The easiest way to learn Space Monopoly is just to have a few games - you'll pick it up in no time.  If you're stuck with any aspects of the game, you should be able to find the answer below:

• Introduction
• Menus
• Getting Started
• Notes on Multiplayer Games
• Game Specifics
• Creating Companies
• Company share values
• Buying and Selling Shares
• Mergers
• Share Splits
• End Of Game
• Hints and Tips

The aim of Space Monopoly is to make money. Lots of it.

You start the game with £6000, and when companies are created you can buy shares in them. As companies grow and merge with each other you will get more money. It's as simple as that. At the end of the game the player with the most money left (including the worth of their shares) is the winner. The game can be played with as many people as you want, but 2-4 is the recommended number.
 

Select the relevant menu option for further details:

• Projects Menu
• New Game
• End Game
• View High Scores
• Options Menu
• Create New Grid
• Grid Size
• Options
• Help Menu
• About Space Monopoly

Before you start the game you'll want to have a decent grid on which to play. (A decent grid is one with lots of circles on it, in close proximity to one another). To create a new grid go to the "Options" menu and select "Create new grid".
You can also select the size of the grid you wish to play on.  If this is your first time playing Space Monopoly it is recommended that you play on the small (16 x 12) grid.

Once you've got a grid you like the look of, select "New Game" from the "Project" menu.  You should be presented with a dialogue which resembles the following:

Type in a name in the "name" box and click the add button. Add as many people to the list as you want to play. When you have all of the players' names typed in they can be re-organised into the order of play using the "move up" and "move down" buttons.

Before you click the "Go" button you can decide on a game type. There are currently two different game types:

• Classic Game:    Here all of the players us the same grid and companies. This is the recommended (and the default) game version.
• Tournament:    This game type is multi-player only. Here each player has the same starting grid but doesn't share it with the other players.

Once you're ready to play just click Go. The player at the top of the list will go first.

If you choose to play a multiplayer game (2 or more players) make sure you check out the preferences first and set at least "force expansion" and "allow company creation".  This will make the game a lot more fair.  It's not essential that these options are set for a multiplayer game, but it makes the game a lot more fun.  See Preferences for more information on these options.

As you've probably read, Space Monopoly is about making money. When the game starts you should see five blue flashing squares. You'll want to click on one of these - they are your choice of moves for this go.

There are two ways to create a company in Space Monopoly.

Next to a circle: 
 

Next to a diamond: 

Note that if a blue square is next to an existing company a new company will not be created - the old company will just expand. Also note that if a company isn't created or expanded, a diamond will be created (such as the one above).
 

Each sqaure a company occupies increases its share cost by 100. Any company squares which are adjacent to circles increase the share cost by 500 each.

The teal coloured company above occupies three squares, none of which are adjacent to circles - thus the share price is 3*100 = £300

The yellow coloured company occupies one square (£100) and is adjacent to one circle (£500) and so the cost per share is 100 + 500 = £600
 

After you have selected a square you'll have the opportunity to buy and sell shares in any companies which currently exist.

On the button panel to the right of the main game screen is the buttons for each of the companies. You'll only be able to press the buttons of companies which exist. Notice the company colour to the left of its button, and the white dot on it. The white dot signifies you can afford to buy at least one share in the company. Once you've clicked on the button of the company you want to buy shares in you'll be presented with something like the following screen:

To sell a specific number of shares just enter the number in the sell shares box and press return (or click the "Sell >>>" button).  To sell all of your shares in a company click the "Sell All" button.

Buying shares is just the same - enter the number of shares you wish to buy in the buy shares box and press return (or click the "Buy >>>" button), or click "Max Buy" to buy as many shares as you can in the company.

Companies grow when you select squares adjacent to them - but what if a square is adjacent to two companies? They merge, that's what.

Above we will merge Eridnus with Debenese if we click the blue square.

Merging is a good thing usually. The big company (company which occupies the most squares) takes over the smaller company - so if you have shares in the smaller company you get money for them, and you also get given loads of shares in the larger company (so long as you had shares in the smaller one).  Heck, I never said it was real life...

If in the above example you have 20 shares in Eridnus, this number will be added to the number of shares you have in Debenese.  Also, the worth of the shares in Eridnus is calculated and given to you as profit.  The value of Debenese shares will be increased by whatever the value of Eridnus shares was (in this case £200).

If three companies are merged in a single turn, only two companies will merge at first, then the other company will merge with the new company.

If a company has a share value greater than or equal to £3200, the value of the share is split in half, and each player is given twice as many shares in the company.

On a small grid, the game ends after go 79. (On medium and large grids the end of game occurs after goes 119 an 159 respectively).
Your net wealth will be calculated on your value in shares and your money left over. The player with the highest net wealth is the winner. If you've got a good few million (or billion...) you might have got a place in the high-score table, too. (Remember to send me your scores file if you beat a score on the High Scores table of this site - see High Scores).

1. Buy lots of shares in small (~£200) companies. These willl grow quite quickly (usually) and you'll make a lot of money if you can get them to grow onto a square adjacent to a circle.
2. Create companies as close together as you can. There's no point in creating them on opposite sides of the board because you'll never get them to merge. Remember you can only have a maximum of 5 companies in play at any one time...
3. In multiplayer games make sure it's you who creates the expensive (£1100+) companies, and other players that create the smaller ones. Even if your expensive company is far away you can still sell all of your free shares in them and buy some cheaper ones somewhere else.
4. Think carefully before merging two companies in multiplayer games. If your opponent has more shares in the smaller company they're going to make more money out of it. (You can see who the major shareholder in a company is at any time by clicking on the company's button).
5. If you've got a lot of shares in a smallish company late on in a game and you don't think you'll be able to get it to merge, sell all of them and buy some shares in a better company. The best shares to have late on is shares in the big companies because these are much more likely to grow.

You will usually get a few big mergers midway through the game. Don't be tempted to try and create more £600 companies and don't buy shares in the big companies. Instead try and create some small £200 companies around the edge of your big company and buy as many shares in them that you can. There's a good chance you'll be able to get these smaller companies to merge with your big company later on and you'll make a fortune.