Casino Games

n/a

Casino Games
System(s): Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Compile
Distributor: Tonka (US)
Peripherals supported: FM Sound Unit
Genre: Family
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1989-09 $46.9946.99 7021 EU 1989-11 7021 UK 1989-11 £24.9524.95 7021 CZ 199x 7021 AU 19xx $69.9569.95

Casino Games is a Sega Master System game released in 1989.

Gameplay

Information

The game is a collection containing three card games, a slot machine game, and a pinball table. All games are for a single player.

In all games, confirms selections and cancels or goes back.

Upon starting the game, the player chooses a salutation (Mr. or Ms.) and enters a name. The player is given $500 that can be gambled in the card games and the slot machine. After winning at least $1,000, the player can get a password ("account number") from the information counter to continue the game at a later time with the same winnings. The game ends if the player runs out of money.

Card games

The player can exit a card game by pressing when the game is asking for a bet (or an ante).

Poker

Poker

This is a game of draw poker against a single opponent. The goal is to have a better hand than the other player. The player chooses the opponent before starting the game. Each game has an "ante," which is the amount of money required to enter the game, separate from any money spent betting on the outcome.

At the start of the game, each player is given a hand of five cards. The player can choose to Bet (wager money that the player's hand is better than the opponent's), Pass (allow the opponent to choose whether to bet, pass, or fold), or Fold (forfeit and lose any money bet on the hand). If a player chooses to bet, the other player can choose to Call (match the opponent's bet), Raise (increase the money wagered), or Fold.

The betting strategy involves raising the bet when the player has a strong hand and either bluffing (raising the bet in the hopes that the opponent will fold rather than risk more money) or folding on a weak hand. The game shows the opponent's portrait, which changes expression depending on the hand they are holding. Weaker players have facial expressions that give away whether they are holding a good or a bad hand, but better players will bluff by raising more and looking confident even when holding a bad hand.

After the initial betting, the player can choose to change up to four cards (by pressing to select them, then to draw new cards). The player is then again given the choice to Bet, Pass, or Fold. If both players call each other's bets, both players show their hands and the game determines the winner.

Hands

The value of the hands is listed in increasing order, with the lower hands beating the hands above them. If both players have the same type of hand, the player with the higher cards wins. If neither player has a set, the player with the highest value card wins (with the Ace having the highest value).

Set	Description
One Pair	Two cards with the same number value.
Two Pairs	Two sets of pairs.
Three of a Kind	Three cards with the same number value.
Straight	Five cards in numerical order (but not in the same suit).
Flush	Five cards in the same suit (but not in numerical order).
Full House	A combination of One Pair and Three of a Kind.
Four of a Kind	Four cards with the same number value.
Straight Flush	Five cards in numerical order and in the same suit.
Royal Flush	An Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and 10 in the same suit.

Characters

These characters can be chosen as opponents. They increase in difficulty.

	Nancy
	Janet
	Dick
	Charley

Blackjack

Blackjack

The goal of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over, while the dealer tries to do the same. The player can bet any amount from $10 and $100 on a single hand.

Numbered cards are worth their face value. Face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are worth 10 points. Aces are worth 11 points, unless that would cause the player to "bust" (exceed 21), in which case they are worth 1 point.

On each hand, the dealer deals out two cards for the player and two cards for herself. The point value of the cards is shown below them. If the player's cards add up to 21, the player wins the hand automatically (which is called a "natural" if it happens on the initial deal). Otherwise, the player can choose to Hit (be dealt another card) or Stand (accept the total value and compare cards with the dealer). One of the dealer's cards is shown to the player (while the other is face down). The player can continue hitting until busting. If the player is dealt two cards of the same value, the player can choose to split the hand and take hits on each one; however, this requires doubling the bet. If the first two cards add up to 9, 10, or 11, the player can choose to double the bet, in which case the player is dealt one more card and stands. If the dealer is showing an Ace, the player can choose "insurance," which is a bet for half of the player's bet that the dealer has 21.

The dealer always hits when her cards are worth 16 or less and always stands if she has 17 or more.

Baccarat

Baccarat

The goal of baccarat is to get as close to 9 as possible, while the dealer tries to do the same. The player can bet any amount from $10 and $100 on a single hand.

