Solitaire Downloads

The popularity of Solitaire means that there are tens of thousands of solid Solitaire downloads available to millions of people around the world. How can you sort through the mess and figure out the best Solitaire downloads? Here are quick reviews of my five favorite Solitaire downloads, some free, some for a minimal charge.

Pretty Good Solitaire

Pretty Good Solitaire is a massive Solitaire collection featuring high definition graphics and an incredible amount of Solitaire gaming options. You can try it before you buy it — Pretty Good Solitaire offers a 30 day free trial that is easily cancelled without costing you a dime. I tested this out first, by downloading the trial and immediately cancelling before the 30 days ran out. No problems at all. There are over 700 games and variations of Solitaire in Pretty Good Solitaire, all attractive and easy to learn, with a solid interface and quick gameplay. Of course, Pretty Good Solitaire offers statistical tracking and a global scoreboard, although those last two features are turned off if you’re using a free trial. The price tag, at just under 25 bucks, may seem a bit steep until you realize all the features available to you if you do the full download — all kinds of special cards and games as well as the ability to upgrade every time that Pretty Good Solitaire turns up a new game or a feature. Pretty Good Solitaire is perfect for the Solitaire junky in your house. Admit it . . . it’s you.

123 Free Solitaire 2009

If you’re not looking to spend 25 bucks for your Solitaire experience, I’m going to show you two options for Solitaire gaming that are free and relatively user friendly. The first is 123 Free Solitaire. This free download features 12 Solitaire games (a huge number for a free download) though not many “extras” come with the free download. I will say that 123 Free Solitaire is an attractive game, with bright colors and a surprisingly attractive gaming interface. There’s none of the grainy inaccessible details normally found in free Solitaire downloads. If you want a dependable workhorse of a Solitaire program this is the one for you.

Free Solitaire 4.0.1

Another free Solitaire download, Free Solitaire is currently in its fifth or sixth version (I’ve lost track). When looking for a free Solitaire download, finding one that has gone through multiple versions is a great idea. This means the company is constantly developing new features, adding games, or fixing bugs. Free Solitaire 4.0.1 is a tiny file (less than 2 mbs) but still manages to cram a couple of nice features that you’d normally expect to pay for, such as card size alterations and decks that can be specified to your liking. You can select from one of three card sizes (for the visually challenged or the just plain picky) as well as five different deck styles. For a free download, you get a ton of “stuff” from Free Solitaire 4.0.1. Don’t forget the variety of games — 10 popular solitaire varieties are offered with Free Solitaire 4.0.1 — Double Klondike, Forty Thieves, FreeCell, Golf, Indian Patience, Klondike, Montana, Pyramid, Sea Towers, and Spider.

Solebon Solitaire (for the iPhone)

Solbeon is a solitaire game for the iPhone and iPod Touch from Smallware, the guys behind plenty of other very popular Mac and iPhone games and apps. For just under two bucks (as of this writing) Solebon offers an incredible variety of Solitaire games, all the extras you’re looking for in a Solitaire game (like statistical tracking), and a quick and intuitive interface that will blow you away. This paid version is the premium version of the seriously popular Sol Free solitaire app for iPhone. Both of these apps are pretty to look at (important to me) and fun to play. Solebon includes more than thirty games and variations of Solitaire including traditional games like Klondike and Golf, as well as other variations like Spiderette and Yukon. Having played all of these games “live” with friends and relatives, I can speak to the accuracy of the presentation and look of these games, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the smooth gaming experience. Just to compare, the free version (Sol Free) only includes five solitaire games and almost no features. Check this one out today — it is worth every red cent.

Beleaguered Castle Solitaire 1.0

This is a tiny and free download of a difficult to find (and difficult to win) Solitaire variation called Beleaguered Castle. Beleaguered Castle is a Solitaire game similar to Fortress Solitaire, another fairly rare game you may have never seen before. In the game of Beleaguered Castle, the four Aces are dealt into the foundations at the beginning of the game, and the remaining 48 cards are dealt into eight piles containing six cards, one to the right and one to the left of the foundations. Only the top card may be moved from each of the piles, and can be used to build up the foundations by suit, or build down any other pile regardless of suit. The goal of the game is to move all cards from the piles into the foundations. It is a difficult and fun game that your Solitaire buddies will be impressed you know how to play. Check out a free download of this game at

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Games/Card_Games/Beleaguered_Castle_Solitaire.html

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