Upon adding a member to the family (getting married, having children, etc.) the player "collected presents" from each of the other players. At marriage, this amount was determined by spinning the wheel: spinning 1, 2, or 3 was worth $2,000 per opponent; 4, 5, or 6 was worth $1,000; 7 through 10 earned nothing. In the case of children, the player was awarded a flat $1,000; if the player had twins or adopted two children, the amount was doubled. A house cost a flat $40,000 and buying one was one of the red spaces (i.e. all players had to buy a house at the time they landed on or passed this space).

[edit] Insurance and stock

In this version, the three insurance policies (automobile, life and fire) prevented the player from being affected by a number of "tragedy" spaces throughout the board (house fires, car wrecks, etc.) which cost the player a significant amount of money if landed on without being insured. Buying life insurance activated certain spaces which awarded dividends if landed on. Automobile and fire insurance could be lost permanently if the player landed on a "careless" or "reckless driver" space. Life insurance had the possibility of "maturing" with large financial gains if a person holding a policy landed on the corresponding space.
The Stock certificate played a much more important (and realistic) role in this version than in later versions. Purchasing a Stock certificate cost $50,000; however, many of the high-payout spaces (such as "striking oil" with its $480,000 payout) were only active if the player owned stock. In addition, a couple of white spaces allowed the player the opportunity to "play the market" if he or she desired, in a game similar to the Lucky Day space (explained below). If the bearer landed on a space indicating a rise in stock prices, the player collected money accordingly and if they landed on a "stock prices drop" space, they likewise lost money.

[edit] Lucky Day

Several of the spaces were marked "Lucky Day"; if the player landed on a Lucky Day they immediately received $20,000 (paid with two $10,000 bills). The player could keep the money or gamble it for the chance to turn it into $300,000. To gamble, the player placed each of the $10,000 bills on one of the numbers printed on a large "number strip" provided with the game and spun the wheel. If it landed on an empty number, the player lost the $20,000; however, if it landed on a number with a $10,000 bill, the player was given $300,000.

[edit] Retirement

When a player reached the end of the game they could retire to the "Millionaire" space if they thought they had the most money. In some circumstances, all players would retire here after reaching the end of the game, at which point they would count their money. The player with the most money won the game.
If a player was trailing near the end of the road they could make one final gamble in an attempt to become the "Millionaire Tycoon". The player selected one number on the number strip and placed their car on it. Upon spinning the wheel, 9 of the 10 numbers forced the player to move to the "Bankrupt" space, losing the game. However, if the correct number was selected, the player became the Millionaire Tycoon and automatically won the game.

[edit] 1991 version

The Game of Life was updated in 1991 to reward players for "good" behavior, such as recycling trash and helping the homeless ("penalty" spaces in previous versions). The 1992 version of the game proceeds as follows:

[edit] Careers and salaries

There are still two routes at the beginning of the game, now labeled Career and College. Selecting the College route now places the player in debt from the very start; however, the probability of landing a better job and a higher salary is much better than selecting the Career route. If the person lands on a "trade a salary card" space, the player had the option of "trading up". At the shared end of both paths, the player's career and salary are decided by chance. A Career Card (with such occupations as a teacher, police officer, athlete and travel agent), as well as a Salary Card (ranging in $10,000 increments from $20,000 to $100,000) are selected, as outlined below. The Police Officer has an additional bonus to it; that player automatically receives $5,000 from any player that spins a 10.
If a player chooses Career, the shorter path is taken. At its end, one occupation card and one salary card are chosen. If the selected Career card says "Degree Required", another Career Card must be drawn. The player continues the game with that specific career and salary unless another event affects the player.
If a player chooses College, two Promissory Notes must be taken from the bank for tuition and the player must take the longer path (which in this version is also more "dangerous" than the Career path). However, at its end, three Career cards and three Salary cards are chosen and the player may choose one from each set after looking at them.

[edit] Types of spaces

As in the 1980s version, most of the spaces on the game board are orange and their instructions are only followed if they are landed on. The "Pay Day" spaces are green and impact the player when landed on or passed over. Red spaces now always signify a major life event (e.g. graduation, marriage, buying a house, retirement) and must be stopped on even if the spin is greater than the number needed to land on them. The "decision" spaces are now blue and if landed on, the player can choose to follow them or do nothing. "Taxes Due" is now a normal orange space and is also only active if landed on. that player then could not be sued.

[edit] Occupation spaces

Most of the spaces requiring the player to pay money to the bank have a symbol next to them, each of which corresponds to that on one of the career cards. If any opponent has that career card, the money is paid to that opponent instead of the bank. If the player himself has that career, no money is paid.