i500 App Reviews

I love the game of 500; it is my all-time favorite bidding, trick-catching card game. I searched a long time before finding this Ap. There were a couple of minor glitches with the previous version that have been corrected along with a requested option that was added (much appreciated). Great Ap that I will continue to play for many hours.

The game itself is really fun, but when playing against computers, everything takes a turn for the worse. Your opponents play horribly, but your partner is even more so. Just hope your partner doesnt bid or prepare to lose. The app occasionally crashes too. Not worth the money until stability is improved and AI gets better.

Looked everywhere for this game too and love to play. I agree with AI comments about bidding and playing, especially playing low trump cards when leading out trump. Also have experienced crashing. Less since last update but still an issue. Biggest problem is it wont save the game when closed. PLEASE allow the game to save on close.

I love 500 but in this ap the computer players dont bid or play with any sense. For example players from opposite team will out bid each other with the same suit, and players will never lead with trump although they have a fist full of trump and can easily get trump out, and the most stupid of all when they trump back in they use their highest trump although they could easily use their lowest and still win the point. Also there still r many people living in the northern US that play this game, but they do it with 5 cards in the blind and all the fours in play. Plz add an option allowing this kind of game play and fix these computer bugs.

Very fun app, but the AI needs to be improved. The AI should try to win tricks. Also, please add the option for 5 cards in the middle and use of all 4s.

I love this game. I play it all the time with my family. This app works great. I do have a few suggestions. 1st when we play if you dont have a card in the suit played you HAVE to play a trump if you have one. 2nd when Ive played the cat had 5 cards not 3. 3rd is the bidding seems off/weird. Even on brave a 6 bid carries far too often. Regardless this is a good app and I love playing 500!

I like this app a lot and was glad to finally find a 500 card game app for iPad. There should be a 5 card kitty option though. It would be nice to control the speed of the card movement, too. I would also like to be able to group my cards myself before I bid. Other than that, Im just happy to finally have a 500 app!

Im a pretty good player, having played with my grandparents, parent, aunts, uncles and neighbors for more than 20 years. I was so looking forward to when this game would come out with an iPad version, and its quite enjoyable! That said, a few suggestions: 1. In bidding, make the icons a little larger 2. When the bid screen is up, arrange it to the directions (NESW) instead of having partners side by side. 3. Add options for Nullo -- is this the same as misere? -- where the partner still plays and protects, and also add the double nullo where both partners can play but neither can take a trick (and this gives 500 points!) 4. Have an option that 6 bid is not enough to play -- its only an "inkle" to your partner of your strength. Play only begins with a 7 bid. 5. Current version has bidder bidding without the joker and bowers -- more thought into bids and require one or more of these high cards. 6. When trumping the computer always seems to select the highest card -- even the joker, when a lower card will do. 7. The computer should not lead trump when only "he" or the partner have it -- it should play into each others hands better so that each can trump the others losers. 8. Immediately after deal, the cards should be sorted by suit. 9. Work on incorporating the widow -- allow all cards to be brought into the hand, then discard the 3 at once -- its easier to read this way. 10. Add an option that only one round of bidding occurs, then play begins. Hope these options can be incorporated -- will make for an even more enjoyable game if my partner isnt always playing in a fashion to get me set!

UPDATE: I am removing this game from my iPhone and iPad. The bidding is SO bad, and the computer has a pathological fear of leading with trump - so both teams are constantly set. I seriously doubt that whoever designed this has ever played this game, regardless of what rules are used. It is the single most frustrating game app Ive had in 3.5 years. =========== Ive always enjoyed playing 500, and was very happy to see this app. That said, the best thing I can say about this is that its never crashed on me. The MAJOR issue I have is the nonsensical bidding, whether you are in the Reluctant, Normal or Brave bidding mode. Its bad enough when your opponents tie up games with horrible bids, but if youre an experienced player, the bidding done by your partner will simply drive you crazy. I dont know if it was intended for your partner to play like a slack-jawed moron, but that was what they created. Your partner will make you want to throw your iPhone/iPad across the room as hard as you can. There is just no logic or reason to the partners bids: The other team will bid 7 of a suit, and your partner will raise the bid to 8 of the same suit -- with 4 in the trump suit, King high, no joker. Your partner will frequently bid if they only have a couple of aces; their trump will be whatever suit they have the most of (which could just be 3 cards in the same suit, with maybe the Queen high - no bower, no joker). Your team is set so fast your head will spin. NEVER, EVER raise your partners bid. If they bid 6 Hearts, and you have the joker, a bower, 2 small trump cards plus an ace in side suit -- just dont raise the bid to 7. I cant estimate the dozens of times I was set because my partners bid was insubstantial to the point of being mythical, and I made the mistake of raising it because my hand augmented the mythical bid so well. Thats the major issue. Minor issues are: 1. It would be nice to be able to inkle. I saw another reviewer suggest that the 6 bid serve the inkle function, with game play only at the 7+ bid level. I think thats a great suggestion. 2. The computer seems to be unable to bid or play Nullo/Misere. Since I can play it well, the inability of my opponents to do so coupled with its high point value (250) seems unfair.

