Arcade Poker is Smashing!

It's Wednesday, meaning during a good week we get some (hopefully also good) new Xbox Live Arcade game. Today's release is Poker Smash from Void Star Creations. This was one of those oddly hyped releases that got good previews, good reviews from major outlets, and was just pretty heavily promoted. So what was the catch?

I guess people were just so shocked that somebody turned out what seems to be a new gem in the XBLA lineup. Look, I don't play poker (which right now causes me to play this is a color-matching puzzle, and thus fail quickly and often), and I am not all that good at color-matching puzzles either. Yet I still felt compelled to give these people my points after just a few minutes of playing the trial, simply because the thing seems so polished.

The graphics are pretty, the colors pop, the tutorials are good, and music doesn't suck. Even the menu is just sort of sexy somehow, with what seems like smoke and embers floating in the background. In fact, the whole game, with it's curved semi-transparent boxes strongly reminds me of a Vista sidebar gadget.

I still have to get Monica to try the split-screen multiplayer with me (I just can't go online with my present poker-less disposition), but the standard and puzzle modes somehow make me want to play more, despite the pretty low scores I am getting.

Two more things. First, currently there is a Play & Win Sweepstakes until February 13, where you can win an Xbox 360 Elite or 4000 MS points simply by downloading the game - even just the free trial! Looks like the push behind this game continues. Ironically, it's good enough that it doesn't need half this promotion, but maybe this bodes well for future XBLA releases, many of which need their time in the spotlight.

Number two: listen to the Baron and fight Zanthue!