I love board games, whether they are traditional table games or computer games. Of course, playing with real people, for me, offers the best game play. However, sometimes people either don’t want to play or are unavailable ... so why not play with computer generated characters. Hoyle Table Games 2004 offers a lot of gaming choices and variations of play.

Warning ... this is a very detailed review. I apologize for the length but wanted to include as much detail as possible for those determining whether to purchase this computer game.


Installing the Software

The game software comes on a CD and literally installs in under five minutes. When the CD is inserted into the computer, an automatic install screen appears. Follow the prompts to install the software. Easy!


The Games


Backgammon

Backgammon is an entertaining game that uses strategy, and a lucky roll of the dice helps. A game for two players, each player has 15 pieces (called “stones”) to move from one side of the board to the other. The first player to cross to the other side of the board and cast his pieces off of the board wins the game.

Optional Settings for Backgammon
Doubling: On, Off or Automatic Doubles
First Roll: must use first non-double roll, must roll again, or can roll again
Board Type: Choose between 3 color schemes
Game Options: Show game piece destinations
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Battling Ships

I remember playing this as a board game when a child. It’s even more fun with animation. Two players sit on opposite sides of vertical board (that blocks their view of the other player’s pieces). On a 10x10 grid, each player randomly arranges five ships. Each player is given a set number of depth charges to fire. A grid is provided to keep track of where you aim your salvos. The goal is to sink your opponents ships before your fleet is blown out of the water.

Optional Settings for Battling Ships
Ammunition: Choose between 1-6 shots per turn or select “varies with remaining ships”
Mark Sunken Ships: Yes or No
Skill Level: Beginning, Intermediate or Expert


Bump ‘Em

In this simple racing game the racing cards are oval pieces, and the board curves like a race track. Instead of drawing cards from a deck, push a button to receive a “ticket”. Each ticket instructs the player to move a piece from start, move forward a certain number of spaces, or backward, or to swap places with another player’s piece. There are obstacles such as oil slicks and turbo spaces to speed pieces forward. The first player to race all his pieces to the finish wins the game. I don’t think older children or adults would enjoy this game – it’s not life-like or interesting enough.

Optional Settings for Bump ‘Em
Include Turbo Spaces: Yes or No
Cars Per Player: 2, 3 or 4
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Checkers

This is a traditional game of checkers where two opponents vie to move their playing pieces from one side of the board to the other. The object is to capture all of the opponent’s playing pieces by jumping over the opponent’s pieces to eliminate them from game play. Should a game piece reach the other side of the board, it is “crowned” and can then move in any direction. One fun aspect of this particular game of checkers is that the board has three different background themes.

The theme I enjoy most uses blue and green frogs as the checker pieces and lily pads for the game board squares. The frogs randomly “ribbit”. When the frogs hop, they not only make a fun squishy noise but also cause faint water ripples when landing on a lily pad. If a frog is jumped, a flushing noise occurs and the frog is flushed into the lily pond. Should your frog make it all the way to the opponent’s side of the board, the frog is crowned with a red crown. Checkers is not my favorite game, but I enjoy this variation!

Optional Settings for Checkers
Board Type: Choose between three backgrounds/themes
Include the Fly: Yes or No
Must Jump: Yes or No
Alternate Colors: Yes or No
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Chess
Chess is a complex game of strategy. Each player has 16 pieces that comprise his army. The object of the game is to move the pieces across the board (each game piece has a certain number of squares or specific direction it can move). Land on the square of an enemy piece and the enemy piece is removed from the game. A player wins by capturing the opposing player’s king. I’m not impressed with the game variations. The views could be better ... and Hoyle could have animated some of the pieces for more fun.

Optional Settings for Chess
Board Style: 3D Perspective View, Standard 2D View (modern) or Standard 2D View (cartoon)
Alternate Colors Each Game: Yes or No
Board Layout View (always available)
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Chinese Checkers

The object of Chinese Checkers is to move all of your 10 marbles directly across the board into a triangular area called a “point”. To do this, players take turns moving their marbles one space at a time in any direction, or by jumping other player’s marbles. Game play is fast and furious, making this a fun diversion.

