Went shopping late Wednesday. Shopping for games, of course. Found “Monopoly” on the shelf.

Not the board game. The latest digital one — for Xbox 360, PlayStations 2 and 3, and Wii. A version of it is available for mobile phones, iPod and at the online playground Pogo.com.

Electronic Arts borrowed from “Monopoly: Here & Now,” the World Edition board game for much of the plot. But instead of just circling the board with a little metal tokens of a race car, or top hat, or shoe, players explore a series of themed boards and assorted modes requiring several hours — typical for a good time on the board version — or just a few minutes.

There’s also a series of mini-games, among them: “Get Out of Jail,” requiring players to saw through prison-cell bars; and “Take a Ride on Reading,” a timing exercise using trains as they pull into a station.

This console “Monopoly” follows PC versions, specialized versions, TV game shows and fast-food promotions but doesn’t necessarily imitate them. Instead, it’s the next logical step for a 73-year-old series with generations of fans hoping to add yet another generation, this one inured to a dash of flash mixed in with the substance.

Game Guy will take a closer look soon and report back to see if that step goes in the right direction.