer above.
• Computer Designer: Initial salary of $50,000; maximum salary of $80,000; $20,000 in taxes.
• Accountant: Initial salary of $70,000; maximum salary of $110,000; $30,000 in taxes.
• Veterinarian: Initial salary of $80,000; maximum salary of $120,000; $35,000 in taxes.
• Lawyer: Initial salary of $90,000; no maximum salary; $40,000 in taxes.
• Doctor: Initial salary of $100,000; no maximum salary; $45,000 in taxes.

Long-Term Investments

Each player can buy a Long-Term Investment at the start of their turn for $10,000 if they do not have one already. There are nine such cards in the game; each one has a different number, from 1 to 9. Once a player purchases an investment, it remains in their possession for the remainder of the game; however, they cannot own more than one or trade it for another investment. Also, when anyone (including the investment's owner) spins the number on that investment, the owner will earn $5,000.

Houses and Starter Homes

There are two types of House Card in this game. Starter Homes are mandatory purchases early in the game, whereas trading them in for Houses later in the game is optional. The list of Starter Homes is as follows:

• Mobile Home: Costs $80,000; sells for $80,000.
• Condo: Costs $100,000; sells for $105,000.
• Log Cabin: Costs $120,000; sells for $140,000.
• Ranch Style: Costs $140,000; sells for $160,000.
• Small Cape: Costs $160,000; sells for $180,000.
• Tudor Style: Costs $180,000; sells for $200,000.

The list of Houses is as follows:

• Double Wide + RV: Costs $300,000.
• Executive Cape: Costs $400,000.
• Modern Victorian: Costs $500,000.
• Luxury Mountain Retreat: Costs $600,000.
• Penthouse Suite: Costs $700,000.
• Mansion: Costs $800,000.

Please note that each House will be sold for exactly the same value as its purchase price at the end of the game.

Life Tiles

Life Tiles are rewarded for landing on a Life Space (unless the draw pile is empty and every other player has either retired at Countryside Acres or has no life tiles of their own) and also for being one of the first three players to retire at Millionaire Estates. There are a total of 25 Life Tiles in the game, of which three are placed at Millionaire Estates. Each tile is worth one of five values: $10,000, $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 or $50,000. If the draw pile runs out, you must take a Life Tile from another player who not only has at least one Life Tile, but also has not retired at Countryside Acres, if there is one.

Share The Wealth Cards

Share The Wealth Cards are exclusive to this game, and can be collected by landing on a Take a Share The Wealth Card space, although the exact type of card collected is always random. There are five types of Share The Wealth Card; they are as follows:

• Pay Card: This may be given to another player when you land on a yellow Pay space, thereby forcing that player to pay you half of the amount you'd normally pay to the bank.
• Collect Card: This may be given to another player when he/she lands on a yellow Collect space, thereby forcing that player to pay you half of the amount he/she would normally collect.
• Exemption Card: When used, it prevents its owner from having to pay any money when sued or given a Pay or Collect Card.
• 2x Spin To Win: Using this card will allow its owner to select two numbers during Spin To Win instead of one.
• 4x Spin To Win: Using this card will allow its owner to select four numbers during Spin To Win instead of one.

When you get the chance to use a Share The Wealth Card, you will be asked whether or not you want to do so. Click on "Yes" to accept, or "No" to decline. In addition, if you use a Pay Card, you must choose from an opponent to give the card to so he or she must pay half of what you'd normally pay.

Bank Loans and Pay Raises

Bank Loans are automatically taken out if you have too little cash on hand to make a payment. Each Loan has a value of $20,000 and comes with $5,000 in interest. If you choose the Start College path at the start of the game, you must take out $100,000 in loans (for a total debt of $125,000, including interest) to pay for tuition fees. Any and all outstanding debts you have will be paid back automatically upon retirement.

Pay Raises are worth $10,000 each and are normally awarded when you land on or pass over Pay Raise spaces, unless your career has reached its maximum salary. You can also earn two Pay Raises at once by choosing to take $20,000 worth of Pay Raises after returning to school. However, all of your Pay Raises will be lost if you land on a Lose Your Job space.

That just about covers it for the basics of The Game of Life. In the next part, I'll describe a walkthrough of the game, covering specific spaces on the board and what they do.