DejaVu Software Right of Way 1.07

John Ottini | Handheld PC Reviews
February 5, 2007

Right of Way 1.07 by DejaVu Software Inc is an excellent rendition of the classic card game Mille Borne (aka Mile Stones) in which you compete in a road race against a (in this case a Handheld PC computer) opponent. If you’ve never played it, this is fast paced and additive card game that consists of a series of 700 mile (distance) races where the winner and loser of each race score points for completing various aspects of each race. The point scores are accumulated after each race until you or your opponent; reach 5000 points, whereby a match winner is declared.

Unfortunately, just like real racing, you will have to overcome many obstacles (Hazard Cards) placed along the way, such as flat tires, accidents, out of gas, speed limit and stop signs, but unlike real racing your opponent will be the one placing the obstacles in your way in order to slow you down. To overcome these obstacles, you must learn to use the Remedy and Safety cards to your best advantage; doing so, will improve your chances of winning each race. Of course, you will also be doing your share of trying to stop or slow down your opponent with the use of Hazard cards, after all - all is fair in love and racing!

About the Rules

The rules of the game are pretty straight forward and are explained quite clearly in the built-in help files. I debated whether to go into more details about explaining the rules, but I decided against it because I did not want to bore you with minute details about each card and what it represents. Player who are already familiar with this game will be able to jump right in with minimal instructions, while players who have never played before will need to take the time to read the rules, understand the strategy and learn the meaning of each card set. This software does a very nice job of tallying and tracking your score, so your main focus is limited to playing the game and having a lot of fun

When all is said and done, this is an easy game to learn, after all, I remember playing this game when I was 10 or 11 years old….long before I became the genius that I am today! (Ha, Ha)

What are my Options?

Unlike the actual card game, this software version provides the user with several options that make playing the game so much more enjoyable. No need to go looking for an opponent because DejaVu Software has provided an excellent multi-level computer opponent who will challenge you with 4 different level settings: Trivial, Basic, Advanced & Expert. If you are just learning to play the game then, Trivial or Basic is what you are looking for to get you started; otherwise you are on your own!

The overall graphics, animation and sound are pretty good, but not very flashy. Cards are moved by double tapping or dragging them, while card animation and sound can be switched on or off, depending on your preference. You can choose to have this software automatically keep all the cards on the screen in viewing order and you can easily view the Score Window at anytime before, after or during game play.

Obviously, I don’t endorse cheating, but if that is your inclination (shame on you!), the options allow you to view your opponent’s cards, show card counts or reset the match if you are losing badly.

Final Thoughts

I must admit that I really like what DejaVu Software has done with this game. If I could change one thing about this software, I would expand the graphics to fit my Handheld PCs full screen, thereby eliminating the clutter caused by having to view my desktop (in the background) while playing the game. It may seem a bit trivial, but sometimes it’s small changes that can enhance the enjoyment of the software? If you enjoy fast paced card games, then I recommend that you take Right of Way for a test run.… I think you’ll enjoy the thrill of racing.

Download It Here!

A limited trial version of Right of Way 1.07 is available for download from the DejaVu Software website. Right of Way is distributed as shareware, so please be sure to register and pay the $15 USD (£8.11 GBP, €11.60 EUD, ¥1622 JPY est.) if you enjoy playing the game and want the full version.

By the way, I can tell you first hand that DejaVu Software provides excellent software support, so if you have any questions or uncertainties about Right of Way, please don’t hesitate to drop them an email.

System Requirements

Windows CE 2.0 or greater
StrongArm, XScale, MIPS, SH3, SH4

More information on DejaVu Software Right of Way 1.07 can be found at
http://www.dejavusoftware.com/

Ratings

Cost: Usability: Built-in Help: Customer Service: Overall:	Pros: Nice colorful graphics, competitive game play, all at a reasonable price Cons: Minor gripe, the interface graphic image does not use the entire H/PC screen to it full potential

Further Discussion