Have you noticed how often the casino theme comes up in video games? From GTA to Fallout New Vegas, casino gambling is a recurring motif.
On the one hand, there’s often an escapist element to both playing at a casino and playing a video game. At a deeper level, the link between gaming and casino gaming may lie in shared psychological hooks: anticipation, risk-taking, and the pursuit of reward. Whatever the nature of this link, however, game developers have returned to the casino theme regularly throughout the history of the industry. Here are some of the most notable examples of casinos in video games.
The Gold Saucer from Final Fantasy VII
Okay, so this oasis in the Corel Desert wasn’t much like a real casino, but it had some of the allure of the gambling venue, and will be long remembered by Final Fantasy VII fans, not least because of its catchy theme song. The Golden Saucer didn’t entangle the player in anything resembling real gambling, there was just some betting related to Chocobos, but there were also plenty of mini games to keep you sharp. It was also possible to win GP from these games, which you could then trade for more powerful gear. Above all, the Golden Saucer was a break from the drama of the main game.
Crypt Casino in Ni No Kuni
The casino in Ni No Kuni is much more familiar, well, as familiar as a casino staffed by skeletons can be. The best way to think about the Crypt Casino is as a sort of kitschy, gothy Las Vegas, complete with vampires and witches as dealers. You will find a recognisable version of blackjack here, along with a few slot machines, and if you don’t want to play those luck-based games, you can try your hand at strategic card game Double Cross, which sees you guiding two characters out of a maze.
The New Vegas Strip from Fallout New Vegas
Where would you go to find a casino in 2024? Well, if you’re looking for an online casino, you may start with a site like Sister Casino Finder and consider your options. If you happen to be living in New Vegas, however, there’s plenty of places to go to indulge your gambling inclinations.
In fact, there are multiple gambling options dotted around the Mojave Wastes, but the most notable are congregated in the New Vegas Strip. This is a part of the game world that appears to be largely undamaged by falling bombs and that retains some of the sparkle of the real-world Vegas.
Each of the casinos on the Strip is run by a different game, so each has a different theme, and you can play everything from blackjack to slots. Crucially, unlike the previous two casinos, in this case, the gambling dens are relevant to the game’s plot, serving as the backdrop for multiple story points.
Casinos And Gambling Halls in the Yakuza Series
In Japan, gambling is largely illegal, and since the Yakuza series is based around the criminal underworld, it is no surprise to find various casinos and gambling dens in these games. In fact, you can find pretty much any casino game in this world, from venues that offer poker, slots, roulette and blackjack to more Japanese-focused casinos that give you the option to play koi koi or Oicho-kabu. Of course, getting access to these venues often requires a degree of ingenuity or being in with the right person, and they can be dangerous places.
Diamond Casino from GTA Online
Staying with the theme of realistic gambling venues, the Diamond Casino and Resort that features in GTA Online may be the most true-to-life reproduction in any video game. Gambling is legal in this game world, so there’s no requirement to ingratiate yourself with any underworld figures to gain access to the gambling games, and you can play a variety of real world casino games, while mingling with the assorted high society figures to be found on the casino floor.
Fortune City from Dead Rising 2
Dealing with a zombie apocalypse can be tiring, so what better way to unwind than to spend a little time at a casino. In Dead Rising 2, Fortune City is the place to go if you want to mix up your zombie survival battles with a little gaming. The city is an enormous mall, holiday resort and casino hub, clearly modelled on Las Vegas and there’s plenty to do there, including spending time gaming in its five casinos. Finding a dealer to run the blackjack or roulette table might be more of a challenge, however, given the prevailing recruitment issues in the gameworld.