Texas Wuggle, available for the iPhone and iPod touch from 4j Studios Ltd., is part poker and part puzzle. The app is great for both the poker player and the puzzle master, as it combines the thrill of poker with the game of Wuggle. Texas Wuggle has nice graphics that look like they were pulled out of a comic book and sets the scene well as you play the first level in the “Old Warehouse.”
The game can be played in two ways: You have the option to choose either the “Survivor” or “Spree” mode of play. Survivor is a much faster-paced version, as you race against the clock while trying to get as many poker hands and points as possible before the clock runs out. Spree is the same, but without the fast pace. In Spree mode, there is no clock and play stops after 10 hands, or when the bank is drained.
The basic game is that you try to get as many points as possible by getting the best poker hand possible. Your score gets better in Spree mode the better you hand is, and in Survivor mode, the faster you can play. Cards appear on the screen and you are able to bid with a flick of the finger from your stacks of chips. Players are allowed to “bomb” out cards they do not like to get new ones. Once you have a hand you want to play, line up the cards and with a swipe of your finger, send them out.
I liked the graphics and the interactivity of Texas Wuggle. Lining up the cards, especially in a race against time, isn’t easy, but it’s not so hard that your can’t do it either. I thought the game presented an interesting balance between difficulty and ease of play. Regular poker players will have a leg up, too, as the biggest part of the game involves setting up and choosing your hands. Still, Texas Wuggle couldn’t keep me interested for too long. I kept wishing I was just playing poker in a smoky room with a couple of friends and a few beers.
