The game features big-band swing music in the background, which you can also play on any CD stereo system (it’s an enhanced CD, with separate game and audio files). We were baffled by some of the winnings - one slot pays if you get a particular icon on any reel we were hooting when we got three of these icons in a row, only to find out this combo doesn’t win anything. The slot machines are boorish, and although there are 16 varieties of casino slots (plus three Williams slots), each one seems to rehash the previous slot. Poker fans have five different games to choose from - 5 Card Draw, 7 Card Stud, Pai Gow Poker, Texas Hold ’Em, and Omaha Hold ’Em- a few of which feature game variations. (The manual covers how to play every game in the package.) We had better luck - and a lot more fun- on the poker and blackjack tables. We wanted to learn howto play craps, and though the manual explains the rules and betting outlines, it wasn’t thorough enough for us to understand fully how to play the game. Next, select how much Monopoly money you want to gamble with (a cool million) and proceed to the game floor. Start by choosing your token (we always choose the dog). Just roll your cursor over each section to reveal what games are available in that area. The interface resembles a casino floor, with areas devoted to card tables (variations of poker and blackjack), roulette, craps, slot machines (casino and Williams slots), keno, and video poker. With a second disc, installation was painless. We had some trouble with our first installation due to a faulty disc. Strip out all of the Monopoly icons, and you’re left with a rudimentary game that isn’t too different from the offerings of talented shareware developers.

Though it may spark interest at first glance, the gameplay grows tiresome after an hour or so. MacSoft tries hard to bring Monopoly’s kitschy appeal to an otherwise crowded game genre. Unfortunately, MacSoft’s Monopoly Casino isn’t one of them.

Though many casino software games induce snores from hard-core Vegas and Atlantic City devotees, a few are just as addictive as the real deal. For gambling addicts, it’s reassuring to know that you can get a quick fix straight from a computer game, without any added expense - be it airfare, your bank account, or your sanity.

Casino monopoly