Vegas Stakes
Encyclopedia
Vegas Stakes is a video game developed by HAL Laboratory
and originally released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo
. It was also released for the Game Boy
in 1995, and on the Virtual Console
in Europe on August 31, 2007 and in North America on November 26, 2007. The Game Boy version is compatible with the Super Game Boy
, and features borders which use artwork from the SNES version. It is the sequel
to the NES
game Vegas Dream.
The game sees the player go to Las Vegas
to gamble with $1000. Using that $1000, the player must try to win $10 million at different casinos. The game features the player gambling in Craps
, Roulette
, Blackjack
, Poker
, and Slots
.
At the beginning of the single-player game a car is seen driving to Las Vegas. The various "friends" of the player are introduced as Cliff, Maria, Isabelle and Richard. All are eager to begin gambling. The "friends" are not present in the Game Boy version.
One of the biggest draws of Vegas Stakes is the situations the player must deal with aside from the gaming tables. Essentially, players will have interactions with their traveling party and casino patrons. Some are innocent; for example, one of your friends is going to the sports book and asks if you want to place a wager. However, some can have significant positive or negative consequences. Random patrons will approach you and depending on your choices, you may wind up making (or losing) a lot of money. These include:
There are several more random patron interaction situations in the Game Boy version, including the ability to wager on boxing matches or horse races.
keep spinning in a clockwise formation. However, due to memory constraints the North American version replaces this with a man in his jeans standing near the famous Las Vegas sign, pulling out his empty pockets.
HAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
and originally released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. It was also released for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
in 1995, and on the Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Europe on August 31, 2007 and in North America on November 26, 2007. The Game Boy version is compatible with the Super Game Boy
Super Game Boy
The is a 16-bit adapter cartridge for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as the Super Famicom in Japan. The Super Game Boy allows game cartridges designed for use on the Game Boy to be played on a TV display using the SNES/Super Famicom controllers. When it was released in...
, and features borders which use artwork from the SNES version. It is the sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game Vegas Dream.
The game sees the player go to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to gamble with $1000. Using that $1000, the player must try to win $10 million at different casinos. The game features the player gambling in Craps
Craps
Craps is a dice game in which players place wagers on the outcome of the roll, or a series of rolls, of a pair of dice. Players may wager money against each other or a bank...
, Roulette
Roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after a French diminutive for little wheel. In the game, players may choose to place bets on either a single number or a range of numbers, the colors red or black, or whether the number is odd or even....
, Blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
, Poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, and Slots
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
.
Overview
The player can choose to play either a single-player or multi-player game. In the single-player game a computerized friend accompanies the player around the various casinos. In the multi-player game, poker cannot be played since everyone could see everyone else's cards. There are no random encounters in multi-player mode. The multi-player mode is not included in the Game Boy version.At the beginning of the single-player game a car is seen driving to Las Vegas. The various "friends" of the player are introduced as Cliff, Maria, Isabelle and Richard. All are eager to begin gambling. The "friends" are not present in the Game Boy version.
One of the biggest draws of Vegas Stakes is the situations the player must deal with aside from the gaming tables. Essentially, players will have interactions with their traveling party and casino patrons. Some are innocent; for example, one of your friends is going to the sports book and asks if you want to place a wager. However, some can have significant positive or negative consequences. Random patrons will approach you and depending on your choices, you may wind up making (or losing) a lot of money. These include:
- A patron bumps into you as they pass by. You suspect that may be a pickpocket, and check your wallet. It may have been stolen.
- A patron tells you they have a sick daughter and they need to take her to the hospital. This has two potential outcomes. Either the patron is a con artist and they will take your money and walk away, or they will have been sincere and will return several minutes later to thank you and present you a reward.
- A patron will offer to sell you a lottery ticket since he/she is leaving for the night. If you choose to purchase it, the casino will announce the winning numbers several minutes later. If your numbers match, you win a cash prize.
