Golden Nugget (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Tim Soete
• Reviewed on: 03/04/1997
• Updated on: 05/01/2000
• Released on: 11/30/1996
• Originally published on GameSpot: Golden Nugget (PC) Review

If you've been to Vegas like I've been to Vegas, then you know that a single weekend of unlimited booze and money flying out the window like ticker tape can be enough for a whole year. If, however, you're itching to gamble on a regular basis, then partaking of some innocent money-wasting in a desktop parlor game may be a more healthy alternative. Dozens of these casino simulations are introduced every year - Sierra's Hoyle Casino and Casino Deluxe, and Masque's Casino Pak are just a few recent examples. All provide stimulating gambling entertainment without the risk of losing your shirt - but what makes one of them different from the next? Answer: interface. Lately, the finest parlor sim in terms of game selection and clear graphics has been Hoyle Casino. But Virgin Interactive's latest place-bet, Golden Nugget, comes close to giving the excellent Sierra title a run for its money.

Much like Hoyle Casino, Golden Nugget lets you explore the parlor floor frame-by-frame until you come to a table that inspires you to throw down your hard-earned bucks. Tables include Blackjack, Poker, Craps, Pai Gow, Baccarat, Slot Machines, Video Poker, Keno, and even the Big Spin. In Golden Nugget, you'll find almost every game you'd find on a real parlor floor. Ambient noises, such as croupiers calling out bets, people murmuring, and slot machines chiming, crowd the air.

But you're not here to take in the ambiance - you're here to gamble. At the click of a mouse button, a little tray rises from the bottom of your screen displaying your chip collection. Select a set number of chips to be used for each bet placed, and you're set. Subtle additions - such as the adjacent gamblers' arms reaching over the table to place bets, the dealer's reprimanding reminders that "these are not your chips" or "that bet has to be a multiple of six dollars" all contribute to a fairly realistic casino atmosphere. Of course, if you're into more straightforward playing, you can always turn your opponents' comments - and arms - off.

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