Ace in the Hole

Never before have people had so much fun losing so much money. This is the power of poker. Next to arm wrestling and dueling, there is no better what to prove yourself than to throw down the cards with a couple of gents and take all their money. Also, if you happen to win a big hand, make sure you lean forward and scoop in all of the chips at once. That's always really fun to do.

Poker is a game of both skill and chance. You have no way of controlling what cards you'll be dealt, but it's up to you to make the most of them. Now, I know that not everyone likes the game. However, although Poker Pop: World Tour might be based on the famous card game, it's quite different. All I am saying is don't judge a book by a cover, or in this case, turn down this product because it has "poker" in the title.

A Puzzle Game at Heart

Fans of puzzle games take note: this product is just as much for you as it is diehard poker fanatics. The premise is simple: you're given a field of tiles, each depicting a different playing card. You must click adjacent tiles - up to five in total, just like the real deal - and make the best poker hand that you can make. Do you see two twos in close proximity. Simply click one of them, and then click adjoining tiles under you can click the second one. As soon as you have them both - you aren't required to highlight five tiles - click "play" at the bottom of the screen to get the points for them.

In World Tour mode, the titular mode, you'll fly all over the globe. Each city that you arrive at requires that a certain hand be made in order for you to complete that city. For example, one city might require three pairs and two full houses. Simply play the hands requested and then you can move on to the next city.

It's definitely a neat concept, and it works well. The game starts off a little easy, but this just serves to throw you off guard, as the difficulty ramps up rather quickly.

Educational, Too!

Although not a major feature, you'll get to read little informational write-ups about each city that you go too. These are really nice additions and a good way to incorporate education through play. They're the kind of little factoids and trivia bits that stick with you, so hopefully you can walk away saying that you learned something!

Game Modes

Challenge mode adds a few new elements to the gameplay. First, you'll have a timer, which ratchets up the tension. Next, in this mode, your hands must be five cards, even if you're only going for a pair.

Arcade mode is for when you just want to play with no strings attached. It's a good more for relaxing.

A Game For Everyone

A lot of people should be able to enjoy Poker Pop, not just poker fans! Give it a try and see what you think!