Hoyle's Book of Games 1

Have you ever wanted to turn Roger Wilco into an Old Maid? Or maybe embarrassingly beat the King of Daventry at a game of Cribbage? If you answered yes to any of the above then, by golly, Hoyle's Book of Games is the game for you. Sierra has included some of the most beloved characters in this card based computer game, including Roger Wilco from the Space Quest series, King Graham from the King's Quest series, and Sonny Bonds from the Police Quest series. It is surprisingly fresh, and has a great Sierra twist to it that only makes it better.

This game lets you square off with all your favorite characters in 6 fully featured card games. This list includes Cribbage, Crazy Eights, Old Maid, Hearts, Gin Rummy, and Klondike. Before you start playing, the game lets you choose what kind of picture you'd like on the back on your cards. The list of pictures is small but it definitely adds a sense of independence, as it gives you the whole "I'm the one that picked those cards" feeling. After you pick the cards and the game you wish to play, then a visual list of 18 characters will display on your screen. Depending on which game you play will determine how many players you are allowed to pick. During the game the characters will talk to you, each with unique and specific comments. They also have different animated expressions which adds to the overall atmosphere to the game.

In the end this game has a huge thing going for it. Just the nostalgic value of being able to play card games with your favorite Sierra characters will make any fan of Sierra want to try it out. But combine the power of nostalgia with an overall great card based computer game, and you have a game that is worthy of any abandonware gamer's collection.

By: Faeran