The Best Casinos and Casino Games in Video Games
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Go back thousands of years into the past, and you’ll find examples of gambling between friends or opponents. Gambling has been a pastime for centuries if not more, and has invaded every part of society. That goes double for online gambling which is growing bigger together with the tech industry. Each new technological development quickly finds its way to online casinos. VR and crypto casinos are already a thing, and due to the industry’s far reach, so are casinos in video games.
We’re not kidding. If you haven’t come across them by now, you’ll see the best casinos in video games below. Some are just a gimmick, but others are carefully designed casinos with dozens of games you can even play by the standard rules. If you’re in for a bit of relax time or you can’t resist the lights and sounds of casinos in video games, here are the best to check out.
The Strip (Fallout: New Vegas)
Is there a better post-nuclear RPG game out there? Don’t answer that – it’s rhetorical. A lot of it rides on the fact that New Vegas was so carefully designed. Even after a nuclear war, the Strip remained all bright and neon-like, conveying the message that gambling will always prevail.
There are many gambling options in the post-nuclear Mojave Desert. But, none shine brighter than the Strip. It has been rebuilt with materials at hand and it’s all thanks to the aptly-named Mr. House. You can head in several casinos and play blackjack, roulette, or slots. Of course, you need to be responsible about it before the casinos strips you of your chips. Oh, and keep in mind that the house always wins – it’s Mr. House in this case.
Shamal Casino (Hitman: Blood Money)
Hitman: Blood Money isn’t one of the most celebrated games in the series. That’s up to a personal preference as we loved it. We also loved the always-intricate and innovative level design. Leave it to I/O and the Hitman series to create a level that’s bursting with life, just like the 10 mission in the game where the assassin heads to Vegas’ Shamal casino.
It’s a fictional casino, as expected, but the world inside is just so real. The casino is well-guarded so don’t go out with the guns blazing approach. Instead, you need to plan your steps carefully in order to eliminate your targets. There are many creative ways to do so at the tables, but we won’t spoil the fun.
Inkwell Hell (Cuphead)
Our favorite rubber hose video game has a casino too. It’s not as extensive as the Strip or Shamal, but the Devil’s Casino is just as hard to beat any other. The whole premise of the game lies in the Devil’s casino. In the opening sequence, Cuphead and Mugman are playing craps and lose, selling their souls to the Devil to pay off their debts. You know how it goes later – they travel collecting souls and fight complex battles until the end of their journey.
While it’s not explorable as the other casinos on this list, the final boss battle takes place in the Devil’s casino. It’s one of the things that made it such as finely tuned hit, despite the fact it’s as hard as winning in a casino.
Casinos and Gambling Halls in the Yakuza Series
The Yakuza series have a seriously real-life approach to the Yakuza concept. From the first to the last game in the series, you’ll be playing like a Yakuza assassin or boss, and that means collecting money from casinos and pachinko parlors. Many of them are scattered throughout the series, offering blackjack, roulette, poker, and pachinko.
While gambling is illegal in Japan, it’s not illegal to have these games within other video games. Being an Asian game, you can also enjoy mahjong, koi koi, and pachinko. It’s always a blast to hit some of these casinos, and possibly collect your protection money when you’re done. That’ll cover the losses.
Casino Night Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog 2)
Casino Night Zone is one of the most popular casinos of all time. It’s also one of the oldest, having featured in 1992’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It’s not the only one – there’s Casinopolis in Sonic Adventure or Sonic Forces’ Casino Forest. But, it’s the most significant one.
As the first casino level in the series, it has a fantastic visual appeal. It’s also a pretty tough level to beat which adds to the myth behind it. Oh, and it has a playable slot machine mini game. The game may be decades old, but it showed what developers could do back in the day perfectly.
The Diamond Casino (GTA Online)
GTA Online is the reason we still haven’t seen GTA 6. Rockstar is content to just reaping money from microtransactions in GTA Online, building a whole new world that includes casinos. The Diamond casino stands tall among them, simulating a real-life Vegas casino to the book.
If you’re just tired of bank heists or stealing cars, that’s where you go to relax. There’s entertainment aplenty, from regular blackjack tables and roulette wheels to high-stakes poker games. All virtual, of course, but all very real too. You can win or lose at the tables if you’re not careful, so previous knowledge is very much needed and welcome. Of course, those in-game bucks don’t come easy, so make sure not to blow your bankroll in one try.
Crypt Casino (Ni No Kuni)
This spooky gambling lair holds a special spot in the hearts of Ni No Kuni fans. All the dealers and staff are skeletons in this underworld casino. Well, there are a few witches and vampires, but it’s mostly skeletons for this Halloween party. Except it’s not such a party.
Nevertheless, the Crypt offers a gothic entertainment adventure with blackjack, poker, and slot machines. The minigames are playable with the credits you earn in game, so watch out on your bankroll. Decisions are not easy to make, so you may want to brush up on your blackjack rules before playing it.
