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Maximum Pool does not work properly.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: November 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

The Maximum Pool game does not work if you have any game controllers. It locks up when you start it and you will have to use Task Manager to shut it down. This is a known bug in the program, and there is no patch available for this version. The patches for other versions will not work for "Puzzle and Board Games", I've tried! A quick search will give a lot of information on this problem. If you do not mind turning off your computer, unplugging your joystick and game controllers every time you want to play pool, then rebooting, the pool game WILL work. You have to shut down your computer to reinstall any game controllers needed for other games. I'm not going to put all this stress on my new computer and USB ports just to play a game.

WARNING - SOME GAMES ARE PROGRAMMED TO CHEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 10 / 13
Date: May 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've done some statistical studies on the various games and some of the games in the collection are programmed to cheat. The backgammon and battleship are especially bad. In backgammon, if the computer goes first, it wins 80% of the time. If you go first (and know what you are doing, you will win 65% of the time). 75% of the time the computer wins the initial toss.

If the computer hits you in battleship on one of its first two shots, it wins 80% of the time.

The chess has several rule error flaws with the 3x draw (if the computer makes 3 moves the same, it forces a draw - the rule is if BOTH sides make 3 moves in a row it's a draw).

The checkers game will not jump unless it gets two jumps (or there's nothing left to do but a jump)

It is a shame, because the game has a collection of excellent board games, the graphics are very good, the characters "trash talk" can be amusing from time to time (and you can turn it off - Rhett is especially funny!)

Great game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I still recommend this game to all young children and pre-teens who wish to hone their skills at chess, backgammon or other games such as The Incredible Machine and crossword puzzles.

Good concept, but frustrating when the game cheats

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: March 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've spent many, many hours playing all of the different games in this collection, so obviously it is overwhelmingly addictive. The only drawback I can see is that the game will noticably cheat, particularly in backgammon. If the computer is in a pickle, it will give itself the EXACT rolls it needs. It's actually rather obvious when it happens and I suppose Hoyle did it to make the game more challenging, but it just makes for a poor experience. I'm still playing despite this, so it is an enjoyable game.

Good games, but the software has bugs

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 11 / 13
Date: February 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I do like playing the games, but feel compelled to write this fairly negative review of the Hoyle Games pack I've now had for two months. There are a few little things about the interface which are irritating. There's no way configure most of the games beyond a very basic level. Double clicking doesn't work very well (in the games that support it.) Even when you check "don't ask me to confirm my selection" you still have to click at least one "are you sure?" button every step of the way. All in all, a pretty good game pack, but could be coded much better.

board games...fun for everyone!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: July 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I had the hoyle board games & puzzle games installed on my computer. I had more fun with this program than any other game on my computer. And I had lot's. There is something for everyone
with this collection. All my friends would want to play..my kids..and my boyfriend too. I recently reformated my hard drive and lost my board games..among other loved programs, this one I miss the most.

Fun for the Winter

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: September 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game is fun for all ages. I like the variations of pool, but there needs to be a connect four game on there. Sometimes, the software will not let you change or add characters when you need to.

If you are bored or if you are stuck at home in the winter, or if you really like these types of games, then you will enjoy this software.

Love the Tiles games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 14
Date: October 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I really enjoyed the graphics and pace of the Tile games

Great Value for the Price

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: June 26, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It's Christmas or someone's birthday, and your cash is running low. What game to buy? This one. For under 20 bucks you get a very entertaining assortment of games, some cute, some educational, and some addictive. Wordox is a powerful version of Scrabble (tm) with a vengeance. There are differences, since Scrabble is still copyrighted. For example, in Wordox you must work from the same set of letters, and each letter earns the same number of points (more or less). The interesting twist is that you get to take away from the opponent's points by extending his words, as in converting take to intake. Pool is very good, and Captain Scurvy (one of the computer players) is a sharp shooter. But use your brains and you can whoop him in Carom, a version of pool with three balls, two of which you must hit with your ball. The traditional board games, such as Checkers and Chess are average. If you play as red in the following sequence, F3-E4 G6-H5, G2-F3 E6-G5, E4xG5 H7xG5, F3-E4 G8-H7, E4xF5 H7xG6, etc., you can win the entire game without either side kinging a piece. Better checkers games are available for free (e.g., GuiCheckers). Thus, don't expect to become a checkers or chess master by practicing with Hoyle. I could write a 4 page review about this package, but suffice it to say, I can't think of anything else you can buy for under $20 that will give your kids this much entertainment. There are many sick games out there on Xbox, PS2, Game Cube, etc. Destroy all Humans is one of them. Try to steer your child to Hoyle. The kid will learn much more. Ultimately, isn't this what you, as a parent, are after?

Puzzle & Board Games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: August 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Some of the games are very addictive. There are a few nits I want to pick. I would like to be able to access their dictionary that they have set up for the word games. I've never seen some of what they call words. I'd also like to be able to clear the high score tables. You can delete your statistics, but that doesn't clear off the high score tables in any of the games.

I like Facemaker, don't particularly care for "Hoyle Bucks," and am very thankful that you can shut off the comments from the computer players. Of the two, I play more of the puzzle games than I do of the board games, but am glad to have both.

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