Pine Tar Poker

Pine Tar Poker

Pine Tar Poker is an interesting, stylized take on both traditional poker and dice games like "Yahtzee." Its little narrative touches here and there, combined with intriguing unlockable items, elevate it to more than its simple premise would at first suggest.

After arriving at a bar straight out of the old American West, we’re greeted by a friendly barkeep ready to pour us a drink and tell us all about this game that the locals play. Essentially, he deals the cards while our objective is to score as many points as possible by forming specific, traditional poker hands like 3-of-a-kind and full house. Think "Yahtzee" but with playing cards and poker hands taking the place of dice combos, and you're on the right track.

After a couple of rounds, the barkeep then encourages us to spend our winnings on mysterious items in his shop, as well as the occasional drink. The former can do myriad things like giving us extra draws, helping us count cards, and even fully defying the very rules of the game. The drinks are completely optional and provide us with new insight into the bartender's character, which adds a bit of much-appreciated lore and personality to the game.

As fun as the gameplay is and as much as the items help change things up, I should note that some players may find it too short or too simple to be worth the cost.

Pine Tar Poker is a $3.99 premium game without ads or iAPs. Since you can technically beat it in just a few hours, the price may seem a little high - but its replayability is excellent and that's why it’s likely to stay installed on most players’ devices even after all its secrets are unearthed.

• 2D
• Cards
• Indie