Hoyle Discussion

[Rudy]

Further expanding the FPS series and grabbed a bit lesser-known Hoyle in the process.

Edit: Split from the New Acquisitions Thread (Collector)

[Collector]

I was unaware of that Hoyle.I take it that it is based on the old paper game Battleship.

[Rudy]

I was unaware of that Hoyle.I take it that it is based on the old paper game Battleship.

I once tried to make a complete listing of Hoyle games - it's just not possible. There's currently around 50 Hoyle titles in the Chest's database and that's not even the end of it. With all the duplicate titles, I don't even know whether some are simply rereleases with a different box cover. You also find very little info about the later Hoyle titles on the internet. The only way to really find out is to actually buy every variety you find, play them and compare them.

As for Battleships and War, it's a 1998 title from the last set of Hoyle titles prior to the Cendant merger, along with Hoyle Bridge & Euchre, Hoyle Hearts & Spades and Hoyle Classic Games and Hoyle Solitaire (both of which I believe are rereleases of the 1995 and 1996 Hoyle Classic Games and Hoyle Solitaire releases). They all use the same box style and are the last Hoyle titles using the classic Sierra logo, along with the tagline "Family Fun for over 200 Years" below the box title - after that it was changed to the Sierra Attractions logo.

I also have no idea how the gameplay will look like of Battleships & War, or if there's various kinds of battleship games in it. I'll give it a spin when it arrives and let you know.

[Collector]

Yeah, we discussed the Classic Games releases where one had the old Half Dome logo and the other had the newer sweeping 'S' logo, but seemed to have identically contents. I should give you a copy of my version tool to see if we could better sort out some of the Hoyle releases.

[Rudy]

One mystery solved, many more to go. I got the games today and immediately tried out Battling Ships and War, a compilation of two games:

Battling Ships is indeed the classic battle ships game, all animated. You can change the characters, backgrounds, music and stuff.

War is a totally stupid game - you just flip cards from your deck vs an opponent. Player with the highest card gets both cards which go back into his deck. When players have the same card, WAR is declared. In that case, they put 3 more blind cards on the table and a 4th card face up - player with the highest 4th card then gets them all and you lose a tank. The player who loses all tanks loses the game.
The short version: keep flipping cards until you either win or lose - zero strategy.

But here's the interesting thing. Battling Ships is included as one of the many games in the 1997 Hoyle Classic Board Games, and War is included as one of the many games in the 1997 Hoyle Classic Card Games, so it's basically a mini-compilation with one game from each of those larger compilations.

[Tawmis]

War is a totally stupid game - you just flip cards from your deck vs an opponent. Player with the highest card gets both cards which go back into his deck. When players have the same card, WAR is declared. In that case, they put 3 more blind cards on the table and a 4th card face up - player with the highest 4th card then gets them all and you lose a tank. The player who loses all tanks loses the game.
The short version: keep flipping cards until you either win or lose - zero strategy.

Have you never heard of the card game called War before this? I am just curious if ti's just one of those things that didn't make it across the pond?

[Collector]

Are they SCI games?

[Rudy]

Have you never heard of the card game called War before this? I am just curious if ti's just one of those things that didn't make it across the pond?

I haven't heard of it. Probably it exists here, possibly under a different name.

Are they SCI games?

No. No SCI sources. Managed to extract music with AGP. It also has a few demos you may not have yet, like Hoyle Classic Card Games (1997) and Mastercook 4.0.

[Rudy]

Extracted with GAP, not AGP (typo).

By the way, since Battling Ships & War were taken from the 1997 Hoyle Classic Card Games and Hoyle Classic Board games, I wouldn't be surprised if the 1998 Hearts & Spades and Bridge & Euchre are similar mini-compilations taken from the 1997 Hoyle Classic Card Games. All four are listed in the Classic Card Games demo. The colored icons of Hearts and Pyramid indicates they're playable while the non-colored icons of the other games provide just a screen cap.

PS: Feel free to make a separate tread of this discussion, since it's getting rather off-topic.

[Collector]

War is an old child's card game

[OmerMor]

War is popular here (Israel) among the kids as well.

As for SCI Hoyle games, I believe there are only 8:

• Hoyle: Official Book of Games - Volume 1 [1989]
• Hoyle: Official Book of Games - Volume 2: Solitaire [1990]
• Hoyle: Official Book of Games - Volume 3 [1990]
• Hoyle Classic Card Games [1993]
• Hoyle Classic Games [1995]
• Hoyle Bridge [1996]
• Hoyle Children's Collection [1996]
• Hoyle Solitaire [1996]

Hoyle Bridge and Hoyle Children's Collection are mini compilations of games from Hoyle Classic Games.

[Collector]

Those are the ones that I was aware of, but every now and then something of the Hoyle series pops up that I did not know about.

[BBP]

I live about 80km from Antwerp; we played War. We called it eeuwigen, and from the game workings you'll probably be able to guess why. It can take weeks to finish a game.

But on topic: can you tell me what bridge bidding system is used for Hoyle's Bridge? The American differs from the European ACOL at nasty points, making computer bridge a wee bit difficult for me.

I'll keep my eyes open for more Hoyle's games for you!