"Greatest time killer of all time!"

Notice: This review was written with the solitaire in the version of Microsoft's Windows 7. Keep that in mind while reading the below review.

It's pouring outside on a Saturday morning. Nothing on TV to watch, nobody is answering your cell phone messages, the GameFAQs message boards are boring. What better way to pass time than to play Solitaire? Solitaire is a card game that can be somewhat confusing when done by hand; however Microsoft's Windows 7 has a great program that allows you to run Solitaire without dealing with cards or anything. I love Solitaire for many reasons, and I'm going to explain why it's the greatest time killer of all time.

Story
You play Solitaire. There is no story involved.

Story: None

Gameplay
At first glance, Solitaire can seem very boring, with nothing special about it. In reality, Solitaire is easy to learn via the game's help files. To get full game experience they are really helpful. Once you have learned how to play, Solitaire becomes a great time killer and a great card game. To play all you need is a mouse or track-pad. The controls can't really get any simpler than that. The options of the game are easy to change as well, all under a few buttons over the main game screen. There are a few nice little options such as three card draw and Vegas scoring. The simple family friendly gameplay that Solitaire possesses makes it a wonderful, simple pleasurable experience to play.

Gameplay: 9/10

Graphics/Sounds
In the Windows 7 version of Solitaire the graphics are all nice and crispy. If you sit a Windows 7 computer next to a Windows XP computer you will.see a major improvement and realize that the graphics are nicely done. From the help messages that pop up fluidly to the cards that are shaded in to not look flat, the game is really a work of art. Ok, maybe it isn't prefect but keep in mind it's a PC card game. For that, the graphics are smooth and not bad at all. Additionally the background can be changed to your liking, which allows you to change the mood of the game from a calm serene game to a fired up fulfilling game.

There is no background music, just sound effects. The sound effects are all well placed although they can get annoying, having the same sound over and over again in your head. "Click, Click CLICK CLICK." You may be thinking that it doesn't sound very annoying but trust me - it does. Good things you can turn them off, although sadly you must lose your entire game if you turn them off in the middle of a game..it even counts it as a loss in your record, seriously? This is probably my biggest gripe with Solitaire. But if you can get past the irritating sound, you get to enjoy the great gameplay.

Graphics/Sound: 7/10

Replay Value
The replay value of Solitaire depends on a few things. Are you a fan of card games? Are you the type of person who likes to be alone playing computer games? If yes to both of them then you will probably get more replay value out of Solitaire. Solitaire is my first choice when I get bored and I have no internet, and it is a relaxing yet interesting and fun time killer. When you have internet you probably will spend more time on your computer there however. Still the replay value of Solitaire is generally high being a card game/time killer.

Replay Value: 7/10

In conclusion...
Why not try it? It's completely free and great for boredom and stress release. One of the benefits of owning a PC, though not two huge of a benefit. As far as coming bundled with your Mircosoft computer, Solitaire is one of the most underrated and underused features of Microsoft. If you try it and you don't like it you aren't losing much, so try it!

Pros
- Solid graphics
- Easy to use controls
- Easy to learn
- Good gameplay
- Great time killer for those long days

Cons
- The annoying sound effects
- Only available to Microsoft users
- Below Windows 7 it is pretty badly done.

Overall rating: 8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/27/10

Game Release: Solitaire (US, 05/22/90)