Numbered cards are worth their face value. Face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are worth zero points. Aces are worth 1 point. Hands are valued modulo 10 (or in other words, only by looking at the lowest digit of their total). For example, if the player is holding a 3 and a 9, which add up to 12, the hand is worth 2 points. Thus, a hand in baccarat can only possibly be worth between 0 and 9 points.

On each hand, the dealer deals out two cards for the player and two cards for herself. If either player has a total of 8 or 9 (a "natural"), both players stand and play the cards that they have. If the player has a total of 6 or 7, the player stands. If the player's total is 5 or less, the player draws a third card. The dealer draws an extra card for herself depending on the value of her and the player's cards. Neither player ever draws more than one additional card. Each hand plays out automatically with no interaction from the player aside from setting the bet.

Slot machine

Slot machine

This is a fruit slot machine. The player pulls a lever and three reels spin until coming to a stop; the player must line up three pieces of fruit or other symbols to win. There are five machines with different token values ($1, $5, $25, $50, $100), with increasing costs to play but also potential winnings.

Each reel has three visible lines. The player can insert a token with and pull the lever (after inserting a token) with . On each pull, the player can bet as many as 9 tokens, up to 3 tokens for each line. The line highlights with a color when a bet has been made on it (blue for 1 bet, green for 2, and magenta for 3). After pulling the lever, the player can stop a reel (from left to right) by pressing or wait for it to come to a stop normally.

The player can exit the game by pressing when there are no tokens inserted into the machine.

Points

Points are awarded for the following combinations:

Symbols	Tokens won
3 Lucky Sevens	50
3 Bars	30
3 Bells	20
3 Plums	15
3 Tomatoes	10
3 Cherries	6
2 Cherries	4
1 Cherry	2

The tokens won is multiplied by the token value of the machine (so the number of tokens won for getting 3 Lucky Sevens is $50 for the $1 machine but $5,000 for the $100 machine) and by the number of bets made on the winning row.

Pinball

Pinball

This is a video pinball game with a single table. There is no betting involved, so the player instead plays for points. Points are awarded for hitting bumpers and drop targets on the table. Before starting the game, the player can choose the angle of the table (Gentle, Middle, or Steep). The ball moves faster on steeper tables. The optimal timing for hitting the ball with the flippers is also different for each table angle.

The launcher moves up and down repeatedly; the player can launch the ball by pressing . Launching it when the launcher is further away from the ball launches it harder. Once the ball is in play, the player controls the left flippers with and the right flippers with . There are two sets of flippers. The player can bump the table with . Bumping the table too much causes the game to tilt, which causes the player to lose the ball.

Magazine articles

Main article: Casino Games/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #97: "December 1989" (1989-11-16)
also published in:

• Computer & Video Games (UK) #98: "January 1990" (1989-12-16)

Print advert in Guida Video Giochi (IT) #7: "Gennaio 1990" (19xx-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Guida Video Giochi (IT) #8: "Febbraio 1990" (1990-xx-xx)

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #100: "March 1990" (1990-02-16)
also published in:

• ACE (UK) #30: "March 1990" (1990-02-01)
• ACE (UK) #31: "April 1990" (1990-03-xx)

Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #101: "April 1990" (1990-03-16)
also published in:

• ACE (UK) #32: "May 1990" (1990-04-xx)

Print advert in Excalibur (CZ) #12 (1992-09-01)

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 35 Complete Guide to Consoles (UK) 49 Complete Guide to Consoles (UK) 46 Console XS (UK) PAL 54 Computer & Video Games (UK) 49 The Games Machine (UK) 70 Joystick (FR) PAL 80 Mean Machines Sega (UK) 46 Megazone (AU) PAL 66 S: The Sega Magazine (UK) 57 Score (CZ) 58 Sega Power (UK) PAL 25 Sega Pro (UK) 62 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 54 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U 70

	55
Based on 15 reviews

Casino Games

Master System, US
Cover
Manual

Master System, EU
Cover
Cart

Master System, EU (Sega®)
Cover
Cart

Master System, CZ/SK (ITO CS)
Cover
Cart Manual

Master System, AU (Not for rental)
Cover
Cart

Master System, AU (NIAL sticker)
Cover
Cart

Technical information

ROM dump status

System	Hash	Size	Build Date	Source	Comments
?	CRC32 3cff6e80 MD5 ec16428b908a2c0036b799e55614be3d SHA-1 8353b86965a87c724b95bb768d00dc84eeadce96	256kB		Cartridge (EU/US)