''Battle Poker'' is a

WiiWare WiiWare was a digital media entertainment service operated by Nintendo that allowed the download of games and applications developed for the Wii video game console. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the W ...

game by

Left Field Productions Left Field Productions, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Ventura, California. Founded in 1994 by industry veterans John Brandwood, Jeff Godfrey and Mike Lamb, Left Field is best known for developing the critically acclaimed Ni ...

that was released in North America on July 20, 2009. It's also available on

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

on December 10, 2009.

Gameplay

The game sees players racing against a time limit to make the best five-card hand possible. The game's "battles" consist of many rounds with points scored at the end of each round based on the cards in each player's hand. The player uses the

Wii Remote The Wii Remote, colloquially known as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with an ...

to point and click on a grid of upturned

playing cards A playing card is a piece of specially prepared card stock, heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic that is marked with distinguishing motifs. Often the front (face) and back of each card has a Pap ...

to turn a card over for all players to see. Players then have an opportunity to take the card to add it to their hand. Points are also scored for each round based on the quality of the player's hand.

Game modes

There are two types of play in ''Battle Poker'', Single Player and Multiplayer. Players can also change options such as time limits, grid size, power-ups, and background graphics.

Single Player

Single Player modes include: *''Shuffle Up 'n Deal'' - Players have to make the best 5-card poker hand in each row and each column of a 5x5 grid by switching/shuffling cards around. *''Chain Reaction'' - Players have to make as many 5-card poker hand chains within a set time limit. Users play against the CPU in a set of rounds with the overall high score winning.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer modes allow 2-4 players to compete in the following battles: *''Classic'' - Players make the best 5-card poker hand by searching and grabbing cards from a face-down array of cards. Players have to be quick here because other players can steal cards from them or use a set of power-ups to remove cards from their hand. Players play a set of rounds with the overall high score winning. *''Wait Your Turn'' - Like "Classic", in "Wait Your Turn" players make the best 5-card poker hand by searching and grabbing cards from a face-down array of cards, but this time, they take turns choosing cards with a time limit for each round for players to make their choices. Players play a set of rounds with the overall high score winning. *''Mad Dash'' - Players make the best 5-card poker hand by searching and grabbing cards from a face-up, but limited array of cards in only 15 seconds. Players play a set of rounds with the overall high score winning.

Reception

''Battle Poker'' received mixed reviews upon its release. Daemon Hatfield of

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

gave the Wii version of the game a 5.6/10, saying that the controls "work well" but otherwise criticizing it for its lack of online play and its "shallow" mini-games. Philip J. Reed of

Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British digital media company based in London. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and ot ...

gave the game five out of ten stars, praising the presentation and interface but also criticizing its lack of appeal to general audiences.

References

{{reflist 2009 video games Left Field Productions games Multiplayer and single-player video games North America-exclusive video games PlayStation Network games PlayStation Portable games Puzzle video games Video games developed in the United States Wii games WiiWare games