Overview
Hoyle Classic Card Games is a digital card game collection developed and published by Sierra for MS-DOS computers in 1993.
A remake of the 1989 game Hoyle Official Book of Games: Volume 1, Hoyle Classic Card Games features the six original card games (Crazy Eights, Old Maid, Hearts, Gin Rummy, Cribbage, and Klondike) along with two new ones (Bridge and Euchre). The game interface is rebuilt with VGA graphics, new music, and a new rule variations for each game.
Similar to the original game, it makes use of unique AI opponents (half of which are guest characters from other Sierra titles) to give the illusion of playing against actual players. Characters are now fully-voiced.
Game List
- Crazy Eights - Four-player. Players can customize how many cards can be taken from the stock during their turn: Unlimited, One Card Only, and Must Play (in which players must play if they have a valid card). Alternatively, players can play Very Crazy Eights, which include new rules for certain cards (Twos as "Draw 2" that can stack thrice, Jack as "Skip", King as "Reverse", and the Queen of Spades as a "Skip" that forces a five card draw).
- Bridge - Four-player. Players can customize how the dummy is played (Never Dummy, Can Be Dummy, or Double Dummy).
- Old Maid - Four-player. Can choose between two deck themes: Standard and Kid's.
- Hearts - Four-player. Customizable rules include choosing who leads the initial Trick (either the player to the left of the dealer or the player with the Two of Clubs), changing how players pass cards (either alternating directions, always to the left, or disabling passing entirely), choosing whether the Queen of Spades breaks Hearts, and choosing whether Hearts can be broken on the first Trick.
- Gin Rummy - Two-player. Alternatively, players can play Oklahoma Gin, in which the first upcard determines the minimum count at which a player may knock (with spades granting double points for that hand).
- Euchre - Four-player. Players can enable an optional rule so that the dealer must call trump at the end of the second round. Can be played to 5, 7, or 10 points.
- Cribbage - Two-player. Players can enable an optional "Muggins" rule.
- Klondike - One-player. Customizable rules include how many cards are flipped from the Stock (Flip 1 Card or Flip 3 Card), choosing whether to only show the top-most card of the pile (for Flip 3 Card option), and how many times the Stock can be played through (Unlimited, 1 Time, or 3 Times). Scoring options include cumulative (where players "buy in" with $50 and earn $5 for each card on the foundation) and basic (where players earn 1 point for each card on the foundation).
Characters
The game includes 18 characters, either "Sierra" (hand-drawn characters from other Sierra games) or "Classic" (original characters utilizing digitized actors and sepia toning to give the illusion of vintage photographs).
Sierra Characters
Classic Characters
- Dinky
- Scout
- Crazy Jack
- Trudy
- Josephine
- Billy Joe
- Chip
- Winthorp
- Fairbanks
Log in to comment