New versions of old board games use your Apple iPhone or iPad as part of the game

Hasbro has come up with a way to freshen up some of the older board games in the company's portfolio. By having players use their Apple iPhone or Apple iPad as part of the game board or as playing pieces, games like The Game of Life are refreshed. In fact, that is the first game in the new zAPPed series that the game maker has released. Installing a special app made available just for game buyers, players replace the physical spinner with one on the Apple iPad. In addition, the tablet will show videos from America's Funniest Videos while the game is in progress. The game is available now for $25, which of course doesn't include the tablet.

In June, Hasbro will release a zAPPed version of the all-time favorite, Monopoly. For this classic, layers will use an Apple iPhone or iPad as a portable ATM to keep track of each player's money. In September. Battleship will be zAPPed with special ship pieces that are recognized and tracked by an Apple iPad when placed on the screen. And we can't even begin to imagine what special effects will be on the tablet when a player's Battleship is sunk.

Who knows how far this trend could go? Imagine a zAPPed version of Mystery Fun Date, Mouse Trap or Strat-O-Matic Baseball. Any game that requires dice, split cards or a spinner can be modernized by incorporating the Apple iPhone or Apple iPad into the game play.

source: Hasbro, Ubergizmo via Gizmodo