_____ _ _____ _____ _ __ ______ _____ _____ _ __
| _ | | | | _ | | ___| | | / / |__ _| | _ | | ___| | | / /
| |_| | | | | | | | | | | | / / | | | | | | | | | |/ /
| / | | | |_| | | | | |/ / | | | |_| | | | | /
| _ \ | | | _ | | | | \ _ | | | _ | | | | \
| |_| | | |___ | | | | | |___ | | \ \ | |_| | | | | | | |___ | |\ \
|_____| |_____| |_| |_| |_____| |_| \_\ |_____| |_| |_| |_____| |_| \_\
____ ____
| 10 | | A |
| /\ | | /\ |
| \/ | | \/ |
|____| |____|
Copyright Odyssey Software Inc. 1992
Written By Brian P. Sulpher
E-mail:
[email protected]
Version 1.1
Dates Written: April 8th, 2005
I dedicate this to the NES fans out there, as this one is part of the NES
FAQ completion Project of 2004-2005, courtesy of the FAQ Contributor Board.
We honour the most truly awesome and great system... the Nintendo
Entertainment System! Never mind about Atari, Commodore 64, Colecovision,
Sega Master System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis, or
any of the newer systems, we all know that the good old NES is where true
gaming is at!
Also, for Cougar, Howler, and Koonce. I miss you, and I hope you are living
it up in the afterlife as you did in this world. You will always be in my
memories, and you will never be forgotten.
-----------
Version 1.0
-----------
-Submitted guide on April 8th, 2005
-----------
Version 1.1
-----------
-Submitted guide on June 22nd, 2005
-I added in Retronintendo as a site allowed to use my FAQs
-Altered the format to make it easier on the eyes of the reader
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Table Of Contents------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Introduction
2) Controls
3) Settings
4) Rules Of Blackjack
5) Blackjack Strategies
6) Final Word
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------Introduction---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) The following FAQ has been created for the sole purpose of filling out
the FAQ pages of gameFAQs with some information for a game never before
covered by anyone. Barring a single review from MudTurkey13 (a solid
GameFAQer by the way), this file should throw down any info you might
ever seek on this cartridge. However, also note that a lot of these
strategies will also work in real life, though I take no responsibility
if you lose money, but I will take 10% of any winnings you come into due
to this lovely FAQ. Seriously, don't make me hunt you down!'
...
Serious serious, enjoy the FAQ and just send me cash for the hell of it!
Or not. Whichever is best for you, though I could actually use the cash.
Just saying is all... ;)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Controls----------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) This section will look at the basic controls for winning all that lovely,
lovely green from the dealer.
D-Pad...: Moves the cursor around on the screen.
SELECT..: Toggles between the preferences and the main menu.
START...: Starts the game.
B Button: Raises/lowers bet by 10. Also deals cards once bet is set.
A Button: Raises/lowers bet by 2. Also deals cards once bet is set.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------Settings----------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) This section will go over the possible settings to use while playing this
game.
o-------------------o
| Card Decks To Use |
o-------------------o
Choose between 1, 2, or 3 decks, which will determine how many of each card
will be in play. This means that only 4 Aces will be in play with one deck,
8 Aces will be in play with two decks, and 12 Aces will be in play with
three decks (as one example). So, the more decks in play, the less able you
are to access the odds and count cards to your advantage.
o-------------o
| Table Limit |
o-------------o
This setting dictates how much money you would have to win to finish off the
dealer. So, you are required to reach 1000, 5000, or 10000 to clean the
dealer out (depending on which setting you choose as the goal money total).
o-------------------o
| Number Of Players |
o-------------------o
Simply put, you choose between a single player game or a heads up game
against a friend/enemy/parent/relative/postman/Bond villian/Dan Ackroyd/etc.
o-----------------------o
| Number Of Controllers |
o-----------------------o
Tying into the last one, this one will decided if you are using two
controllers for two players, or will the two of you share one (this holds
the potential for some rampant cheating that COULD degrade into a big fight,
so be wary you cheeky monkies).
o------------------------o
| Player 1/Player 2 Cash |
o------------------------o
This option will determine what each player begins the game with (if in a
two player match), or the Player 1 option will be used to determine the
starting cash total in a single player game. The possible starting totals
are 100, 250, or 500, so choose your handicap and get a move on!
o-------------o
| Preferences |
o-------------o
By pressing SELECT while on the main menu, the Preference choices will
become available for you to toggle to your hearts content.
==============
Card Designs
==============
Choose between one of five designs for your eyeballing pleasures.
========
Colors
========
Choose between any of the following (also for your eyeballing pleasures):
1 = Orange
2 = Blue
3 = Red
4 = Purple
5 = Grey
=======
Music
=======
Choose whether you would like no music (which is the default setting), or
you can choose to use the great, tinny noise of the NES to provide blissful
listening pleasures to your ears.
