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Bridge (Atari 2600)

Posted: November 3rd, 2015, 11:03 pm
by VideoGameCritic
This is the last original Activision cartridge I had yet to review. At first I was intimidated. The instructions seem to assume you know how to play! I had to do a little research on the Internet, and frankly I still don't totally understand the game. But like Solitaire, once you start playing it's hard to stop. Not bad.

Re: Bridge (Atari 2600)

Posted: November 3rd, 2015, 11:39 pm
by Atariboy
One reason why it may seem strange is that it's a trainer and doesn't even feature a full fledged game of bridge.

It's for learning particular scenarios, something that the manual goes into as I recall (And which is also why it doesn't have any basic rules for the game of bridge, as you noticed; It's not meant for teaching you to play, but rather, as a tool to hone your existing skills with).

As a fan of 50's and 60's sitcoms, every one of which seemingly had the parents playing bridge in the evening with friends in at least one episode, I've long been curious about this one and would love to get a real chance to play it in real-life. But bridge isn't something that postwar kids, let along those of us born decades later, seem to have ever learned how to play.

It's almost an extinct card game for those under the age of 70 or so.

Re: Bridge (Atari 2600)

Posted: November 4th, 2015, 12:29 pm
by LuckyMan
Yes, I bought a "How to Play Bridge" book to use as a supplement to the instruction manual for this game. Unfortunately I haven't really given it an honest go. One of these days...

BTW, you are also missing Kung-Fu Master from Activision.

Re: Bridge (Atari 2600)

Posted: November 4th, 2015, 7:59 pm
by scotland
Good observation. In the 1950s contract bridge had tens of millions of players, being social for groups and couples, maybe a mark of being middle class, and complex enough to really be interesting. Lots of reasons it waned in popularity beginning in the 1960s, but now many of those card games like bridge, whist, pinochle, euchre and others seem to be endangered. Card games had a rebirth in popularity in the 90s, but very different games than grandma used to play.

Glad for the upcoming review. Carts like this show how many video games used familiar games and not just sports. Does this mean reviews of Odyssey 2 Las Vegas Blackjack or Sega Master System Parlour Games is forthcoming?