Clubhouse Games

"Put on your poker face, because it's game night again..."

I love games. Not just video games, mind you, but real games. I love Texas Hold ‘Em and Spades, Dominoes and Solitaire, Pool and Darts, Chess and Othello. But one of my biggest setbacks is that so many times when I'm ready to up the ante, put on my poker face, or crack out the chess board, I have nobody to play with. So, what did I do? It was simple. I bought Clubhouse Games.

As is made indicative by the title, Clubhouse Games is a collection of classic games, ranging from card games to board games to more physical games. And this collection is huge. There are more than forty different games available to play, and all of them are incredibly fun. Detailed, in-depth rules are provided with every single game, as well as some handy tips for the most competitive among us. The game does a great job of evening the playing field; many games have a handicap setting, and the rules ensure that after just a game or so, anybody -- those new to the game and pros at it -- will feel competent.

No matter what sort of games you like to play, Clubhouse Games has something for you. There are three different categories of card games (grouped based on difficulty level), two categories of board games, and another few categories to round out the overall game play experience. The variety of this title is jaw-dropping, as nearly every popular game that I can think of is present. Even some games that are licensed are in here under different names -- for example, the popular game Othello has been renamed Othello in Clubhouse Games.

The games are fleshed-out surprisingly well -- these are not dumbed-down versions of popular parlor games. Instead, they're full-fledged, and feature the same rules that you've likely played with your entire life. The range of games is also shocking; the games range from simple card games like Old Maid to complex ones like Spades and even to popular board games and action games like Darts, Bowling, and Billiards. The games are grouped by type and difficulty, allowing you to quickly select the type of game that you'd like to play depending on how intricate (or how long) you want a gaming session to be. Additionally, the grouping really ensures that anybody can have fun with this title; adults may opt for more complex games, but while playing with younger children, easier, simpler games are the way to go.

Unlike so many games that consist of collections of smaller games, Clubhouse Games manages to do something truly amazing. Every game, with the exception of maybe one or two, are incredibly fun. Think back to your favorite collections of minigames, be it classics like the N64 Mario Parties or newer titles in the genre such as Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games or Rayman: Raving Rabbids. Sure, they may be fun. But even in Mario Party 2, widely considered to be the best game in the series, there are several duds. There are some games that are genuinely boring to play. But that's not the case in Clubhouse Games. Sure, some are better than others. But none of them are bad.

There are a number of different modes of play in Clubhouse Games. By far the most popular and most fun is Free Mode. Here, you can play every game that you've unlocked to your heart's content. It's hear that you'll likely spend most of your time with this game; the AI is actually pretty good, especially on higher difficulty levels, and you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good time playing your favorite games. Plus, there's no worry of talking across the table if your partner is a computer, right? If you're worried about a game that you're going to have to play for a while to unlock fun stuff, worry no longer. There are only a handful of games that you must unlock, and more than 95% of them are available from the get-go.

How do you unlock those remaining games, you ask? Stamp Mode, I would answer. The best way to describe Stamp Mode would be to call it the story mode of Clubhouse Games, although there is no actual story. Instead, you'll play through each game in sequential order, ranging from simpler games up to the difficult and complex ones. The mode earns its name because after you play each game, you earn a certain number of stamps. You must collect three stamps on a game to progress to the next game. What's very nice about Stamp Mode is that if there's a game that you're just not good at, you will not be stuck there indefinitely, because Clubhouse Games awards stamps even for loosing. At most, you'll have to play any given game three times before you clear it; however, if you win, you can clear it after just one play.

Clubhouse Games also does a wonderful job of allowing you to tailor each game to suit your individual preferences. Before playing a game, you have the opportunity to adjust the opponent computer's difficulty level. Also, if there are varying rules for different games, you have the option to adjust these rules to make the game play how you like to play. Don't want to play trumps before they're cut in Spades? Don't worry -- you don't have to.

Clubhouse Games does have a great single player mode, but it's true awesomeness comes from the multiplayer modes. Clubhouse Games offers WiFi play, where you simply select the game that you'd like to play, and you're then automatically paired with other players who have selected the same game. Sadly, though, the servers are not very busy for Clubhouse Games WiFi, because there are not a whole lot of people who still play; you may have trouble getting an opponent, especially if you select a game that's not incredibly popular.

If that's the case, though, you don't have much to worry about, because then you could take advantage of Clubhouse Games' fantastic download play. With just one game card, up to eight people can compete in every single game that you have on your cartridge. That's right; unlike many games where your selections are limited in download play, you can play every single game in Clubhouse Games download mode. They're really fun in single player mode, and they're even better when you're playing against live opponents.

Needless to say, Clubhouse Games sports absolutely incredible replay value. The mere fact that there are more than 40 different games (not “minigames” -- games) already ensures that you'll have plenty of fun with the title. Just learning and getting good at all the different games is a blast, and then you'll have even more fun playing your favorites. The fantastic multiplayer certainly helps out here, but even without it, Clubhouse Games is still an incredible value for your money.

Clubhouse Games is easily one of the most overlooked gems for the Nintendo DS. If I could have only one DS game, I would say without hesitation that Clubhouse Games would be it. The forty-plus games offer endless enjoyment by oneself, and once you bring your friends into the mix, the party really starts. If you're one of the many people that missed out on this impressive DS title, I cannot urge you enough to go out and buy it right now. Ante up, and get ready for some frantic fun!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/08

Game Release: Clubhouse Games (US, 10/09/06)