A Life of Crime

Now, I'd never encourage crime. However, if you're from a terrible, oppressed country and your one wish is to whisk your lady love off to a land of dreams and happiness, I guess I could possibly let it slide. That's more or less the premise of Tic-A-Tac Royale, where you and you're fiance have snuck aboard the S.S. Tic-A-Tac with a forged ticket. Luckily for you, the steward that catches you is as generous as I am and has offered to sneak you aboard the ship if you master a little game of his. What is this game? Why Tic-A-Tac, of course! Just play along. If it ever gets out that the steward let two stowaways on board in exchange for a rousing game of cards, he'll more than likely lose his job. Don't despair, however! Bill, the steward, insists that Tic-a-Tac is "all the rage." I'd like to know where he picked up that kind of slang.

Game On!

Following his strange proposal, Bill will then entrust you with the instructions of the game. Tic-a-Tac has a rather simple premise, but it can lead to hours and hours of fun. Keep in mind that there are several versions of the game on the ship, but they all revolve around the same tic-tac-toe-based rule structure. It's pretty amazing that this many fun games were made from tic-tac-toe, given the game's simplicity.

All of the games revolve around a 9-square grid, just like the kind you would use in, you guessed it, tic-tac-toe. Here are some of the games and their rules:

• 21 - In this take off of the classic card game, you'll set cards down in the grid in an attempt to form 21 in as many lines as possible. Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines all count. Each turn you're dealt a new card and you can discard up to five times.
• Poker - Using the same principle as the above game, you try to make as many poker hands as possible. Again, you can discard five cards.

• Dice - Craps has always been a popular casino game, especially in Las Vegas, so it only makes sense that they would try to include it here. Using the grid, arrange dice so that you can form as many 7s and 11s as possible.

Keep in mind, that's three of the many games available. I didn't even get into duel games, where you'll face off against a computer opponent, scramble games, or the fast-paced drop games.

Show Me The Money

Of course, money plays a big part here, as you'll always be laying it on the line. Each game has a buy-in amount and once you reach a certain amount of cash, new levels of the ship - along with new games - will become available to you. It always comes down to money, doesn't it.

All Aboard!

Do they say "all aboard" for boats, or is that just trains? Do they say it at all anymore? I sure hope so, because this is one cruise that you won't want to miss. Who needs sunny beaches when you have Tic-a-Tac Royale, one of the most addictive games that I've had the pleasure of playing.