World Series of Poker

Pull up a chair… and play against the best in the world.

NA release: 14th September 2005
EU release: N/A
JP release: N/A
Developer: Left Field Productions
Publisher: Activision
NGC Magazine Score: N/A
Mods Used: Widescreen Hack

Video game adaptations of poker are something I just don’t understand at all. Of course, there’s the real moment gambling ones they unfortunate people get addicted to, but with just digital money? I don’t get it. Poker is a game all about interacting with your fellow players, trying to work out how they play and trying to read their expressions and work out their tells.

Without that, it’s just a game of statistics and probabilities, and it’s just really boring. While all the players are 3D models, the camera is just a view from above the table and there are no expressions whatsoever. You may as well just play with cards on your own, randomly betting for the other players.

There are a few different types of poker, with Texas Hold ‘Em being the main one, but the only excitement you’ll get from the game is the terribly animated mouth on the hosts introducing each tournament.

Poor

With its lack of online play, World Series of Poker on the GameCube is much tougher to recommend than the Xbox or PlayStation 2 versions. Admittedly, options for poker games on the Cube are scant at best, but even so, the merely competent opponent AI and middling career mode aren’t enough to make this version worth your while.
Alex Navarro, GameSpot

Remake or remaster?

A good Poker video game needs to be a Jackbox-style game with people using their phones and playing locally.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to buy World Series of Poker.