Euchre - Atari 2600

I grew up in a family that played a LOT of Euchre and Spades. It is no surprise that this game brings a lot of great memories back. I no longer have access to 3 other people who know how to play Euchre, so this game is perfect for me. The AI is sharp and plays well. The graphics are exactly all you need in a video game card game and the minimalist sound means I can keep the stereo on while I while away the hours playing hand after hand. This is a great game for Euchre enthusiasts and is also a good training tool for anyone looking to pick up the game. Maybe a bit esoteric, but a smart and welcome addition to the VCS library

My family played euchre constantly when I was a kid growing up in Iowa. It provided prime time for bonding with my grandmother and great aunt during long (VERY long) summer visits to my grandparents' farm, but I haven't had much opportunity to play since; John Racanelli is quite right that it's tough to find other players!

Though it obviously lacks the social graces that made playing euchre such a rite of passage in these here parts, Erik Eid's EUCHRE is a satisfying scratch for the euchre itch. I agree with the other readers that riskier trump calls by the computer players would be nice (a tougher difficulty level, perhaps?). Personally, I also miss two-handed euchre, a variation that may simply be too contained to certain regions to warrant representation here; it's a snappy and exciting way to play the game when you can't find two other players, and we even played three-handed euchre, in which two players gang up on the bidder and loyalties necessarily change from hand to hand. But the game play itself is flawless, and the interface is efficient and easy to learn. Well done, Erik!

The reason this ekes a fifth star out of me is the packaging. By this I mean not only the retro typography and REALLY old-school Atari instruction booklet design, but also the play screen itself: blocky digits right out of Atari BACKGAMMON, big, chunky, inaccurately-proportioned playing cards (that is NOT a complaint--the look of those cards feels like a tribute to me!), and no fireworks whatsoever when the game ends, just a sudden switch to the color-change screen saver mode. For me, playing Erik's EUCHRE is like finding a hidden gem while digging through the "old" game pile at Target in the early 1980s.

For those who have played Euchre, this 2600 cart provides a fun way to practice, especially if you have not played the game in a while. The card graphics are well done and I love the artwork on the label and the instruction manual. These details make it look just like an Atari-produced cart from the late-70's. If you've never played Euchre before, then you are in for a treat. The game is not too difficult to get the hang of.

I am only knocking it down one star because of the lack of any multiplayer. It would be really fun to see a 4-player version utilizing both sets of paddles, or even a 2-player so you could have a human partner.

Euchre is a card game that\'s played with a partial deck, where the goal is for you and your partner (the computer) to win more "tricks" than your opponents (also played by the computer). You do this by playing one card each turn around the table, and the highest value card wins. Win enough tricks out of five and you earn points, with the first team to ten points winning the game. Cards of the "trump" suit are of greater value than others, with the Jack of that suit being the highest value, and the Jack of the same-colored suit being second-highest. This takes a little getting used to since higher face value cards may not always be the best ones to play. It took me awhile to figure out Euchre, having very little experience with card games of this sort. Even with the help of the manual and a couple of online pages about Euchre, I\'m still not entirely sure of all the rules and why I can or can\'t play certain cards at certain times. However, after giving it a fair chance and quite a number of tries, I\'ve begun to appreciate the game and pick up on some of the strategies involved with it. The computer players are very good, and at times your onscreen partner seems to follow your lead almost eerily well. The key I\'ve found is to pass up the opportunity to select the Trump suit, and only play when you have a very good hand, or are forced to play by the computer.I must admit that Euchre took me by surprise, and I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would. The graphics are nothing spectacular, and the sound is only minimal, but the game itself drew me in, and the computer makes for both an excellent partner and opponent.

I love Euchre but it is often difficult to find exactly three other people to play. Frankly, it is sometimes difficult to find three other people that actually know how to play the game! This card game is perfectly suited for play on the 2600 and game play is straightforward without any of the funky house rules people sometimes enforce such as “Farmer’s Hands” or “Ace-No-Face.” Plus, the dealer is allowed to pass the deal if no trump call is made. This game is fun but may not be particularly challenging for advanced players. It seems like your computer partner and the opposite teams are rather reluctant to make risky trump calls. The computer players love to draw out trump right away, sometimes stymieing your risky call. And you will find yourself making the trump call, more often than not, regardless of your place after the deal.Overall, this is an enjoyable and well-done game to play when you are looking for a Euchre game but cannot get the people together to play. Plus, the traditional-style black label and artwork add to the effect that this game could have been issued back in the 2600’s glory days.