Bruce Von Stiers
Microsoft has done pretty well with their games. Along with their flight simulators, they have put together some real good arcade classics. Now they have done the same with some board games. I just got a chance to check out the Microsoft Classic Board Games program. This is a CD-ROM disc with 12 computerized versions of the all-time favorite board games.
The games that you will find in this collection include the standards: chess,
checkers, dominoes and backgammon. There are Chinese
Checkers and Chinese Chess. Also included 4-In-A-Line, Reversi,
Taipei and Shogi. Go is also in this collection, along with
a game that I wasn't familiar with, Gomoku.
Each of the games has adjustable skill levels. You can play a game in easy, medium or hard modes. The player can choose which color they want to be. There is an option to show all of the legal moves on the screen after they have been made. You can save your games to finish playing at a later time.
One of the games that I found real interesting was Chinese Chess. I had seen it played before but never really understood it. I found out that there is a river in the center of the board and that after crossing it your pawns can move sideways. The Guards and the King can only move on their side of the river. The graphics in the game represent a three-dimensional playing board with life-like playing stones.
I discovered that the game I didn't know, Gomoku, is a little like Reversi. You try to get 5 of your stones in a row while blocking the opponent from doing the same. After six tries in the Easy mode, I finally gave up. The computer was just to smart for me. I couldn't win at Reversi either.
One of the other interesting games is Taipei. It is a classical game that has you match two tiles and remove them from the pile. You have to match them in the right order or some will be left covered up. If that happens, you lose big time. There are different configurations of the pile that you can choose from. The configurations have names like Nu Egypt, Spider Spider and Npossible. The graphics in this game are very good. The game pieces resemble real, hand painted, ivory tiles.
If you are into board games but don't have anybody to play them with, this is your chance. The computer will certainly make a worthy opponent. If you want to play against another human, the games will let a real person beat you.
With the Classic Board Games, Microsoft has added another stellar title to its game catalog. The games are challenging and the graphics are very good.
Microsoft Classic Board Games can be found at retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City.
For more information about Microsoft games, visit the Microsoft web site at www.microsoft.com/games
© 2001 Bruce E. Von Stiers