I don't know how the new game compares to the older versions, but the Wii-iteration does improve on some of your complaints:
A) "Simple-Rules" - basically, the game is now divided into two difficulties, the Classic mode and the Simple mode (Terms are literally translated back from German, so excuse me if I don't hit the nail on some of the terms in the official English version). Simple mode does away with the stock-trading altogether and properties are no longer divided in Areas, but gain a bonus if you manage to get multiple shops in a row.
B) Speed-Settings - you can determine how fast the game plays out. On the highest setting, dialogue between the characters (mostly there to make singleplayer interesting enough, I assume) and animations like the die-rolling is either skipped or is sped up immensely.
C) Interesting board-designs - I don't know how this was handled in the FS-games before, but every board in the Wii-version has at least one interesting dynamic or design that makes the game a bit more interesting. For example, the Heavenly Sanctuary from DQ 9 has one part of the board rotate around every time someone hits a switch, and the board itself has a lot of twists and turns, all in distance of three spaces away from each other. These little mechanics make walking around on the board a bit more tactical.
I haven't tested this game in multiplayer yet, sadly, but from what I've played so far, it could be a lot of fun, especially if your friends are into money-grabber-games. But hey, that's just my two cents.
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It's just like Monopoly, sans the charm or the engaging simplicity
My knowledge of Fortune Street is only limited to an import version I played last fall (with Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest characters), but since the Wii will finally get a version of this game, it's only fair warning to let potential buyers know what they're getting into. In the case of Fortune Street, if you want a cliff notes version on how stocks operate in the real world, you can't go wrong with using this more complex Monopoly board game as potential edutainment. As far as actual fun goes, don't expect much.
It's impossible not to bring up either Monopoly or Mario Party when mentioning Fortune Street, but FS lacks the appeal of either one. The gameplay consists of endless loops around each board while each player collects stocks, property and trading either one to gain as much profit as possible. Whoever reaches the goal first wins the game. Sounds intriguing at first, until multiple rounds of monotony get on your nerves and no progress seems to get done. In fact, it takes over an hour for even one player to marginally reach the central goal. At least Mario Party has fun mini-games after each round. Fortune Street is devoid of such diversions.
With Monopoly, its otherwise simple gameplay turns fun once friends/family/enemies start bickering through the whole process and not following the official rules to the T. The complexity and confusion of trading stocks lacks the appeal of simply buying/trading property, getting thrown to jail form an unlucky roll or rolling doubles three times in a row, or praying not to hit a hotel owned property ONE MORE TIME to build up an extra $200. The only tension Fortune Street inspires is "GET ON WITH THIS ALREADY!" irritation. Only near the end of games does Fortune Street inject much needed excitement, but by that point, it ends way too soon.
You might as well call Fortune Street It Gets Better, the videogame, because once a new game starts, this cycle starts over. Gamers can put up with pacing issues until the good stuff comes along, but even then, the gaming psyche has limits when the output ain't worth the trouble.
How Fortune Street survived through two decades of gaming boggles the mind. This wouldn't even be fun as a diversion on the phone.