☆ A Video Games Genre That Has Almost Died ☆

In an age where we are surrounded by phone apps and websites that promote real money gambling, I have recently been thinking about the more innocent times when digital gambling was only represented by casino type gambling games on video games systems like the SEGA Master System.

It seems kind of odd now looking back on these games as there are no real benefits to playing these games other than spinning a wheel and letting lady luck decide whether you win or lose. I can't imagine that these video games were very popular at the time but for some reason, these type of games were a thing. I myself never owned these games but I have played a few of them in researching this article. 

The experience is oddly hollow and not even mildly addictive which is kind of the point of a gambling experience. I suppose the games themselves were promoted as an 'experience sim' rather than an actual gambling tool so I kind of get what they might have been trying to achieve with these games.

Maybe they were just trying to introduce people to this supposedly glamorous gambling world that might have felt far away to most people.

Anyway, let's take a peek at some of these gambling related games I managed to dig up that were around at the time.

Casino - Atari 2600 - 1978

"Displayed from an overhead perspective, there are three card games to choose from: blackjack, five-card stud poker, and poker solitaire. This game could support up to 4 players and is one of the earliest examples of a casino-type video game."

Sport Of Kings - Commodore 64 - 1986

"A horse racing betting sim that's actually lots of fun to play with a few players"

Casino Kid - Nintendo Entertainment System - 1989

"That's one hell of a casino carpet right there! You can only play Blackjack and Poker on this version and the whole thing takes place in the town of Lost Wages!"

Casino Games - SEGA Master System - 1989

"A Vegas styled simulator for SEGA Master System that looked kinda pretty and let you play poker, blackjack, baccarat, slot machines and oddly enough a pinball table"

Advanced Fruit Machine Simulator - AMIGA - 1991

"A fruit machine simulator......errr and that's it!"

Super Caesar's Palace - Super Nintendo - 1993

"The object is to win lots of money starting with $2000 that the player takes to the casino. After playing, the player leaves in either a limo, a Greyhound bus or in a taxi."

High Stakes Gambling - Gameboy - 1992

"This is a unique spin on the casino gambling genre as it uses a plot in order to position your gambling deeds. You are A secret agent named Pete Rosetti and are going undercover as a gambler and must turn the Mafia from filthy rich to down n out poor in a series of gambling games in order to arrest them.

The game involves blackjack, poker and slot machines with the final showdown taking place during a game of five-card draw poker."

Golden Nugget 64 - Nintendo 64 - 1998

" Golden Nugget 64  is unique because it is the only gambling/casino game released in North America for the Nintendo 64. The game starts off with the player creating an account with $1000 which is saved to the N64 controller pack. Players then have the choice from one of ten different casino games to play"

So there you have a taste of some of the games that were on offer for this sub-genre of the video-game. 

Nowadays with the stakes being real and the games being online and affiliated with the big betting companies this video game genre has all but died a death.

Did YOU Ever Play This Genre Of Video Game?

Let Me Know In The Comments Box Below