Electronic Arts Yahtzee Adventures – iPhone Game Review

Electronic Arts continues to add to their already impressive list of applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. They have just added Yahtzee Adventures to their line up of classics board games brought to your electronic device. My family and I are huge Yahtzee fans and regularly play the board game after dinner or on a rainy Sunday afternoon. When my wife and I found out it was available for our Touch and iPhone we jumped at the chance to try it out.

The graphics and overall look are impressive. Like the some of the other mobile games by Electronic Arts (EA), the load time and accompanying graphics keep you waiting a bit of time (10 seconds). However, I guess no more than many of the other applications/games available for the iPhone/Touch.

EA gives you the options to turn off the music, sound effects, tutorial, and adjust the shake function sensitivity. I have actually turned the shake feature completely off because it kept rolling for me before I was ready (now I guess I need to admit that I was walking between meetings when I was first trying out the game). The game also keeps track of players awards, biographies, challenges, and overall statistics. They also provide you with the rules to the classic game and those for the ‘Custom Play’ modes as well.

The ‘Play Now’ is the quick play, single player option. It is the classic game, playing for high score. The overall play of the game is great, you tap the cup and it rolls the dice, select the dice you want to keep then you roll again. On each roll, the game lets you know what are your possible options (and associated points) of locking in that turn. The game does a good job of helping you keep track of your remaining moves and scoring.

Here is where the ‘Adventure’ part of the game comes into play. To begin, your Sensei first assesses your ability then sends you off through the World to play against other Yahtzee masters. It appears that there are 14 ‘Challenges’/levels in the Adventure.

You start in Chapter One, The Roll of Destiny, facing Mai of the Great North and Flavius of the Gypsy Camp. Now I have not played the ‘Adventure’ to its end but I am assuming that as you progress through the storyline, your goal is to beat the others and collect awards, ultimately becoming a true Yahtzee Master.

Along with the ‘Play Now’ and ‘Adventure’ modes of the game, Electronic Arts has also included four additional ‘Custom Play’ modes to the original game; Classic, Rainbow, Duplicate, and Battle game modes. These tweaks are welcome and add a bit of spice to a fun and addictive game. While ‘Play Now’ and ‘Adventure’ are single player modes, ‘Custom Play’ in all the modes will let you choose between solo, computer vs. player, and pass ‘n-play. Pass ‘n Play let’s you play with 1-4 players where you take a turn, then pass the iPhone / Touch to the next player in line. I definitely agree with Julie in her review comments; all of the EA games really need a way to play others over WiFi (or better yet the internet).

Being the Yahtzee fan I am, it is hard not to completely ramble on about this game. That said, Electronic Arts has done a great job bringing a classic board game to your iPhone and/or Touch. They have included some fun and entertaining additions as well. For $4.99, it is a great buy as well. I have zero hesitation recommending this game.