Customer Reviews

World Series of Poker Wireless Plug and Play 15-in-1 TV Game

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought this as a gift for my father-in-law who loves poker but isn't the most computer-savvy person in the world. I wanted to get him something that was easy for him to use but still moderately challenging in game play. As anyone who has ever played video card games will attest to, it's FAR easier to win a few million dollars in virtually all video poker games than it is to do it in real life. This is a virtual certainty simply because video game manufacturers don't want their customers feeling frustrated, so they make their games easier to win.

That said, this game isn't much different from the rest. It is, as expected, very easy to win. You won't win ALL the time and there are a few things you have to know about poker before you can win, but once you've got the minimal basics down you'll end up winning more than you'll be losing. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you're looking for a casual and fun game, this could be right up your alley. If you're looking for something that's a REAL challenge then you'd be best served by finding a few buddies and setting up a poker night for everyone.

A word to the wise... You might look at the name of this item and think that it contains 15 variations of poker. It doesn't. There's a few flavors of poker in there (including the now-ubiquitous Texas Hold'Em) but there's also blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, slot machines and more. There's also gin rummy, a game which I've never seen in a casino before (though admittedly I'm not big on visiting the casinos in real life).

About the system: It arrives in a sturdy box whose weight belies its cheap-looking construction. The box contains the base unit that connects to the TV set via a composite video plug and a composite (mono) audio plug, the infrared game controller, and a slim set of instructions and rule book for the games. The base unit takes four AA batteries and the controller takes two more AA batteries. No AC power adapter is available and, of course, batteries are NOT included. Install the batteries, plug the base unit into your TV, change your TV's input to that location, turn it on and start playing. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Graphics and sound are typical classic video game quality; think back to the Nintendo Entertainment System or Sega Genesis. That's about what you're getting here. It's adequate for the job but certainly won't win any awards. Video always displays in standard 4x3 resolution so those with widescreens will see vertical black bars on either side.

I tried this on several different TVs and they all worked, though the graphics quality changed substantially depending on the TV set. A 32" Vizio LCD and my 19" Sony LCD (both widescreens) showed everything crystal clear, although there was some visible pixelation when you got very close to the screen (which most people wouldn't do anyway). A 56" Sony projection TV was arguably nicer than the LCDs, likely due to the natural blurring effect of a non-LCD screen that smoothed out the pixelation. A 12" CRT TV was barely playable; words were hard to decipher and similar suits were hard to distinguish (clubs and spades looked very similar). A 9" LCD, however, was perfectly playable so visibility definitely relies more on the quality of the display rather than the size.

The base unit sits on/next to your TV and has a broad infrared receiver on the face. The controls on the base unit are minimal; POWER and RESET, basically. The controller includes a four-way directional button that provides navigation, the expected "OK" or "SELECT" button, plus a handful of additional buttons to perform specific actions within the game itself. Range on the infrared system is reasonable; at about 20 feet away and at a fairly sharp angle to the unit I was still able to play the game without interruption.

My biggest complaint about the product is its cheap-looking construction. All of the plastics are black and silver with BRIGHT red buttons and look like they were designed after watching a "Buck Rogers in the 24th Century" marathon. There was a little casting flash on the one I bought (which I cut off with a razor blade), numerous visible screws, and just a general overall cheap feeling to it. It hasn't broken so it doesn't seem to be cheaply made; it just looks and feels cheap. Which, at ~$15 or so, it actually is.

All in all, this game is essentially a specialized and glorified handheld casino game. I could very easily see this game being offered on a Game Boy, for example, and not looking much different. Still, for the money and if you're in the right target audience this isn't a bad little game.

I really think this game is great. I purchased one for my Mom and Dad, and one for my brother-in-law too. They love Las Vegas, and have been missing the casino games. I have heard nothing but praise for this game from them, as they play it all the time. It is realistic, and the games are very detailed. It is much easier to see than the hand held games, since it does get viewed on your tv set. Great for the elderly, and young alike. I would recommend this game to anyone that misses the casinos, and would like to brush up on their skills for the next trip to Las Vegas! Great game, will purchase another one for myself.

The games are fun and look fine on a larger TV, but using them on a 15" or smaller set yields numbers and text so fuzzy they are unreadable. Some of the games look ok, most do not. Stick to a larger TV and you will be fine.

I think this game is good for anyone that loves casino games. The graphics are not great because they look old-school. In defense, the graphics don't change the way the game is played nor make it any more fun - only fun to look at. The games are what they are! The slot machine game is the worst though, whats the point of having symbols on the payline if you don't win anything even if you get three of a kind on the payline (the game has symbols worth nothing - only pays on specifc symbols). The rest of the games are alright. If you are a card player and don't mind the old-school graphics then you will enjoy. I bought this for a person in their 40's as a gift.

If you like casino games you will love this. The remote works great. Hours of fun for a great price.

I purchased this item as a gift for my father. He likes poker, and I thought the wireless aspect would lead to an item he can actually play with while in his chair in the living room. I don't know how much he uses it, but here is my experience with the game.

The wireless controls seem to work fine. Setup is very easy, and the game runs fine. The graphics are very subpar, so don't expect anything you couldn't see on an original nintendo. The games are plentiful, but like any casino game, the winning is put in your favor, so that you continue to play. You quickly become a billionaire in this game, since the competition is very easy. It would have been nice if the game had a better difficulty setting, and offered more realistic challanges (optional). The AI seems pretty stupid, and can bet all their money on a king high or fold on a triple Ace.

I guess the game is good for someone who knows nothing about computers and technology, yet you want to expose them to gaming and they like poker. That is really the only reason. I did not feel passionate about this game, as said, it is simply OK.

I gave it a 4, because you can't get it having high expectations, and it meets everything you would expect from this game. If you were looking for a beautiful piece of machinery, this is not going to be it.

We bought this for our dad at Christmas, as he doesn't
have a computer. He absolutely loved it, but after approximately 1 month it no longer worked. I am in the
process of trying to get a replacement as it has a 90 day warranty from the manufacturer. The screens bleed through one another until you can't see what you are playing. This was an excalibur 15 in 1 plug and play.

I bought this game for my grandmother who is 83. It's big enough for her to see on the tv screen and she loves texas hold em. It's an added bonus that it has 14 other games. The system is super easy to set up, just plug it into the tv. The remote is wireless which makes it so much easier to use, no wires getting in the way. The graphics are simple, nothing spectacular, but def worth the money for a simple game that's entertaining.

Works exactly like advertised. Graphics a bit rough but the controllers are pretty cool.

Do not spend any money on this. There are far better products out there for only a few more $. The grapcis are awful, the sound is worse, and the games themselves are marginal. Sent this back and bought a different one that I really enjoy.