Blackjack, despite being one of the oldest casino games, is still one of the most popular games. The game has withstood numerous variations and numerous mediums, remaining itself throughout its history. But people are still interested in its variations and in playing it in different ways.
Video games have a much greener history than that of blackjack – the former only really knocking around for 30 years, compared with the latter’s storied history. However, video games haven’t been shy about incorporating blackjack as a mini game or even as the main crux of the game. Be it through PC, console, or handheld devices, playing blackjack rounds in video games is not only possible but standard practice in certain genres.
What games are they in?
Video game fans might have a long list of games where they know they can find a blackjack table. For us, we’re focusing on four:
Resident Evil 7
In Resident Evil 7, there is a DLC pack that allows you to play blackjack, but if you know what these styles of games are all about, of course it has a twist. This is very unique because blackjack, in all transparency, is one of the easiest card games to pick up and one of the most straightforward.
So you really would see it as a challenge for this to be turned into such an immersive and mesmerising game. As is typical with Resident Evil, instead of playing for chips in a casino, instead of something so simple like money, your life’s on the line in this game of blackjack. Just like the best blackjack sites provide an immersive experience, so too do some of the best action games.
Aside from the blackjack DLC, the game itself is absolutely fantastic, and if you’ve not familiarised yourself with the franchise as a whole, you absolutely should. The storyline and gameplay are absolutely gripping, so much so that it has led to it thriving all of this time.
Rockstar’s Gems: GTA San Andreas and Read Dead Redemption 2
Another big name franchise that features a casino within its virtual world and where you can play blackjack and other games such as video poker is GTA San Andreas. It’s the franchise needs no introduction.
The game’s studio Rockstar are no strangers to leaving mini-games and niche experiences for players to find, to stumble upon. So to find blackjack in the game, players have to head to the Four Dragons and Caligula Casino. There, unlike in Resident Evil 7, you’ll be met with the version of blackjack you’ll be most familiar with – just set in this most beloved virtual world.
But Rockstar didn’t stop at San Andreas – they continued on to one of their most recent releases: Red Dead Redemption 2. There are many different locations throughout the game where you can play games such as poker, blackjack, and even retro dominoes. RDR2 was known for the amount of detail that players can experience within the walls of its virtual world, and this just goes to justify that statement. It also acts as a perfect way to take a break if you’re struggling or fed up with the main storyline.
Fallout New Vegas
Fresh off the back of a new and successful TV adaptation by uber-TV showrunner Jonathan Nolan – brother of uber-film director Christopher Nolan – the Fallout franchise has garnered new attention. It’s undoubtedly a great franchise that is now spanning multiple media, but Fallout New Vegas holds an interesting point in its history: a game well-received but not beloved upon its release, which has been reevaluated to be an absolute cult classic and one of the best video game releases of all time.
Although the game is favoured for its 1st or 3rd person action, as well as its dystopian setting and open-world map, players have noted it for its incorporation of gambling mini-games. In its range, there are slot machines and, importantly for our interests, blackjack. It appears in this game in its most traditional format, with the key difference being its post-apocalyptic!
In Summary
This article should serve as a great introduction to which video games feature blackjack. One reason why blackjack has been so successful all of these years is that it is so simple to play and easy to pick up. It doesn’t have a lot of rules and variants to understand, unlike another card game such as poker or a table game like roulette. And as it has lasted all of this time so far, it’s hard to see its popularity diminish anytime soon.
