Original Release: HAL, 1988, NES
Other Releases: platform (year), etc.
A collection of casino games with mild RPG elements, one of the first examples of the subgenre.
Vegas Dream (NES, HAL, 1988)
Where to Buy: Amazon
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
This little casino collection has just four games — blackjack, roulette, keno and reel slots — but due to lack of competition it still ends up being more robust than anything else from the 8-bit era that I can think of save the Casino Kid games.
You play out all the games in one largely-unseen casino, and there appears to be no overarching goals other than stacking up as much money as possible. The one big unique twist to this one is that various hobos and ne’er-do-wells will randomly solicit you after you play a hand sometimes (I guess we’re at Circus Circus). Their offers are a 50-50 gamble in and of themselves which can lead to doubling your money if they pay off, or losing anywhere from half what you paid to half your whole bankroll if you lose.
Each event has two possible outcomes that are randomized with each new game, so you’re just guessing every time. There’s even one protracted sequence where you run into a member of the opposite sex a few times, and if you have a few dates with them they’ll eventually offer to marry you, which concludes either with a big wedding gift or you getting swindled out of half of your funds!
There’s no real point to playing anything but blackjack if you want to try to actually win money here. Fortunately the interface is OK, mostly quick and sensible, but the computer dealer does get a try at pushing your hand when you’re dealt a natural BJ — that’s total BS and wouldn’t fly at any reputable table IRL.
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