Optional Settings for Chinese Checkers
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Dominoes

Dominoes is played with rectangular tiles called “bones”. These rectangular tiles have dots called “pips” on each side. The dots on each side can be one dot and up to six dots. The object is to place your tiles on the board, connecting to a tile with the same number of dots as your own piece. The first person to play all her dominoes wins the game. A basic game that is fun to play.

Optional Settings for Dominoes
Game Variations: Block, Draw, Fives, Sebastopol
Leave last 2 bones in boneyard: Yes or No
Must play if possible: Yes or No
Start with highest doublet: Yes or No
Number of Bones in Hand: Choose either 5 or 7
Winning Score: 100, 200 or 300
Dominoes Set: Choose either White or Black
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


DoubleCross

DoubleCross is similar to Scrabble in layout only it’s wilder. The game starts with a word already placed on the board. Each player always starts his turn with six lettered tiles. During a player’s turn, the player builds new words onto existing ones. Unlike Scrabble, though, during a player’s turn, he can add as many words as he possibly can to the board increase his score. This game offers fun and surprising bonuses, everything from tiles blowing up to accumulating more points if placing a tile on a certain square. The player with the highest score wins. The rules are a bit intricate, but the game offers a lot of fun and can become addicting!

Optional Settings for DoubleCross
Include Colored Bombs: Yes or No
Include Directional Bombs: Yes or No
Include Bonus Point Spaces: Yes or No
Include Blocking Spaces: Yes or No
Include Mystery Spaces: Yes or No
Verbose Descriptions: Yes or No
Minimum Word Size: Choose either 3- or 4-letter words
Time Limit for Turn: 30, 45, 60 seconds – or Unlimited Time
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Gravity Tiles

The object of Gravity Tiles is to remove groups of tiles from the board by selecting two or more matching tiles. When tiles are removed from the board, any tiles above them drop down the board to fill in the empty spaces. If tiles in an entire column are removed, the columns move together to eliminate the empty column. The game ends when either all the tiles are removed from the board or when there are no more moves to make.

If the Royale game version is chosen, then some of the tiles are animated and the tile designs will spin. If playing in the Regular mode, then the Moveable Tile option can be set allowing the player to move a tile at the top of any column one space to the right or left; however, the tile must make a match or the move will not be allowed. Even with these game variations, I’ve seen more interesting versions of this game.

Optional Settings for Gravity Tiles
Game Type: Choose either Regular or Royale
Tile Sets: Choose either Medieval or Southwest
Number of Tile Colors: 3, 4 or 5
Minimum Number of Tiles to Click: 2, 3 or 4
Moveable Tiles: Yes or No
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Mahjong Tiles

This is a fun game played as solitaire. This game can be played with one or two players. Decoarative tiles are arranged in a layout (or make your own layout). Match tiles to make them disappear. Only tiles that are “free” and not hemmed in by other tiles can be matched. To win, clear the layout of tiles so that none remain. The computer informs you if no more moves are available.

Layouts are how the tiles are stacked on the board. There are 61 layouts to choose from, everything from tiles stacked in varying patterns to pyramids and spirals to animal shapes. The "Tiles Face Down" option is a great challenge for the memory.

Optional Settings for Mahjong
Players: Choose to play with 1 or 2 people
Layout: Choose a layout or create your own
Tile Set: Choose either Chinese or Egyptian
Tiles Face Down (rather than face up): Yes or No


Master Match

One player makes a code placing different colored pegs at the top of the board (out of sight from the other player). The other player tries to guess the code in as few moves as possible. This game can be incredibly challenging ... play it as simple or as complex as you want.

Optional Settings for Master Match
Variation: 1 or 2 boards
Duplicate Colors: Yes or No
Rows: select number of guesses
Colors: select how many colors to play with
Pegs: select number of pegs
Scoring: Yes or No (if yes, choose how many points)
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Pachisi

I love pachisi! This is a game of strategy. The object of the game is to move your four game tokens around the board and safely get the tokens Home. Roll two dice to move, and decide whether to use both dice or just one. Players can land on each other’s tokens, sending those pieces back to start. A player can also have two of his tokens resting side-by-side on the board to form a block, preventing players from passing. This is the one feature I hate. I wish the game allowed an option for limiting the number of game turns a player is allowed to form a block. The game board is colorful with each Start square depicting a stylized piece of wildlife: Green = Grasshopper, Blue = Turtle, Yellow = Bee, Red = Bird.

