Hoyle Card Games (2002 Edition)

I’ve been craving some good old-fashioned card game action lately—the kind that is best enjoyed with four players around a table and a standard deck of 52 cards. Since that’s not always an option, there’s the computer and a (dumb) AI for you to keep you busy and to learn the ropes of various new trick taking games I wasn’t yet familiar with. One of those collections is the then-popular Hoyle Card Games collection from Sierra On-Line that had a great track record. Let’s explore the 2002 Edition or Hoyle Card Games v5.

Why v5? Since then, the UI changed from the standard Windows layout to give it a lot more charm, talking avatars were introduced that are fondly remembered (that old crow Ethel keeps on laughing at my feeble attempts to score a trick), and a “FaceMaker” was introduced to create your own avatar. Everything in here gives Hoyle Card Games a much-needed makeover. The 2003 and 2004 editions simply introduced a few more card games and very minor tweaks to keep the franchise going. By looking at some YouTube videos, I honestly can’t even tell the difference between versions 2002, 2003, and 2004. And since the .ISO of all of ’em can be downloaded on archive.org, you choose the one with the most nostalgic feelings attached to it—in my case, 2002.

So what’s it about? Well… It’s a card game collection? If none of the card game names listed in the above screenshot taken from the main menu ring any bell, then perhaps this game isn’t for you. I not only have fond memories of playing this on my grandfather’s Win98 PC, but also playing a lot of local trick taking games together with my (other) grandparents, so naturally, a virtual variant of card gaming held my interest. Not that at that age I was able to make out what those complicated Bridge rules were about.

The games are grouped in four categories: solitaire games containing 20+ “patience” variants including the classic Klondike, games played on the table as a tableau such as Rummy and Poker, trick taking games such as Hearts and Spades, silly ones you’ll get bored of after five minutes such as Old Maid and Go Fish, and for some reason, Tarot/Skat. Clearly, the main draw here is trick taking (and solo).

There used to be a way to play these over the internet, but back then I never tried because of an old dial-up modem, and now of course the option ceased to function. There is no way to play together on the same screen and there are no co-op games—but technically you can go on a Klondike adventure with as many folks as you want, taking turns. I suppose it’s of little use to re-use the same screen estate laying bare your precious hand for the next local player. So expect to play against the AI if you want to get in a few sessions of Hearts.

The skill level of the AI can be tweaked though, from beginner/intermediate to expert, but even at expert level, I’ve seen very stupid mistakes being made, especially in pair games like Euchre and Spades. It can be difficult to emulate the ability to rely on your partner, but I expect the AI to understand that if I play a high card and they’re in last position, no trump needs to be played to win that trick. It mostly behaves OK though. It’s nothing like “the real thing”, and it’s perhaps unfair to try and compare it that way.

Fiddling with the few player-specific settings is fun as that’s a way to configure your favourite partners and opponents. If you keep the CD mounted, they’ll blurt out silly statements to showcase they’ve won/lost a trick or their bid, adding to the typical Hoyle Card Games charm I so fondly remember. How about playing with/against an alien or a bear? Or would you rather play with a sternly looking teacher (Ms. Tardee) or a yapping old guy (Jasper)?

There’s nothing much else there. The card and background art can be configured or set to random which is a fine way to spice up things if you’re tired of staring at the same blue pattern. There’s also background music present which is mostly atrocious and thankfully can be turned off. I tried configuring a few different tracks but they’re all good at getting on my nerves after a few minutes. Without the CD in place, the background music is gone, but so are the lovely voices of your co-players.

In the end, Hoyle Card Games 2002 does not have anything special to offer, especially with its lacking multiplayer capabilities nowadays. Yet for me, is a great way to re-live the early noughties: the distinct UI and the players built into the game have a certain charm going for them. The last iteration of the game, Hoyle Offical Card Games, still exists on Steam, but looks to be brutally dismembered: the UI is butt-ugly and gone is the lovely animated look of the the avatars (and the unique opponents). It’s got mixed reviews at best, so if you really want to play this, do yourself a favour and go fetch the .ISO from the Internet Archive.