Do Poker Console Games Hit The Spot?
Over the last few years we have seen many areas of business jumping onto the Poker band wagon, trying to pull in a few extra dollars for themselves. One industry which has been very active in this area is the Games Console industry where we have seen the emergence of the Playstation 3, the Xbox and the Nintendo Wii to name but a few.
All of the main games consoles have Poker games available for their fans, but do they really hit the spot? Can they help in the move to “real” Poker? Do they catch the tension of a full blown Poker game?
The chances are that if you ask somebody who has played a Poker console game but not played a “real” Poker game, they would probably be full of praise for the better Poker games, but would you get the same answer from a “real” Poker player? In summary……no
If you are using the console Poker games for fun and laughter, then they have a time and a place, but if you are trying to capture the atmosphere, the tension and the drama then you will probably be sadly disappointed. Unfortunately, there is no replacement for the buzz which many gamblers get when they have money at stake, when they are pitting their wits against the best around. This type of tension and atmosphere is almost impossible to recreate on a console game. But can they teach you how to play the game?
There is some mileage in actually using Poker console games to teach yourself the rules and etiquette of Poker, although why not try one of the “fun money” online sites where you will actually be playing with real Poker players, walking, talking human beings. These are the people you will come across when you cross over from console Poker to the real deal. Console Poker games might be fun, but they don’t quite capture the atmosphere and feeling of a “real game”.