- A patron tells you he/she is down on his luck and asks to borrow some money to make one final bet on the roulette tables. If you choose to help out and the patron wins, they will return and give you a reward for helping them. If they lose, they will return and inform you but you will receive no reward.
- A patron says that he/she has blown all their money, including their return fare home, and offers to sell you a watch for $200. If you choose to buy it, another patron may come along and offer to buy it for $1,000.
- A patron will try to sell you a diamond. He/she suggests a price, and you counteroffer, until you either agree to a deal or the patron walks away. If you buy it, another patron will come along, and either buy the diamond for a huge profit, or laugh at you for purchasing a fake.
- Your friend will find a wallet and ask if you want to keep it or turn it in to hotel security. If you turn it in, the owner may offer you a large reward.
There are several more random patron interaction situations in the Game Boy version, including the ability to wager on boxing matches or horse races.
Casinos
- The Hideaway - Probably based on the Gold Spike Hotel and CasinoGold Spike Hotel and CasinoGold Spike Hotel and Casino is a boutique 112-room, seven floor hotel-casino, connected with the Oasis at the Gold Spike, a 50-room three floor hotel located in downtown Las Vegas.-History:...
in Las Vegas - This casino is fairly run down and has the lowest maximum bets in the game. - Golden Paradise - Based in part on the Golden NuggetGolden NuggetGolden Nugget has several uses including:Casinos:*Golden Nugget Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey**"Golden Nugget" was also the original name of the ACH Casino Resort from 1980 to 1987*Golden Nugget Laughlin in Laughlin, Nevada...
and the California Hotel and CasinoCalifornia Hotel and CasinoThe California Hotel and Casino, also known as The Cal opened in 1975 at a cost of $10 million with a hotel and casino located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada near the Fremont Street Experience. When it opened it had 325 rooms which has since been expanded to 781.The California has been owned by...
in Las Vegas - An average casino and the first casino of the game. - Buffalo Head - Based on Bill's Gamblin' Hall and SaloonBill's Gamblin' Hall and SaloonBill's Gamblin' Hall and Saloon is a casino and hotel located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It was opened as the Barbary Coast Hotel & Casino in 1979, and renamed in 2007 after being acquired by Harrah's Entertainment.- History :...
, formally the Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino Casino at the time of the game's creation - A western themed casino. Slightly higher betting limits than the Golden Paradise. Omitted from the Game Boy version. - 2020 - This casino is futuristic with the highest betting maximum until the Laurel Palace is unlocked. The closest real-world analog to the 2020 would be the CityCenter's Aria CasinoARIA Resort & CasinoAria Resort & Casino is a luxury resort and casino located within the CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip. Aria consists of two curved glass and steel highrise towers adjoined at the center. It opened on December 16, 2009 as a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Infinity World...
, which was built about 16 years after the game was published. - Laurel Palace - Based on Caesars PalaceCaesars PalaceCaesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
- The Laurel Palace is unlocked once the player wins $100,000. This casino has no betting maximum. The player moves from the Golden Paradise to a complimentary room here. If the player falls below $100,000 they are kicked out and must unlock the casino again by winning $1 million.
Winning more than $10 Million
The screen says Congratulations, and (in the SNES version) whichever friend the player is with asks what the player will now do with his winnings. The player can then type in what they want to do with the money, and the friend confirms that it is an excellent idea. After the credits, the screen says "You will" followed by whatever you put in for your dream. In the Game Boy version, a man is in a car with his wife and talks about a new casino that he sees. The game will then scroll from the bottom to the top of the casino with (The Player's name)'s Casino.Going bankrupt
In the Japanese version, the letters in the words game overGame over
Game Over is a message in video games which signals that the game has ended, often due to a negative outcome - although the phrase sometimes follows the end credits after successful completion of a game...
keep spinning in a clockwise formation. However, due to memory constraints the North American version replaces this with a man in his jeans standing near the famous Las Vegas sign, pulling out his empty pockets.
External links
- Virtual Console web page (North American)