Casino Games logo CDTV

SAEN SOFTWARE * £24.99

A rather sorry compilation of three arcade games: a fruit machine simulator, a roulette gambling game and a sort of poker. A choice of music tracks is available but makes no difference to the poor games. There's better stuff available in the public domain.



Casino Games logo CDTV

Saen Software, Price: £29.99, Tel: 0103175178257

Casino Games is a compilation of three different types of gambling pastimes - poker, fruit machines and roulette. I could never understand the point of doing this kind of game, particularly single player versions, because the only reason anyone gets any enjoyment from a gambling is the chance to win loads of cash. In that light, these games are about as pointless as a joystick without a fire button, and only marginally more entertaining.

The most graphic of the three games is the fruit machine. You are presented with a representation of a typical one-armed bandit complete with arm. The basic idea is to get three similar symbols on the same line in order to win - but as you can't actually win anything, why bother? There is no real element of skill involved in this game, it is all down to pure luck. I could see some point in it if there was some timing needed, but all you do is press the button to start the chambers tumbling.

Next up is poker. This is a conversion of the arcade machine version rather than the baize table game, so instead of holding a betting war with someone, you simply have to choose one of the highlighted hands, and then gamble for more money by playing 'high and low'. This is done by you being shown a card and then having to guess whether the next card is higher or lower.

The final game in this sad package is roulette. You'd have thought that with all the graphical capabilities of the CDTV on offer they could have at least made the ball behave realistically. Instead, this one follows a perfect circle around the 'spinner', only to suddenly stop in a hole.

The presentation is very simple - basic blue backdrops and boxed screens with little flair. Yet, for some reason, there are all manner of unnecessary paused both when loading games and during play. As for the sound, well, funnily enough it isn't sampled; so instead of all the exciting bells and whistles that could have been used, you have to put up with half-rate disco tracks and little beeps. This does nothing more than dampen a very dull set of games.

I don't want to advocate gambling as a hobby but you'd be better off going down to your local arcade and spending your £30 there - at least there's a chance to increase your winnings. Is this really what multimedia is all about? I don't think so.