Entertainment Pack for OS/2 is a simple but valuable shareware package of 17 (yes, 17) classic games including Battleship, Backgammon, Checkers, Connect Four, Master Mind, Memory, a couple variations on Mine Sweeper, Othello, Pac Man, Pegged, a soko-ban type game, Tetris, a sort of super-Tic Tac Toe, Worm, and a few puzzle games. To be honest, the reason I call the package valuable is that with this many games included you're almost certain to find something that will end up wasting your time (and I mean that in a good way). The games in Entertainment Pack are very basic and won't win any game of the year awards.

The package has been around in some form since at least 1994 and the author, Peter Wansch, has been steadily adding games and features to it ever since. New in this latest incarnation are Checkers, Puzzle and Worm and multimedia support for all the games. The games also come with a simple installation program that will unpack the compressed files, place them in a selectable directory and create a folder and program objects on your desktop.

The Games

What this package reminds me of most is the MicroLearn GamePack Volume I. It's not nearly as well done as the MLGP was and not all the games are duplicated but there are enough similarities to justify the comparison. For example, both packages include many quick and simple games with plain graphics and both contain versions of mine sweeper and a soko-ban game. As I said, the games in the Entertainment Pack for OS/2, although there are more of them, aren't quite as professionally done as the ones in the MLGP, but for this type of game, it almost doesn't matter. My one real complaint about the games in Entertainment Pack for OS/2 is that the ones with computer opponents often aren't very challenging. Most have settings from beginner to advanced but some (for example Backgammon) don't.

Many sound effects have been included in v1.7 but due to problems with MMPM, in the words of the author, "sound dropouts can occur or the sound can even be muted in a game." As many OS/2 users already know, MMPM can cause a lot more problems than just dropped sounds. Some users may experience program crashes or even Trap errors when using these games with sound turned on. Fortunately, each game has a settings dialog that allows sounds to be assigned to individual events or to be turned off completely. And if you really want to make sure they don't make a peep, you can always just delete the .WAV files from the directory you have installed them in. The Details There are too many games in the pack to go into much detail here but fortunately most of them will be so familiar to you that they probably don't need much explanation. Briefly, this is what is included:

Battleship: The classic board game is done justice in this computerized version. The interface is simple enough that you probably won't need to read the instructions to learn how to position your ships and start bombing your opponent's. A nice touch is the small sinking ship animation when a ship is destroyed. It's simple enough that you'll get bored of it in about half an hour though.

Backgammon: My curse, this game is the perfect time waster. It's not too challenging but there is some skill involved. The computer in this version is not the world's best player though and there is no expert level of play. Sometimes (OK, most of the time) it's just too easy to beat. The graphics are plain but nice (gif 12k). One complaint I have is that older versions had slow, medium and fast animation (of the pieces) speeds while the newest has only fast, slow and none. These are either too fast to follow your opponent's actions or too slow to endure. Still, a good combination of luck and skill.

Checkers: What can I say? It's checkers. This version uses the forced jump rule and the user can define how many levels ahead the computer calculates at the different levels of play. Unless you're a real fanatic checkers fan, you'll get tired of this one quickly.

Connect Four: Again, a simple version of the classic game. The user can set the level of play and whether he or the computer starts. The interface is as simple as possible. I'll admit that even on the easiest level I'm not able to beat this one!

Galaxy: This game is a variation on the mine sweeper theme. The playfield is a simple grid of horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines and somewhere on the intersections of those lines are four hidden satellites. You have to find the four hidden satellites from clues about the number of satellites that are in a straight line from each position you uncover. This one will make you think.

Master Mind: The classic game with a four colour code chosen from six possible colours. The user must guess the colours in the correct order within twelve tries. Entertaining but repetitive.

Memory: A memory puzzle (gif 9k) where the player must uncover the matching tiles. The game has default bitmaps or the user can specify a directory with bitmaps in it for the game to use. The user can also specify the number of tiles. Great for killing time.

Mine Sweeper: Yet another version of this popular game. It's not as well done as some (for example the copy included in the MicroLearn Game Pack) but it has the basic features. If you're an addict it might get you through the day but I've seen better.

Othello: Again, a plain computerization of the familiar board game. The user plays against the computer to capture as many playing squares as he can. I've never been fond of this game (a little too taxing for my brain) but if you are, it will be adequate for you.

Pac: A simple port of the arcade classic, Pac Man. You're the little yellow guy who eats dots, fruit, and sometimes, ghosts. The sounds aren't as good as the original and the animation is a little, well, off. Overall though the game is a faithful port and worth killing some time.

Pegged: A peg-in-hole game that has been around since humans learned to walk upright. The object is to jump adjacent pegs, removing them as you do, until there is only one left. For variation, the original positions of the pegs can be switched between seven different patterns but no ability is included to create your own starting patterns. Once you've solved the puzzles the game loses it's appeal.

Puzzle: Slide the tiles of a jumbled up bitmap within a large square to try to arrange them so they complete a picture. Reminiscent of the handheld units of my childhood this one excites me about as much as they did.

Store: A soko-ban game (gif 7k) where the player pushes crates with a tiny tractor to get them in specified positions. Simple but fun.

Tetravex: Another puzzle game where pieces with numbers or letters on all four sides must be aligned on a square grid with their edges matching. This one is fun but it requires attention.

Tetris: Not the best port I've ever seen but it's got the basic features. If you really want to play tetris for a long time I'd definitely recommend Stris or one of the other standalones.

Tic Tac Toe: On first glance this is just the basic 3x3 tic tac toe playfield where you place your markers and the computer counters with the same old predictable moves. However this version has the option of a 3x3x3 or 4x4x4 playfield where 3 in a row (or 4 in a row if you're using the 4x4x4 version) can be achieved in 3 dimensions. Definitely the best variation on a traditional game to be found in the package.

Worm: The player must guide a worm (gif 8k) around obstacles to eat cherries on the screen. As the worm travels it loses strength and will die if it doesn't get to the cherries in time. If it hits a wall it's also lights out. And as it eats, its tail gets longer leaving yet another obstacle for its head to avoid. Simple but fun.

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