Imagination Entertainment Derby Day DVD Game

Great fun for parties and holidays. Just to be clear, it is animated (computer graphics animation) for the horse races, but no one will mind. The DVD does everything right. It shows each horse and jockey at the start of each race, shows the odds, and pauses itself at each point to place your bets and collect your winnings after. There are 12 horses in each race, and 8 races in total. The announcer is fun and lively. We played with real money, using random horse selection and a flat $5 bet each time. With a $60 pot on the line each time, you can bet our entire family got very into the action. You can also play with the fake money it comes with.At the end, everyone wanted to know where we got the game and when they could borrow it.

Played at New Year’s Eve party, and was enjoyed by everyone

I thought this would make a great game for a Kentucky Derby party. After the guests have arrived in their crazy hats...after we've gnoshed on Beef Tenderloin with Henry Bain Sauce and Hot Brown's, Derby Pie, and Mint Juleps...after we've placed our bets and gathered around the television for the most exciting 2 minutes in sports to see who won the run for the roses...we'll spend the rest of the evening playing DERBY games(DVD game, board game, and horseshoe pitching outside).This DVD game comes with a DVD, play money, lucky horseshoes (cardboard), a bookie betting board and pen, and instructions for play. Super easy to play. Just pop the DVD in the player and press start when ready. The instructions say to hand out $100,000 to each player or team for betting money. Once that is done and someone has been selected as the bookie, you press play on the DVD. The pre-race parade for race #1 pops up on the screen. In the parade each horse is shown briefly with their name and odds. There are 12 horses in each race. Once all 12 horses are shown on the board the DVD goes into pause mode so that everyone can place their bets. Once all bets have been placed you just hit the pay button and the horses are off. You watch the race and the announcer gives the play by play. At the conclusion of the race a slow motion photo finish comes up with the winning horses listed. The DVD goes into pause mode again so all winners can receive their winnings from the bookie. There is a quick betting guide on the back page of the instructions that tell you what the pay off is for each bet under each of the odds. The horse that finishes dead last is the "Wooden Spoon" and the person or team who bet on him gets their money back. When all winners have been paid the DVD may be started again for the next race. Eight races finishes a game, and whomever has the most money at the end of the eighth race is the winner. Lucky horse shoes are used by players or teams when placing a bet and will double the amount won if the horse bet finishes in the money. Lucky horseshoes my only be used once. At the end of 8 races you can start another eight. The horses will be the same for each of the next 8 races, but they will not finish in the same order as they did in the first 8 races. So you can play and play and play until you are sick of playing. The horses are simulated. The races are not actual race footage. It is like a video game, but it is well done. Your guests will be screaming at the TV just as if they were at a real racetrack.

I was a little disappointed in it. I had seen another DVD where they actually had real horse races with the names of horses and places changed which seemed more "real" to me.

Bought this for my 7 yr old son & he loves it!! We haven't used used the betting portion of the game yet. He's just happy to have people put their picks in and see who wins! The best part about this game is ... Just put the DVD in and start to play. Didn't give it 5 stars only because we haven't fully used all components of the game. Also, the adults that played had lots of fun too. It's for everyone!

The DVD arrived in very good condition and on time. My dad, husband and I enjoyed our night at the races.

O K Fun to play Good addition to a good party

Fun and easy to follow game. I played this with a group at a nursing home with 4 teams. They had a blast! Loved betting with the fake money