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(3 1/2 out of 5)
Following in many other companies' lead, MacSoft has released the Mac Fun Pack 2, a set of four games at a single low price. These aren't new games, but they aren't old or pathetic, either. The pack comes with Lode Runner 2, Real Pool, America's Greatest Solitaire Games, and Play to Win Casino. I had never played any of these (except for a litle Real Pool) before, so you can imagine the uncertainty involved. The pack comes with two CDs -- one with Lode Runner 2, the other with the other games. It also includes four mini instruction manuals which each go over the installation and basic controls of the games.
I first tried out Real Pool (there's nothing virtual about it!). It's pretty cool, at least the kids like to play it. It has 3D graphics, sound, and a rather realistic pool experience, but it can't compare to an actual honest-to-goodness pool table. The thing is, those tables cost hundreds of dollars and take up lots of room, so for most people the best option is to just use Real Pool. It includes a nice set of opponents with a good range of abilities, complete with names and mini-biographies. Real Pool is the best pool games I've seen on the computer.
Then came America's Greatest Solitaire Games. I am a rather big fan of solitaire, when I'm bored and there's nothing better to do. I prefer my card games on the computer to be as simple as possible, and this comes pretty close. No fancy sounds or graphics, just straight and simple solitaire, thank God. AGSG brings you 37 solitaire games, "hand-picked by a team of solitaire experts," including Klondike, Pyramid, and Free Cell. Each game includes the rules, which are written quite well. This game gives you a great way to play solitaire games without the hassle of trying to find cards, and trying not to lose them. I guess the only thing you have to worry about is misplacing the application on your hard drive! (sorry, dumb joke).
Play To Win Casino is a casino game that sports the slogan "Learn while you play, not as you pay". P2WC offers you a complete and realistic Las Vegas experience, the box says. However, I am not a gambler, so for all I know the casino games could really be messed up. But after spending about half an hour with the game, I learned (ok, I already knew this, but it was a nice refresher) an valuable lesson - don't go to Las Vegas. Some people win big, while most lose a lot of money. Play to Win Casino offers several different casino games, including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Slots. One major thing I didn't like about it is they purposely include a lot of background noise (people talking, slot machines running, etc.) with no way to turn it off. Play to Win Casino's not a game that I'll be keeping in easy distance of the iMac, but that's probably just because I have no like of gambling in casino form.
The featured game in this pack is Lode Runner 2, the 3D sequal to the much-loved game Lode Runner. In this game, the idea of the game is to move your guy (Jake), outrunning little guys in cloaks, while collecting gold so you can jump into the portal. While it sounds pretty lame, that's what you did in the original Lode Runner, which I dearly love. The graphics in this version are really cool, although it's not true 3D (it's been pre-rendered). Darn it, that's where I stop liking it. It's very confusing trying to navigate your way around the virtual world, and you don't know how many times I've found myself pushing the wrong key to burn a hole, or running too far and falling off a cliff, or something like that. This would have been a great game if it had been executed better, but as it is I still prefer the original.
Overall, this pack is pretty cool, and if you think it'd be sweet to have any one or two of these games, it's not a bad buy. It's cool.
-David Norton
Disagree with David's opinion of Mac Fun Pack 2? Let us know at david@macmilitia.com.
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