For those with any interest in casino-type games, this title is an excellent time devourer. For starters, it includes more games than we ever expected from a Game Boy title. Hoyle Casino has four cosmetically different slot machines, blackjack, video poker, craps, roulette, Pai Gow Poker and seven other traditional poker variations. This sheer variety of options keeps the title fresh long after the latest 2D platformer has ended up in the shoebox with the rest of the used-up Game Boy games.
Most importantly, this cartridge comes with a battery that can store games as they progress. That means that a player can try their luck for a while, shut the game off and then pick up where they left off. The game also keeps track of all the game stats so players can see just how bad of a losing streak they suffered through before they shut the game off.
Graphically, Hoyle Casino has everything you could ever ask for from a Game Boy Color title. The animations are excellent, the colors bright and the text easy to read. The menus are fantastically designed, making it very easy to play card games that are actually really complex.
Hoyle also has a clever multiplayer mode. Using the Game Link Cable, two players can go head to head at the casino at the same time. This simple addition adds extra life to the game for those who have two Game Boys and a bored friend.
Hoyle Casino is not going to unseat Metal Gear Solid or Zelda DX as the greatest Game Boy game for hardcore gamers, but it will be the game that, in the long run, we'll probably play for more total hours than either of these two classics. It's kind of like Tetris that way.
Bottom Line: This is one of the best games you could buy for your Game Boy, as long as you enjoy gambling with virtual money. The addiction just might surprise you.
