Last updated at 13:54, Thursday, 10 January 2013

There was sad and shock news from the world of traditional family games this week.

The makers of Monopoly have decided to kill off one of the old, traditional tokens.

A worldwide vote will give fans the final say on the fate of the Scottie dog, race car, top hat and five other tokens and ask them to choose between a diamond ring, guitar, toy robot, cat or helicopter.

The token with the fewest votes will be removed from the game later this year and replaced with the suggested token that receives the most votes.

Games with the new token will arrive in stores later this year.

I’m very fond of the game, it has always been a long-treasured family game in the Green household and the cause and scene of so many memorable bust-ups.

As the old saying goes: A family that rows over hotels on Old Kent Road stays together...

I know things have to change and I like some of the ideas of themed Monopolies (such as The Simpsons), but is swapping a dog or racing car for a robot or a helicopter or even a cat (what’s modern about that?) really worth the bother?

And anyway, surely today’s tokens should include a mobile phone, ipad, credit card, Dr Dre headphones and someone wearing a hoody?

Some of the old tokens are more relevant than ever in the current economic climate.

Isn’t it time for a return of the thimble, the wheelbarrow and the old boot? (I was always the old boot).

As we plunge further into recession and more and more of us have less and less money and we’re doing more and more ourselves – such as sewing repairs, getting our shoes repaired rather than replaced and taking on allotments to grow our own veg.

The wheelbarrow could be a representation for the state of the economy – off to hell in a handcart...

First published at 13:52, Thursday, 10 January 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk