Want to Toss Some Dice?

Granted, playing Yahtzee doesn't quite have the same level of excitement as you would experience at the Craps table, but at the same time, it's a lot harder to lose your life's savings playing Yahtzee than at the casino. Yahtzee -- a trademarked dice game made by Milton Bradley -- is now available in electronic form and its timing couldn't be any better. If you're a traditionalist and you just want the straight dice game, this computerized version certainly delivers, but if you want more out of your dice, this offering has got you covered as well.

The pixel-perfect dice provide accurate, random rolls, whereas the scorecard on the right-hand size is easy to manage. Best of all, you don't have to do any of the math yourself, as the game automatically tallies up the score and previews the possible points you can receive for each turn. Those familiar with the original game will feel right at home, whereas those who are new to the classic will thankfully enjoy the Game Rules tutorial found within.

In a nutshell, Yahtzee consists of five dice and a scorecard. On this score card are a variety of "hands" that are similar to those you find in standard poker, except you use dice. The idea is to fill every square in your column, maximizing the points you receive. For example, a large straight (1-2-3-4-5 or 2-3-4-5-6) is worth 40 points, whereas a small straight (four dice in numerical order) is worth 30 points. You get three rolls per turn, discarding and holding whichever dice you'd like. More detailed rules can be found within the game itself.

A Combination of Luck and Strategy

Some people have said that because there are dice involved in Yahtzee that it is completely random and it's all about luck. Surely, luck plays a fairly substantial role here, but a bigger part is played through strategy. The key to victory is to know how to use the combination of dice that you throw to their utmost potential. Should you go for the full house, or discard the second pair in order to achieve a three- or four-of-a-kind? The concept of strategy is even more important in the alternative game modes presented in this computerized offering, which I will describe right now.

Three Fun Ways to Play

• Standard Yahtzee: this is the classic game that we all know and love. Choose to play the solitaire version to challenge for the best possible score, go against up to three computer controlled opponents of varying difficulty, or play with a (human) friend without the mess of having to do the arithmetic yourself.
• Triple Yahtzee: In the conventional game, you only have one column to fill. With this unique version, you have three columns. The first gives you the usual amount of points, the second column doubles the point values, and the third column presents triple points. The game takes a bit longer because there are three times as many slots to fill. Strategy is absolutely paramount here.
• Power Yahtzee: Looking for a little arcade action? With this mode, there are a series of power-ups at your disposal that can force bad luck upon your opponents, offer you a helping hand to choose the best moves, and much more.

Re-Inventing the Classic

If you like the original Yahtzee, you love this enhanced version. It's everything the classic has and more.

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