I learned a lot of things in Boy Scouts, including blackjack. We played for nickels and dimes, which made it fun.
Now, I can play blackjack with a paddle controller. Cool, huh?
Blackjack is yet another launch title for Atari 2600, programmed by the notable Bob Whitehead. The graphics are white cards against a green background. And that . . . pretty much covers it. I enjoy the shuffling sound effect. As for the game, I don't enjoy it. I admit, however, that if you like blackjack, and think it's fun to play against a dealer with Atari AI, you might just enjoy this.
Casino is an expanded Blackjack, again by Bob Whitehead. This time, the cards have cute little suits, and the green background features attractive stripes. Really, it looks good, and I think Bob did a fine job here.
If Blackjack were a modern game, then Casino would be the DLC. We have upgraded graphics, multiple games, and up to four players (instead of 3). New games are stud poker and poker solitaire, which were great ways to kill time in 1978, I guess.
While these games can be fun under the right context, I believe the Atari 2600 has too many other great titles to justify playing them. I suppose if you need a break from the usual twitchy Atari gameplay, these games are very chill. But so is, I don't know, Video Chess? 3D Tic-Tac-Toe? Hmm . . . Fishing Derby?
Final Blackjack Review:
If you like blackjack and love Atari, you may enjoy this game. Otherwise, I recommend Blackjack for collectors only.
Final Casino Review:
If you can't get enough of Blackjack for Atari, then you'll really enjoy Casino. Otherwise, I recommend Casino for collectors only.
And the winner is: Casino
Given that Casino is a more developed version of Blackjack, it's obviously the winner. Blackjack feels like a demo by comparison. Perhaps this battle is unfair, considering. But I consider it a very fair way to knock out two reviews in one go. Thanks for reading!
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