Optional Settings for Pachisi
Roll 3 Doubles in a Row: choose either Go Back to Start or Continue to Play
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Maximum Pool

This Pool game offers many variations of game play. Being a novice pool player, I enjoy the helpful “Quick Tips” and viewing the different angles before hitting the cue ball. The Classic Games include: Basic Pocket Billiards, Carom Billiard, Cutthroat, Eight Ball, Nine Ball, Rotation and Snooker. The Cool Games include: 24 Cents, Mad Bomber, Chameleon Ball, Poker and Rocket Ball.

Optional Settings for Maximum Pool
Expert Mode: On or Off
Quick Tips: On or Off
Glow Object Ball: On or Off (only available for certain games)
Use Custom Balls: only available for certain games
Skill Level: Easy, Medium or Hard


Reversi

Each player has a different color for their playing pieces. Taking turns, each player places one of their pieces on the game board, next to an opponent’s game piece. The object is to sandwich your opponents pieces between two of your pieces, thus causing those pieces to be flipped to show your color (you now own those pieces). The person at the end of the game with the most pieces wins the game. Another game of strategy that I somehow can never win!

Optional Settings for Reversi
Alternate Piece Color Each Game: Yes or No
Board Type: choose either Black & White or Purple & Yellow
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Rummy Squares

If you have played the card game, Rummy, then you will be familiar with this game. This is Rummy, except it uses numbered tiles instead of cards. The object is to form groupings of tiles either collecting the same number tile or sequences of numbers to form melds. You can “steal” tiles from completed tile sets that other players have formed. The goal is to run out of tiles, thus winning the hand. I have to admit that I enjoy the card game more than the tile game (it’s less complicated!).

Optional Settings for Rummy Squares
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Word Yacht

A fun word game, each player takes turns rolling 10 lettered dice. The object is to make as many words as possible using the letters within two minutes. At the end of two minutes, a scorecard is presented with different categories (ex: 3-letter words, 4-letter words, use all letters at least once, score points for all words, score a Yacht by spelling 15 or more words). Next to each category is a possible score for the words you have spelled. Select one of the categories to lock in that score. The next players take their turns. When it is your turn again, you spell more words, assigning a score to a category you have not yet selected. The person with the highest score at the end of the game wins. One great feature of this game is that you can use the keyboard to type words rather than clicking on the tiles using the cursor.

Optional Settings for Word Yacht
Clear Word After Entering: Yes or No
Return Dice to Original Positions: Yes or No
Show Popup Help: Yes or No


Wordox

This game is played with lettered tiles. Place tiles on the board to make words. The object is to make as many words and possible. Similar to Scrabble (except without bonus score tiles), connect your word to any word on the board. You can steal words from your opponents by adding to the words to create new ones. The person with the highest score wins. Again, you can use the keyboard to type words rather than clicking on the tiles using the cursor. Not as complex as Scrabble but fun.

Optional Settings for Wordox
Choose number of seconds to play each hand
Cannot end existing words in S: Yes or No
Game ends when board is cleared: Yes or No
Winning Score: choose either the Default or create a Custom score
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


Yacht

I can play this game for hours just trying to best my own scores. This game is similar to Yahtzee. Five dice are rolled each turn. Each turn consists of rolling the dice three times to combine numbers to form sequences or sets. Sequences can include: dice all the same number, four of a kind, full house, straight sequence of numbers using five dice, or small straight using four dice, etc. A Yacht is formed by collecting five dice of the same number. The player with the highest score wins.

Optional Settings for Yacht
Skill Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Expert


The Main Menu

There are several tabs along the bottom of the screen. Select a game from the menu. You can view the winning/losing statistics of the games you’ve played. View detailed rules for any game. Customize the playing environment: whether to have animated computer characters, how much the players talk, how fast they play the games. There is also a selection called “desktop” to reduce the Hoyle game to the taskbar so that the desktop is visible (when opened, the game fills the entire computer screen).

