Gambling was always a fascinating way for people to spend time - and often money. And they were always looking for the thrill of playing various casino games without having to spend a cent. This is probably why casino simulators never went out of style. Over the years, many developers have built games around the fascinating world of casinos, covering everything from bingo and scratch cards to table games like roulette and card games like blackjack. Even though they looked nothing like their modern-day counterparts, like the new Ivory Citadel online slot machine, they were just as enjoyable and thrilling.
Many independent developers have put forth their own take on simulated gambling over the years. One of the games to stand out was part of the “Leisure Suit Larry” franchise that was not exactly aimed at children.
The “Leisure Suit Larry” series
Leisure Suit Larry was created by Al Lowe, Sierra’s legendary game designer and programmer. The series follows the escapades of Larry Laffer, a middle-aged geek who, after a life spent hiding behind a screen, becomes obsessed with the fairer sex, and goes on a quest to seduce as many as possible. As you might expect, he rarely succeeds.
His awkward attempts to become successful with the ladies made him one of the most popular video game characters of the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The games built around his misadventures have been re-released and remade well into the 2010s.
The original “Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards” was first released in 1987 on DOS and Apple II and later ported to pretty much every popular platform at the time. The game was remade first in 1991, then once again in 2013 as a result of a successful Kickstarter campaign. The latest game in the series was released in 2018. It was called “Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry”, and it was released by the German game development studio CrazyBunch. The game puts Larry Laffer into a 21st-century environment where he has to navigate through the complicated dating scene of our times. The game was launched for Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.
Crazy Nick's Leisure Suit Larry Casino
“Crazy Nick's Leisure Suit Larry Casino” was released in 1992 by the now-defunct Sierra On-Line. It was launched in Sierra’s “Nick's Picks” budget game series. It consists of three mini-games - a slot machine, a video poker game, and BlackJack. The players start with 100 LarryDollars which they can play with - if the funds run out, there is a possibility for a loan. The game is built with decent graphics for the time but nothing aside from its branding set it apart from the many similar games released.
The game has an “abandonware” status today.
