CRIBBAGE KING/GIN KING

FAST LOOKS

For those times when human opponents are scarce, Cribbage King/Gin King substitutes admirably. The people at The Software Toolworks have almost completely captured the feel of these two card games. The package is a two-headed deal—both Gin King and Cribbage King on the same disk.

In Gin King, the only drawback is that you can't arrange your own cards. Otherwise, the game is very accurate and entertaining. You can choose between two styles of gin: gin rummy, in which you can knock (end a hand) with ten or fewer points, and Oklahoma gin, in which you turn up a card from a separate deck and must knock with fewer points than that card indicates.

In Cribbage King, the only drawback is that you can't peg your own points on the cribbage board. An especially nice feature, however, will count your points for you or let you count your own. The second option awards any miscounted points to your opponent, though, so be careful. As in Gin King, the different options in Cribbage King really add to the game's appeal.

In both games, you can choose from several opponents of varying skills. If you don't know how to play cribbage or gin, the Help menu will teach you. Another option lets you play the same hand several times, looking for the best possible way to play the cards.

Graphics are good, with sharp reproductions of the playing cards and a dark green background that looks like a felt tablecloth. The cribbage board is shaded so that the wood looks textured and 3-D.

If you love to play cards, or if you just want to learn some new games, draw Cribbage King/Gin King from the stack of computer packages. You'll enjoy your electronic opponents, and maybe you'll learn some tricks for the next time you face a human across the card table.

HEIDI E. H. AYCOCK