TRUMP CASTLE II

 Place your bets! Everyone post your bets! All wagers are closed.

 The dealer takes a card (a Jack), then gives you one (an Ace). He gives you
a second card (a nine). You don't know what his second card is, but your hand
adds up to twenty. He has a Jack, and if the hidden card is an Ace, you lose.
You have to take the risk; you bet the bank. Your partner on the right folds.
The dealer breaks into a sweat. When he reveals his hidden card, an icy
dagger tickles your spine. It's an Ace. Blackjack!

 If you were playing TRUMP CASTLE II, you wouldn't need to worry. You'd just
dash over to the change box and pawn your gold watch. It's great to gamble
with someone else's cash. (But if you win, the money's still theirs!)

 For those of us who are casino maniacs and just can't leave that slot
machine, TRUMP CASTLE II is an enjoyable diversion. TC2 offers games that
include the most popular ones in Atlantic City's Trump Castle Casino:
Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Video Poker, and Slots. (This review is
based on the IBM-PC version.)

 The program runs on 512K IBM PC/XT/AT/PS2 and CGA/EGA/Tandy machines, or
640K for VGA. Copy protection is off-disk; you're prompted to enter a word
from paragraph X on page Y.

 After installing onto my hard disk the many files supplied on five 5-1/4"
diskettes -- the program took about 1.5Mb of space after installation -- I
was ready to explore TC2's promising features. I was pleased to encounter an
easy-to-use interface. (You can play by using the function keys, a mouse, or
a joystick; function keys are recommended.)

 The digitized photos and animated graphics are pleasant, but the program did
run a bit roughly on my machine. I don't know if this performance was due to
the slow microprocessor or to the fact that the VGA graphics limit the speed
of the game. I highly recommend that you use VGA graphics with 12MHz or more
so that play is smooth and easy.

 After a good bet at Roulette, you can go for a walk around the hotel. You
can visit the hall, the lobby, or maybe enjoy a cocktail at the bar. However,
you might get lost in the hotel because there are no signs to indicate the
different places in the lobby. (Invoking the help squares to locate
everything becomes tiresome.) For those who like to spend time in hotels, the
many places to visit lend a air of reality. (You might even want to
register!)

 TC2 can be addictive for the experienced casino player; there's more than
enough betting and roulette-wheel spinning. For the novice, a brochure
included in the package provides explanations for playing like you do in the
real casino. The program also offers help screens for the various games.
Play is supposed to follow the rules and regulations of the New Jersey Casino
Control Commission (although they make an exception for Video Poker).

 TC2 is a good family/friends game: Up to four players can enjoy Blackjack or
roll the dice at Craps. (Everyone starts with an initial balance of $1,000.)
Lucky players aspire to record their names and winnings in the hotel's "Top
Ten Winners" roster. A save-game feature permits players to restore to a
"pre-loss" position.

 Although I recommend TC2, I did encounter some disappointments. For
example, there is only one kind of slot machine. Although the player's guide
indicates there are 200 machines in the real Castle, there is only a single
one-dollar slot machine in the game. Additionally, the documentation offers
no explanation of how to play poker, and the section on craps is both
difficult and confusing. Finally, if you have a slower machine, you might
want to skip TC2.

 TRUMP CASTLE II is published by Capstone and distributed by IntraCorp.