Hoyle Classic Board Games (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Moira Muldoon
• Reviewed on: 01/21/1998
• Updated on: 05/01/2000
• Released on: 11/30/1997
• Originally published on GameSpot: Hoyle Classic Board Games (PC) Review

There's a reason why people have been playing chess, checkers, and backgammon from time immemorial - they're fun. And in essence, Sierra's success with Hoyle Classic Board Games depended on translating favorite games to the computer as exactly and as completely as possible - leaving the time-honored gameplay well enough alone and adding just a few little computer-aided perks. Happily, Sierra has done just that.

Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Battle Ships, Snakes & Ladders, Yacht, Backgammon, Pachisi, Zen Bones, and Dominoes are collectively the names of the game. They're all true to their board game counterparts, but each has a little computer enhancement - your dancing animated piece in Snakes & Ladders, for example, or the very cool clear board for Battle Ships that's more fun to play on than Hasbro's official Battleship game.

All the rules are quickly and immediately accessible from a pull-down menu, which is convenient when you forget the rules for removing a stone from the middle in backgammon. Additionally, the game comes with a handy and informative little book that provides histories of each game as well as rules; if you need a little background info or always wondered if Chinese checkers really did get its start in ancient Persia (it didn't - it was Sweden), you can just check the book and find out.

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