=======
Sound
=======
Choose whether or not you would like to hear all the sliding cards, the
swearing from the dealer, the sound of smoke being exhaled, or the awed hush
from the crowd as you make your amazing plays. Okay, I may have embellished
the abilities of the NES to make the sound effects, but you can keep the
sound ON (which is indeed the default), or you can shit it off and not have
to listen to the programmed game as it was intended.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Rules Of Blackjack-----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) This section will take a look at the rules of Blackjack, outlining all
you will need to know for playing this card game.
o--------------o
| Dealer Rules |
o--------------o
A dealer must stop hitting when they have 17 or higher. This also means
that they can not stop short of 17 either (16 or less for the dealer means
they must hit until they are 17 or higher). So, you can use this to your
advantage by judging the strength of your own hand against what card is
showing for the dealer.
o----------o
| Tie Hand |
o----------o
If there is a tie, no winner is awarded, and you get your money back. This
is called a "Push".
o---------------------o
| Splitting Your Hand |
o---------------------o
If you have two cards the same off of the deal, then you can choose the
SPLIT option. This will make you have two hands instead of one. This means
you can win double your money, but lose double your money. The key to
success is to pick the right hand to split. What makes a good split hand you
ask? Well, the following are all solid choices: two aces (the best because
it can give two blackjacks), two tens, jacks, queens, kings (gets many
twenties), and nine, eight for high scores with ten point cards.
o---------------o
| Doubling Down |
o---------------o
The DOUBLE DOWN is a big risk to take, but when done in the right situation,
can make for a lot of quick success. This can be done when your card count
off of the deal is 7 or higher. The dealer will tell you if your
double-down is accepted, and then you receive one card, and the dealer can
take as many cards (within the dealer rules) to try to beat your hand. A
very good strategy is to double when your card count is from 9 to 11. This
will yield a lot of 19,20, and 21 for you (win a lot) and even 12 or 13 is
quite good to go on (good chance of not busting, but there is a risk of
doing so).
o-----------o
| Insurance |
o-----------o
If the dealer is showing an Ace off of the deal, he will offer Insurance
against whether or not he has a Blackjack. If you pay up and he has a
Blackjack, all cash is returned to the player. If you pay up and he does
not have the Blackjack, the cost of Insurance (which is half of the total
bet made) will be paid to the dealer, then the hand will continue as normal,
with the player trying to recoup the lost of the Insurance by winning the
hand.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------Blackjack Strategies----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) This section will list some strategies to increase your chances of
succeeding at this tough game.
o--------------o
| Player Moves |
o--------------o
You can not go over 21, so you must decide what number you will stop
hitting (getting more cards) on. The general rule is to HIT until 14, then
a player must decide how lucky they feel, what they think their opponent is
holding (tying into the rule above), and what cards are gone (count what
cards are gone since they only shuffle every so often).
o-----------------o
| Smart Decisions |
o-----------------o
When it comes to options like SPLIT or DOUBLE DOWN, it is not wise to use
them at every opportunity that presents itself. Rather, a player should use
their judgment in deciding when to make use of these options, as foolish
moves will result in extra loss of cash.
The SPLIT is best done by using a pair of Aces (the absolute best), Face
Cards (10, J, Q, K), or a 9/8, as they are more likely to end up with high
values with tier new partner cards (frequently going to be Face Cards/Tens).
This will allow the player to double their money easily.
The DOUBLE DOWN is best done when your two cards total anywhere from 8-13,
with 11 being the best option as it has the highest chance of hitting 21
(since Face Cards/Tens are the most frequently occurring cards). However,
the other ones have safe numbers (8-10 can not bust, so they are solid
choices for doubling your bet) while 12-13 has a good shot at not busting
while having a small shot at the 21.
o-----------------o
| Insuring A Hand |
o-----------------o
When the dealer shows that Ace, you have to decide whether to insure your
hand or not. Well, sadly for you, this one is not really subject to any
hard rule, so you will have to weigh the bet you have in the pot versus what
cash you have left, deciding if you can afford the safety pay. Note that
odds are against the Blackjack actually happening, but you never know...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------Final Word---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) As is the usual, this walkthrough is copyright property of Brian P.
Sulpher, 2005. The only website, group, person, etc. to have access to
post it is www.gamefaqs.com, www.ign.com, www.retronintendo.com, and
www.honestgamers.com. You must ask for permission before posting this,
as doing so without consent is a violation of international copyright
law.
If you liked it, hated it, have anything to add, then please E-mail me at
[email protected]. You can also contact me through MSN messenger
through the same E-mail address.
Blackjack is a great game that has entertained for decades and decades,
so it should give you some pleasure for the little bit you will play this
game. Nothing too special, but it is a fun diversion now and then.
