Bob Kane’s iconic comic book villain—who sometimes leaves a joker at the scene of his crimes as a calling card—is one of the most interesting evildoers of all time, with Oscar-winning actors including Joaquin Phoenix, Heath Ledger, Jared Leto, and Jack Nicholson finding fodder in his unique psychopathy.

The joker has also found its way into popular music, such as Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle with You,” in which singer Gerry Raferty complains about being trapped between clowns and jokers—leaving him (and his unnamed friend) as the only trustworthy and dependable people in the room.

Still, the joker’s chief function remains that of a playing card. And in that capacity, it has many roles and a rich history.

The story of the joker

Playing cards have been around in various forms for more than a thousand years, but a joker is a relatively new addition to the deck.

Jokers were invented in America in the 1850s to be used as trump cards in Euchre, a trick-taking card game popular during the Civil War. At first, they simply carried instructions on how to use them in the game. But by the 1860s, some jokers had pictures of a court jester, meant to fit thematically alongside a deck’s kings and queens.

Eventually, the joker found its way into modern French-suited decks, which are the cards we know and use today. Getting two per pack became standard sometime around 1940. But, in a handful of countries, decks have three or more jokers for regional games that require them, such as German Rummy.

The joker’s many faces

As jokers were added to common decks, people began to figure out ways to use them in other games, such as Canasta, Crazy Eights, and Go Fish.

In some games, like Gin Rummy, the joker simply serves as a wild card that can be used to fill in gaps. In others, it may take on a specific value or rank and can be used to complete certain types of hands, such as flushes or straights. Sometimes it’s coveted—one variation of War makes it the highest value card—and sometimes players need to avoid it, as in Old Maid, where it represents the losing card.

There’s really no limit to the joker’s versatility! You can have them sub in for a card that’s either been damaged or is missing from the deck, magicians often like to incorporate them in card tricks, and many people have even taken to collecting jokers from different packs as a hobby.

The joker’s role at the casino

The joker isn’t used in most Ontario casino table games, but there are a couple of places where you may still see it pop up.

Pai Gow Poker, for example, incorporates a single joker and uses it as what’s sometimes called a “bug.” It generally serves as a fifth ace, which makes it very important since five aces is the best possible five-card hand there is in the game. However, it can also be used as a wild card in specific situations, such as taking the place of a single missing card in a straight or flush. This makes it an integral part of the game. You can learn more about Pai Gow Poker strategies here.

The only other place you’re likely to find a joker in an Ontario casino is in the slot aisles, where it might appear as a visual theme in some games. There’s no way to use it to your advantage in these games, though, since slot wins and losses are always pure chance.

Jokers may be welcome to clown around at home with your friends and family, but it turns out they’re just a little too wild for most casino games.

So where do all those unused jokers go?

Card decks used in Ontario casinos still come with two jokers per pack. What happens to the unneeded jesters? Funnily enough, casinos actually take the handling and disposal of jokers pretty seriously.

Whenever a fresh deck is opened on the casino floor, the jokers are removed by hand before being “cancelled” with a marker to ensure they can’t be used accidentally. Then they’re placed back in the box and stored until they can be delivered to a company that specializes in destroying and disposing of sensitive materials.

So if you’ve ever wondered why the joker never pops up while you’re playing Blackjack, now you know!

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos is a title within the long-running franchise that has recently been released. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is a remake of one of its franchise’s most beloved titles. That said, we are here to ask which game is technically superior. That is a question that we hope to provide an answer to today by examining the strengths and weaknesses of both games, comparing and contrasting the two, and providing the player with an informative result. So, with all of the technicalities out of the way. We present to you Harvest Moon: The Wind of Anthos Vs. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. 

What is Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos?

Players are able to keep a variety of animals on their farm. Some you can keep as pets, others as livestock to raise. The raising of these animals serves as the main gameplay loop for Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos. Along the way, players can meet a variety of villagers, and help them with a variety of problems. In addition, the game features a romance system in which players are able to choose from the five available bachelors and bachelorettes respectively.

In addition to these inclusions, the game also features contests and festivals for players to participate in. This really gives the game a lived-in feel and adds to the festivity of the game. There are also rare minerals and materials for players to find throughout the world of Anthos as well, rewarding patient and adamant players with fantastic resources. The game might be noticeably lighter on the social aspects than Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, but for some players, that’s just fine.

What is Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life

Continuing on today, here we have Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. Serving as a remake of a beloved classic such as Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, this title had a lot of potential to live up to. The land of the Forgotten Valley initially seems to open itself up to the player. The many memorable characters in the game serve to form bonds with the player as you continue on your journey, which is great. Each of the villagers in this game feels distinct. In terms of the sheer amount of bachelors and bachelorettes in the game. Tt outweighs Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos, with eight total romance options compared to the former’s five.

This might be an aspect that many players consider, making it a great point to pick one over the other. Aiding in this feeling of player choice and longevity. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life allows players to live out a full life. This inherently makes it more in-depth as a whole from that perspective. Players are able to see their character’s age, marry, have children, and more. This can really serve as a point of interest for players who enjoy that style of long-form gameplay.

There is also a wealth of new content added to the game that wasn’t present in its initial release. These inclusions cover things such as new marriage options, and animals, as well as seasonal events. As well as enhancements to the overall gameplay loop. While to some, it may be lacking the soul that the original version of the game had. For others, it serves as a great walk down memory lane for them to enjoy. All around, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life has many great aspects that it brings to the table.

Gameplay

Now comes a very important section, as it makes up the majority of the player’s time in the game. The gameplay between these two games is really quite different, despite having somewhat the same premise. It is these differences that flavor both experiences to the player’s different tastes. While each of these titles has its strengths and weaknesses, it cannot be understated how much the gameplay differences between the two can shape the player’s opinion of either title.

Where the gameplay between these two will vary the most is in how the player’s time will be spent overall. In Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos, there is quite an emphasis on farming. Whereas in Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, players will be spending most of their time either getting to know the villagers in the game or tending to their animals. All in all, these are two different experiences that target different types of players with some overlap. So it is best for players to decide what type of gameplay they enjoy, and make an informed decision based on that.

Verdict

Now comes the time for our verdict regarding Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos vs. Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life. A lot of this boils down to what the player wishes to receive from either game. However, in terms of the quality of the games themselves. Stripping away any sense of nostalgia or legacy, it would appear that Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos pulls ahead here. And while that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy both titles. For someone new to these games, or even a returning player, the Harvest Moon title offers a better experience, without some of the problems that Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life introduces.

For these reasons, it is far and away better to recommend the prior over the latter. So to close, if you are looking to choose between these two titles, we’d bet the farm on Harvest Moon: The Winds of Anthos.