Nintendo Okie

If you’re old enough to hold a deck of cards or manipulate a computer mouse, then there’s a really good chance you’ve played solitaire; probably even played a lot of it. I would wager to guess that it’s probably one of the most played games of all time. It’s simple to play. You don’t need anyone else to play it and its on pretty much every electronic device that’s been created since the 1970’s. It only seems fitting that the 3DS gets its own solitaire game. The only odd thing about 3D Solitaire, it’s being released by a studio most known for their pinball games, Zen Studios.

What You Need to Know

3D Solitaire is exactly what it sounds like; a solitaire game that uses 3D visuals on the 3DS. You can play the game on either the top screen in 3D, using the buttons to control all the movement, or the bottom screen using the stylus to move the cards.

Solitaire Is Solitaire

3D Solitaire is a bare bones experience giving you only one type of game to play. The version of solitaire available plays as you would expect. I found the game to be pretty balanced making it easy enough that you win most of the games, but difficult enough that you’re not going to win every hand. Whether you use the d-pad to control the game or the stylus, it works very well.

Not a Whole Lot Bundled In

There is only one version of solitaire to play. You get the standard version of Klondike with six columns of cards and you can deal either one or three cards at a time. There are also four different backgrounds available that you’ll unlock in about 10 minutes of play. There are three background pictures included in the game that feature nice 3D effects with jungles or underwater environments. A fourth background that allows you to use any of the pictures on your SD card.

It would’ve been nice to have some other versions of solitaire and it would have made the game a better value. What’s there is good, but unless you REALLY like Klondike it’s probably not something you’re going to play very often.

I had to use the bottom screen more because the cards and backgrounds didn’t meld together very well on the top screen. It was hurting my eyes to have the 3D effect turned on.

Conclusion

3D Solitaire is a good game of solitaire if you’re a fan of Klondike. It’s the type of game you’ll probably turn on when you’ve got a few minutes — sitting in a movie theater or you just want to waste a bit of time late in the evening before bed. The addition of user created backgrounds is nice and allows you to add your own touch to the game. But if you’re like me, you’ll probably find yourself using the lower screen more to play the game as it’s less straining on the eyes and gives you a more tactile sense while playing.

Final Score: 

Review copy of the game provided by Zen Studios.
Played through a couple dozen hands of solitaire.
Total Play Time: 1.5 hours