Within each game you can change the background music that plays. Also, within each game there are two buttons for your character (a positive and a negative speech button). Press the positive button and address upbeat comments to the other players. Press the negative button and blast your opponents with sassy backtalk. But be careful – the players answer back!


Facemaker

A program is included that allows you to customize a character to use as your player identity. The game comes with four generic characters (two men and two women). However, it is more fun to create your own player. Choose between face shapes, noses, eyes, mouths, hair, skin and hair color, glasses, hats and clothes. There are also ten voices to choose from (five women’s voices and five men’s voices). Create as many characters as you wish and save them. You can then choose from your “library” of characters whenever you play a game.


Animated Computer Characters

All of the games can be played with computer characters. When a game is first started, computer characters are automatically assigned to the board. However, you can switch players ... and if you like a certain computer character enough, you can select that character as a preferred player. The characters not only speak, but they are animated to perform minimal antics such as blowing bubbles, tipping a hat, eating, falling or juggling objects. There are ten characters: three women, three men, a dinosaur, bear, parrot and alien to choose from. Each character comes with his/her/its own bio, too, in case you want to know more about the player.


Spacemaker

If you want to surround yourself with comfort or fun objects, then this is a great feature. Each human player is given space to arrange objects around his character. For example, you can add animals, lava lamps, seasonal decorations, different backgrounds. There is quite a selection available from the Hoyle Bucks catalog (see below for a description). The Spacemaker area allows you to keep track of what is “In the Closet” and what you are currently using. Choose an item and select where around your character you wish to place it.


Hoyle Bucks

This is an interesting feature. The more games you play, the more Hoyle Bucks are earned. The number of Hoyle Bucks earned is displayed in a green bar at the bottom of each screen. A catalog and guide are available within the game to browse all offerings. Purchases are also made from within the game. This accumulated wealth can be used to “buy” new music tracks, backgrounds, card decks and decor items to customize the Spacemaker feature. An interesting twist is that you can also use Hoyle Bucks to buy “advantages” in a game. Each game offers various selections. For example:

Battle Ship ($6 Hoyle Bucks) buys – sink an opponent’s ship before your opponent sinks one of yours.

Chinese Checkers ($83 Hoyle Bucks) buys – move a marble from base to goal in one turn

Maximum Pool ($27 Hoyle Bucks) buys – win any game of pool

Yacht ($41 Hoyle Bucks) buys – finish a game with points in every category

I enjoyed buying additional music for the game. However, I enjoy playing games to pit my wits against an opponent. I prefer to win through intelligence rather than buying “advantages”. Where is the challenge in cheating? Perhaps, if two real people were playing each other, then maybe buying these “advantages” could be used to increase the strategy level in games. So far all I’ve purchased is the music.


Playing Games on the Internet

Even though the game pack says the games can be played on the internet, this is no longer the case. The website displays the following message: “Please be advised that the Hoyle Online Game sites will be taken down due to technical issues and will be unavailable. Unfortunately, we cannot provide an ETA for restoring service at this time.”


Summary

Hoyle Table Games 2004 offers fun games for those times when real people are not available to play board games with you. Families will enjoy the variety offered in this package – something for everyone. The animated characters are entertaining, and definitely add pizzazz to game play. If you enjoy board games, give this computer game a try. However, if you prefer games with a lot of action, real-life look and feel, then I would skip this one. Since I only paid $15 for this game at a local department store, I consider it a bargain that I’m glad to own. Now back to that game of checkers. I actually enjoy playing the game with those silly frog playing pieces!

I hope you have found this review useful.

Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


System Requirements

* Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
* Pentium 233 or higher
* 32 mb RAM
* 8x CD ROM
* 800x600 screen resolution
* Minimum Install requires 350 mb

* Also for color Pocket PC, Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002
* Palm desktop software properly installed
* Any Palm OS device running
* Palm OS version 3.1 or later
* 4 mb hard drive space
* ActiveSync 3.1 or higher properly installed


Please read my other reviews.

Hoyle Card Games for 2003

PennyPress Tournament Variety Puzzles (magazine)

PennyPress Approved Variety Puzzles (magazine)

PennyPress Master’s Variety Puzzles (magazine)


Copyright 2004 Dawn L. Stewart

Recommended: Yes