I was never a big fan of Texas Hold'em Poker until Gameloft dropped Million Dollar Poker Featuring Gus Hansen on me. Then, it turns out, I was hooked. (Sorry I don't have screenshots handy as I'm traveling at the moment).

Maybe the steep learning curve required for the basics of Texas Hold'em was what kept me from taking a huge interest in the particular style of poker, or maybe it was the constant 'Baaaaa, Baaaaa' in my head as it seemed like everyone in the world was suddenly taking an interest in the game, like sheep. But playing video games is my 'job' at times and so I do what I must.

In this case, I am very glad that I did. You see I had an interest but the rules and structure seemed daunting to me, having never been a big gambler. So what better way to pique my interest but with a video game.

The rules of the game are neatly laid out in the help so you know exactly how things work. The rank of the hands helps you know what your odds of winning might be which is always nice and turns out to be extremely important. Finally helpful tips show up along the way in the form of quotes from Gus Hansen, renowned poker tournament player.

Now, after about 100 hours of playing this game, do I feel ready to drop a grand on chips and enter a game or a tournament? Hell no. But do I now have a taste for Texas Hold'em in general? Hell Yes. So you see Gameloft has a done a good job already.

The graphics for the game are good, though at times too small and again in a moving environment like a train or bus, you might get a headache after playing for a bit. But in a stable place like the hostel room I was in for several nights, it was ideal. The only thing I could suggest for the graphics might be a way to zoom in on the cards at times to make for easier decision making and less eye strain.

The sound, as usual, I turned off most of the time. But when I did turn it on it accented the game slightly. Let's face it, it's poker and there's not a huge amount of sound to go with the game. Maybe the idle chatter of people watching, the click of chips and the shuffling of cards. But that's about it and it's represented well enough here. Of course to keep from tormenting those around me when traveling or while in a dorm room with 7 other people, I just turned them off without loss of game experience.

On to the game itself. Well, it's Texas Hold'em and you can play in a tournament to get some bankroll under you so that you can then get into a cash game. Fair enough and straight forward. I especially liked when it came down to me and another player and instead of staying with the large poker table view it switched to a more head-to-head situation where you could see the other player. See, that's my only gripe with the game actually. In poker it's important to see the other players, to be able to read them and their tells to know if they're bluffing or not. You simply can't do that in a mobile version of the game. But even with this one drawback, I still played 100+ hours of the game and I'm sure that you will as well.

So if you're a fan of Texas Hold'em and you're looking for a mobile game, get this one. If you're interested in the game but haven't a clue how to play, get this one. Finally if you're neither of those but might like to peek into the world of high stakes Texas Hold'em poker, then you should probably check this game out.

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