Poker Faced Paul's Poker

Budding card sharks looking to hone their skills will be intrigued by this cart, which departs from the format of traditional video poker. For others, the thrill will fade quickly.

A round of Five Card Stud lines you up against several CPU-controlled players, each represented by a simple, poorly animated icon. Some play like fools, while others bet shrewdly, and competing against them makes for real fun. Still, only a true poker fanatic will remain interested for long.

The game's spare graphics, functional controls, and droning sounds fail to add a needed sparkle. If you could play against two or three friends, it'd definitely be more of a blast.