We got a press release the other day for "Joel Harden's Mogul," a game that claims to be the first realistic real-estate board game, and it's also "family-friendly!"

Joel Harden's Mogul™ teaches the following terms & concepts during the course of gameplay:

Mortgages - Credit - Interest Rates - Institutional Investments - Speculation - Prenuptual Agreements - Money Management - Use & Occupancy Taxes - Environmental Concerns - Non-Credit Tenants - Downpayments - Liability Insurance - Operating Statements - Depreciation - Closing Costs - Deeds - Zoning - Property Taxes - Assemblages - Due Diligence - Amortization - Credit Tenants - Unsecured Loans - Promissory Notes - Cap Rates - Title Insurance - Appreciation

Wow, that's a lot of concepts to have in a board game. I don't think Twlight Imprerium III, Junta or Civilization have any of those, and all those are more complex.

But here's my favorite part:

Details about the game include:
Release Date:  November 3
Price:                $199.99
 Age:                15+
Players            2-4
 

Seriously? Two hundred dollars? A big-box game from Fantasy Flight, packed with hundred of pieces, a modular board and sporting an established and popular brand such as Warcraft or Civilization, tops out around $90. And those are games for real gamers. This guy is trying to compete for the Wal-Mart market against Monopoly, and meanwhile his game won't support more than four players!

— James Geluso

owns small collection of board games

won't be buying Mogul