Backgammon Royale, like Go, attempts to bring a board-based classic to the small screen. Featuring neat, if unimpressive opponent screens where you get to size up the next player, and a strong line in classic strategies.
It has a host of other features which include a history option, where you can retrace a game from the very first move. It is best played between two humans, but the computer opponents are a good way of brushing up your game, or learning new tactics.
If you‘ve ever been accosted by a Backgammon player in a seedy tavern in Greece, you‘ll know that this game is generally one to avoid, especially if you‘re playing for cash. A mystery to many, and an addiction for the few, Backgammon is perhaps the oldest way to separate a fool from his money.
Oxford Softworks’ Backgammon Royale gives you the opportunity to learn before you get burned, and it plays an aggressive game. You play against imaginary players, all of whom have rather twee pseudo-Greek names like San Serif. Their rating affects how much thought they put into their moves, but if you’ve got your wits about you it’s quite easy to beat everyone except the ex-world champion.
The graphics are as simplistic as the other two Oxford Softworks games on review this month (Go Player and Chess Champion 2075), and there’s no sound at all. Luckily, neither of these factors affect the playability.
Backgammon Royale is rather good fun, but that may be because it was easier to beat than the others. It’s good for honing your skills before going on holiday to the Med.
Wenn ein Hersteller, der sich ganz der Versoftung von Brett- und Kartenspielen verschrieben hat, ein digitales Backgammonbrett veröffentlicht, dann sind die Erwartungen hoch. Nun, das Brett selbst ist eine herbe Enttäuschung (viel schlichter läßt sich sowas eigentlich nicht mehr darstellen), aber wenn es um Spielstärke geht, dann kann hier bereits der schwächste Gegner mehr, als Magic Softs Version auf der höchsten Stufe zuwege bringt!
Genau wie bei ihrem "Go Player" läßt Oxford Softworks den Spieler auch hier gegen immer stärkere Computergegner antreten, die in Wort und Bild vorgestellt werden. Sobald man gegen so einen Kerl verliert, geht‘s zurück zum nächst-schlechteren.
Der Spielablauf gestaltet sich angenehm flott, zum Lernen kann aber auch eine langsamere Gangart eingeschlagen werden.
Daneben stehen weitere Optionen wie Zugrücknahme oder Speichern zur Verfügung, die wie alles andere mit der Maus bedient werden. Etwas lästig ist lediglich, daß die Computergegner darauf bestehen zu würfeln, selbst wenn gar kein Zug für sie möglich ist.
Einsame Backgammon-Fans finden hier also jederzeit einen spielstarken Partner, für den auch geübte Zocker ihren Grips anstrengen müssen. Wen juckt da, daß es keinerlei Sound gibt, und auch die Optik von jedem zweiten PD-Game überboten wird? (ml)
Of course, I’ve never played Backgammon before in my life. Just as, until I joined the AMIGA POWER reviewing team, the pleasures of wargames, adventure games, RPGs and wird foreign titles had escaped me. But there’s a first time for everything, so I sat down with the ‘Rules of Play’ section of the manual and determined to discover just how all those black and white zigzags and counters fit together.
Several hours later, with the manual wedged firmly in the bin and the Amiga quaking with my every touch, all I’d discovered was that Backgammon Royale is no way to learn how to play backgammon.
The rules, while actually being very simple (as I eventually discovered from a helpful friend), are so badly explained and encrypted with jargon that newcomers would probably find more of relevance in an Argos catalogue. This is clearly for experienced Backgammon players only (or ones with ‘experienced’ friends).
And even then, who’s going to want to sacrifice the feel of wood and felt (or whatever) for that of Backgammon Royale’s crude, computery interface? Assuming you do, you’ll be pleased to find all the features you’d expect – saving, talking back move, but no ‘suggest move’ option, something that might have helped beginners.
You’re also likely to find your computerised opponents remarkably easy to beat (within the constraints of a largely luck-based game). So er, there we are.