Hoyle Classic Games

• Platform: IBM PC Compatible
• Release Date: 1998
• Genre: Traditional
• Style: Card Game
• Similar Games: Hoyle Bridge (IBM PC Compatible), Hoyle Poker (IBM PC Compatible), Hoyle Classic Card Games (IBM PC Compatible), Hoyle Backgammon & Cribbage (Hybrid Windows/Mac), Hoyle Classic Board Games (IBM PC Compatible), Hoyle Hearts & Spades (IBM PC Compatible)

Game Description

In this volume of the Hoyle series of traditional games designed for the computer, Hoyle Classic Games showcases eight card and two strategy games. Choose from eleven characters, including such diverse types as the Russian bombshell Natasha or a neurotic wiener dog, to round out your partners and opponents. A biography and skill rating accompanies each character.

Solitaire is the only single-player game and you play against computer-controlled characters in the others. Games requiring two players include Cribbage, Gin Rummy, Backgammon and checkers while Draw Poker, Old Maid, Bridge, Hearts and Crazy 8's are four-player games. Rules are accessible through an integrated screen that can be opened from within each game and an interactive voice informs you of any illegal moves.

Hoyle Classic Games features many customizable options such as the type of background music played, texture backgrounds, the amount of dialogue spoken by animated players and the speed at which cards are played.

Roots & Influences

This is a collection of traditional card and board games available in several other Sierra Hoyle releases. Sierra often packages similar games (cards, board games, casino) in various formats and categories to appeal to a wide spectrum of game players. By mixing up the same games in different packages, the products appeal to a wider audience.

Review: Overall

Are you dying to get a fix of Hearts but all your friends are out of town? Try Hoyle Classic Games, a collection of traditional board and card games containing clever caricatures and witty writing. The program has more than great games -- it has personality.

The computer characters are quite funny and come with a short biography as well as individual skill levels. Don't let looks fool you -- Beatrice, the old woman, is an expert. The banter between computer-controlled players changes as each game progresses, as they whine when losing, gloat over wins and, if gameplay gets to slow, they'll let you know. Rules of the games are provided but it's more fun to have the game narrator berate you in the tradition of You Don't Know Jack. The sarcastic critical voice is so amusing you might find yourself making mistakes just to listen to the dialogue.

Games range in difficulty from very easy to hard and complex. Bridge and Cribbage are best enjoyed by those who already know the rules but Crazy 8's and Old Maid can be played by all ages. Some games, like Hearts, aren't too difficult to learn and can be played without much prior knowledge.

The fact that only one human can play against multiple computer-controlled characters is somewhat disheartening and seems to contradict the promising box blurb that stresses family enjoyment. However, the game might be a good way for parents to introduce their children to the card games by cooperatively helping them play their cards and learn how to bid where required.

If you've played other titles in the Hoyle series such as Hoyle Board Games or Hoyle Card Games, you'll likely find Hoyle Classic Games a welcome addition to your collection, although some duplication is inevitable.

Review: Enjoyment

The collection is thoroughly enjoyable, especially if you like playing cards and challenging board games.

Review: Graphics

The caricatures are cute and the different background screens are better than the default green fairway pattern.

Review: Sound

The unobtrusive music is thematic and includes urban, suspense and jungle varieties that fade out a few seconds after each round starts. Voices are unique and, at times, funny. The narrator is especially good.

Review: Replay Value

Ten games and eleven different characters add up to nearly infinite replay.

Review: Documentation

Only Installation instructions are included print-wise. In-game help screens are laid out in such a way that you can easily find an answer to a specific question.

Production Credits