Christchurch's Avon River occupies one of the brown squares on the city's new Monopoly board. Photo: RNZ / Matt Chatterton
Ever fancied owning Christchurch Cathedral or Hagley Park? Now you can Pass Go and try your luck with the launch of the Garden City's bespoke Monopoly board game.
Thousands of residents across the region voted on which landmarks should feature on the custom board, with Orana Wildlife Park, the International Antarctic Centre, the University of Canterbury, Lyttelton Port and The Court Theatre among those on the list.
Dale Hackett, from game development company Winning Moves, said they had been working on the Christchurch edition for the best part of a year, including plenty of consultation.
"We had hundreds of suggestions of different locations that should feature, which was great. It made my job a bit tougher."
At the top - and traditionally pricier - end of the board, Christchurch Cathedral and Hagley Park sit in the dark blue spots.
"They were probably the easiest squares to fill for us. They're quite iconic attractions in the area," Hackett said.
The Avon River and Orana Wildlife Park featured in the brown squares near Pass Go, usually occupied by the cheapest properties.
But Hackett said the company did not see it as a ranked board, even if many people did.
"We design all of our editions with a certain structure and theme," he said.
"Every colour set is assigned a particular sector or industry, based on the colour and various other things.
"So the browns are your natural attractions, so that's just the way that we structure it."
The custom board game was already flying off the shelves according to retailers, he said.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger said there was a lot to love about the city and now everyone would get a chance to experience it.
"This really highlights the beauty and wide range of activities on offer in the city. I can't wait to sit down and play Christchurch Monopoly with my family," he said.
