Las Vegas Blackjack!

Also known as: Bacará! (South America),  Blackjack (Europe), Blackjack Style Las Vegas! (Canada)

Developer: Magnavox

While Las Vegas Blackjack! is better than its competition on the Atari 2600, that's faint praise, though this is a passable game of blackjack. If you know the basic rules of blackjack, you know what to expect here for the most part. If you don't, then here's how you play. The dealer gives you two cards (and a second player two cards, if you're playing a two-player game) and then deals themselves two cards. Your cards are face-up. The first dealer card is face up and the second dealer card is face down. By seeing what your cards are and guessing what the dealer's hand is, you can choose to either stay where you are or request another card. The end goal of the game is to get as close to a total of 21 as possible without going over. If your cards go over 21, then that's considered a bust, and you automatically lose. If you get 21, then you automatically win, and you get a double payout. This game also allows you to get a Five Card Charlie to also double your payout. A Five Card Charlie is basically if you're lucky enough to pull five cards without going over 21. The computer will also randomly offer you to double down, which mean that they will deal you one more card and your bet is doubled. If the dealer's face-up card is an ace, then you're given the option to take an insurance bet. The insurance bet is half of the current bet, but it pays off double if the player wins. If the face-down card of the computer equals 10, then the player wins. The games of blackjack will continue here until either the player gets bored or their $1000 balance has been depleted. Overall, Las Vegas Blackjack! doesn't seem like it's much at first glance, but some of the extra options like being able to double down, or the inclusion of getting a Five Card Charlie, may be enough for fans of blackjack to appreciate this computerized version of the game.

Review added: 12/02/2025