There have been numerous crazes that have swept the globe in recent times, few of which have surpassed the increasingly popularity that Texas Hold Em Poker holds. A game which was once unbeknown to many, Texas Hold Em (THE) is now deeply imbedded into...
There have been numerous crazes that have swept the globe in recent times, few of which have surpassed the increasingly popularity that Texas Hold Em Poker holds. A game which was once unbeknown to many, Texas Hold Em (THE) is now deeply imbedded into our culture, and youll have little trouble finding a tournament at your local pub as well as your mates bedroom. The likes of Aussie Joe Hachem, who won on the World Poker Series tour, have also helped establish the game in this fair country. Online poker has also soured in popularity, and its no surprise that game developers have jumped on the bandwagon to bring THE poker to our favourite consoles and handhelds.
After picking up Clubhouse Games, I was left incredibly unsatisfied with regards to my desire to play THE poker on the DS. Whilst Clubhouse is a fantastic game as a whole, the poker subgames were very limited and failed to capture the brilliance that poker holds. Fortunately, THE Poker DS allows you to go from zero to hero as you climb the ranks and ultimately compete in Las Vegas for the championship. The World Poker Tour does not license the game, so there is not a great focus on your rise as a champion poker play. The game includes just 7 venues, starting from a basement and ending in the aforementioned Vegas tournament. Whilst more focus on your players progress would have been nice, the crux of the game is after all poker, and Majesco have been quite successful in recreating the game of poker.
When you start up the game, you will be given the choice of a few different modes. You can take on the world in the tournament mode, perfect your skills in the practice mode, jump straight into a game in quick-play mode, or take on a friend in multiplayer mode. The game is not just limited to Texas Hold Em either; you have the choice of several poker variations including; 5 card stud, 7 card stud, 5 card draw, 7 card baseball, Omaha hold em, and Tahoe hold em. If you have no idea how to play some of these variations, fear not, for the game explains how to play them all. Having several variations of stud and hold em poker gives the game significantly more lasting appeal, and though each game has poker at its heart, there is enough differences between them all to keep you coming back to become the ultimate poker master.
Another feature of the game is the self-proclaimed bluff mechanics that you and your computer opponents can utilise. This feature allows you to bluff your way to a win, and it gives you the skills to read your opponent and predict how they are playing their hand. Its not incredibly deep, however, and it increases the time taken to play a hand considerably. Thankfully, if you decide that youd rather not watch as your opponents tap tables, wink, fold there arms and so on, then you have the ability to turn this feature off. The bluff mechanics are certainly a welcomed feature to the game, though there implementation and quality are questionable, and they didnt work for me personally, hence my decision to play without them.
Visually, THE Poker DS is of a pretty good quality. The characters are presented in 3D, and they look quite good, even if a little basic. Each venue looks a little difference, depending on whether youre playing in someones basement, or in the bright lights of a Las Vegas casino. There is not a lot to a poker game, and the graphics are testament to this. They are certainly basic but at the same time they do the job. The sound is also very minimal, with basic music tracks that play along in the background, helping set the poker mood. Theres also a female voiceover who will call the action of the game. Another feature that I found quite annoying, leaving me with no option then to play without sound. Its all about the poker though, isnt it?
For Poker lovers, THE Poker DS is a solid title that fails to deliver anything amazing, but succeeds in bringing a fun and faithful rendition of the ever increasingly popular game of poker. To Majescos credit, they also included several other versions of poker, which increases the replay value of the title. The tournament mode is short but sweet, and theres always the ability to play with up to 6 mates, assuming they each have a copy of the game. It certainly would have scored more points from me if a WiFi mode was included, but alas, this was not the case. Its the perfect game for those times where you find yourself bored and with nothing to do. A great way to waste away the time; the game would be perfect for a long road trip, or on the train to school. Its also a good way to learn how to play poker, or practice your already accumulated skills. If you can pick this title up for a bargain price (I did for $19.95) then its money well spent. Probably the best poker game on the DS, THE Poker DS is a success in my eyes.
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