The Xbox One is known for having a pretty sizable selection of casino and gambling games. More than ever, video games are including versions of casino games in their storylines and as key components of gameplay, and when you pair that with the ability to play with friends from across the globe, it’s not surprising that they’ve gotten quite a following.
If you want to find out how to play casino-themed video games for Xbox, then we’ll show you how to do just that in the following.
The Perfect Example: The Four Kings Casino and Slots on Xbox One
The best example we have of these types of games being really popular on the Xbox One probably comes with The Four Kings Casino and Slots, a game that was released in 2015 but still maintains a ton of relevance with constant updates and innovations.
However, when you play with online casinos and other types of establishments, you get a game selection that far exceeds what you can find even in Four Kings Casino and Slots. The typical casino games junkie enjoys access to hundreds of different games, including slots and blackjack, and it’s not just the variety of games that’s different; you can keep what you win.
Having said that, what makes Four Kings such a great option on this console is that it allows you to customize so much of your experience. You’re given a customized avatar that will make his or her way through the casino to play everything from blackjack to slots to roulette and even bingo, which isn’t always seen as a game in the “casino” genre specifically but that is included here anyway.
When you take your play online in real money casinos, you’ll have a similar type of experience, but instead of guiding an avatar through a virtual world, you’ll be the player picking out which games you want to play on your computer and mobile device. This means that you can play from home or while you’re on the go, which is an advantage that you don’t get when playing from the Xbox One.
Comparing the Game Selections
The number of games available is one of the main reasons cited for the dominance of the sub-genre when The Four Kings Casino and Slots is reviewed by players. By comparison, something like Red Dead Redemption only has a limited number of casino titles available, including poker, and they mostly form parts of side-plots that aren’t actually central to the overall play of the game or the unfolding of the story.
Even going back a decade or two, titles from the Grand Theft Auto franchise (San Andreas in particular) had different casino games available, but the selection was basic, the gameplay was limited and the interface was a bit clunky.
Talking about the number of games can lead players to mistakenly believe that quality is sacrificed for the sake of having a large number of titles available. This is an understandable misconception. Instead, what usually happens is that you have so many different software providers with content at each individual site that you are given tons of ways to get in on the action without having to sacrifice the quality of your experience.
The Poker Tables: Pure Hold’em and Prominence Poker
A lot of gambling play happens on console through the two most popular poker games as well, and those are Pure Hold’em and Prominence Poker for Xbox. You’ll have complete multi-player support and the ability to mix it up with players from across the world in some high-level action no matter if you prefer cash games or tournaments.
The visuals are pretty strong with avatars sitting around a table enjoying the action. However, because it’s always for “play money,” the level of competition only reaches a certain level. If you do well at the tables in these games and really think that you have what it takes to step your game up to the next level, then going into a real money online poker environment might be the next step that you want to look into.
Players also like to be able to take their play with them, especially in a game like poker where you may have a minute or two between actions at the table due to waiting on everyone else to play their hand. It’s not a big surprise that the market for mobile online poker has increased tremendously in correlation with the increase of popularity of these MMORPG-style poker games on consoles like the Xbox One because it’s the next logical step for players who want the same type of experience but while they’re on the go and while they’re playing for real money.
The Influence of Red Dead Redemption and Modern Games
We mentioned Red Dead Redemption above, but its influence is pretty serious for this generation of video games in terms of how casino titles are incorporated and used. Texas Hold’em is the most popular game played in it, and that ties into the popularity of poker on the Xbox One and the tie-in with other types of gambling, but it also included some more obscure options like betting on arm wrestling and Liar’s Dice.
While these games are fun in a historical context, players have a hard time relating when it comes to playing these games for fun on their own when they aren’t a part of another story. However, that’s not the case with more modern casino games like blackjack, Baccarat and craps, all of which have seen a boost in popularity through how they’ve been portrayed in popular media (including video games), so it’s easy to see why so many players have made the switch to playing for real money.
