This week, Zynga announced the release of the new Zynga Poker, which has been given a modern makeover. The company claims to have created “the most authentic and immersive poker experience that mirrors the fun and excitement consumers have on real casino floors – all in a free-to-play social game”. At Slots Temple, we wanted to weigh in and offer up an honest review of the new social and mobile poker app.
The Look
The new Zynga Poker gets straight to the point. There isn’t a super flashy lobby or introduction; the player is taken right to the game selection screen.
While some players may think this is a bit boring, it’s just a lot more useful. When you want to get to gaming, it can be very annoying to click through screens and ads just to be able to join a game.
The look is also quite minimalistic, which supports the more modern direction that Zynga is going in. The in-game graphics just look a bit more polished than they did in previous versions. It really does look like you’re playing at a real site like Poker Stars or Full Tilt Poker.
Social Features
The new Zynga Poker has been equipped with a number of new social features that will engage more players and encourage them to interact with their friends. One of the unique new features is that players will be told when and where their Facebook friends are playing, and they can join up with them instantly.
Players can also take part in Daily Challenges, which encourage players to be more active. For example, there are some challenges which require players to earn a certain number of chips while others require players to win with a particular hand. This is quite a nice touch, and it brings Zynga Poker in line with what other social poker apps are offering.
The Gameplay
When it comes to gameplay, there isn’t very much that is different from the original version. The buttons are a little more noticeable and the gameplay is a little smoother – but the difference isn’t very noticeable.
One new feature that we liked was the hand metre, which lets you know just how strong your hand is. However, it still seems that most of the makeover was applied to the graphics and social features.
Competitors
Zynga Poker no longer has a monopoly on the social gaming market. There is plenty of competition from other operators, but the new Zynga Poker measures up nicely.
There isn’t anything that truly sets Zynga Poker apart from PokerStars Play of the WSOP mobile app, but there isn’t anything that its back either.
When deciding on which app to play, it really depends on which app has more of your friends registered.