Even though this isnt 5 stars yet I am giving it 5 because the maker listens to suggestions. I agree with the other reviews on what it needs so I wont reiterate them. Why cant u bid misere (nullo) sometimes. Add open misere. We also had a variation called grand slam where when u bid u had to take all tricks and it was worth 500; the catch was ur partner couldnt play but they gave u their "best" one card and then u discarded one. U still got the kitty (middle cards) as normal. I look forward to future updates :-) p.s. Sound effects for the cards also. And some background music or iPod music u can turn off and on wud be cool. Also option for misere bid at any time. Also update partner and opponents ai. They are definitely "stupid" when compared to a human player. Also 5 card kitty option. Also add the "American" version option of "one round" bidding only.

* Joker doesnt play right in misere, (should be able to call as a suit). * Joker doesnt play right in no trump. You can play if youre void in a suit or lead as a suit that hasnt yet been led. * ai is bad. Should lead trump first and play out the trump before the off suit. * ai doesnt ever bid misere, doesnt know how to set misere very well. * ai is horrible at bidding, commonly bids 8 without jacks. * bidding bug where you can bid misere after 8 level and the ai will just keep bidding 8 and I misere back and forth. * I prefer a 5 card kitty, 2 extra black 4s * I prefer having an open misere option or a gran misere option (2 player) * I prefer only playing if at least a 7 level bid is made. 6 level is just for communication.

The rules are somewhat customizable to match the rules Im use to. I would like the option of a 5 card kitty and one round of bidding. Good game overall.

Its fun, but I would love the opportunity to have only one round of bidding and add the fours back into the black suits for a five card kitty!

What an amazing game! Make it a 5 card blind for sure! In my family we bid high and games end quick so you should add a feature where you could set a number of hands to play instead of ending at 500 or -500

This is a fun app for 500 lovers. I agree with the other comments; an option to play with the black fours to make a five card kitty would perfect this app.

I find the game to be quite good and the AI is very true to life with one MAJOR exception - when the AI doesnt have the suit, it will trump with the Joker or a Bower nearly every time instead of with a low trump. This error needs fixing immediately if not sooner.

I found this game and was quite hopeful about it, and overall it is certainly better than not having any game at all. However, the specifics are at odds with what I have historically played, and the options surrounding gameplay are not sufficient to mimic what I have been used to. In explanation, this means a five card blind primarily. But my primary issue with this game is the poor artificial intelligence, for example it plays a highest trump card when a lowest trump would technically do. This has affected the outcome of more than one game, and is a constant source of frustration. Some slight improvements in this area would make thinking him very good, and a couple additional options would improve to five star as far as gameplay.

I was so excited to find this! I was taught 500 by my grandfather 30 years ago. My family played 500 all summer long at my grandparents cabin in N.W. Wisconsin. A few minor updates would make this a 5 star rating and pull in more players. I was skeptical about getting this app because of some of the reviews, but also excited and optimistic about the game because of the designers promise to make updates from requests. I am hooked! One thing missing as previously mentioned is better A.I. Computer players need to play smaller trump cards instead of using the Joker or Bauer to trump a trick. I would also love to see the option of if a 5 card blind (by removing all the 2 and 3 cards from the deck). Please keep updating! Thank you for making this game!!!

We really need the option of a 5 hand kitty (or blind). Its hard to play when youre used to playing with the 5 hand blind. Other wise its a great game!

The rules were easy to understand; the cards are easy to see, so Im having fun. Having never played before, it seems like it will be an entertaining game.