Five popular single-player card games are now available to download on WiiWare and DSiWare in 5 in 1 Solitaire (Wii version reviewed here). Play classic standbys like Klondike, Free Cell, and Spider Solitaire as well as two newer ones: Solitaire Golf and Gaps (my personal favorite).

5 in 1 Solitaire holds up to four separate profiles, so everyone in the family can enjoy it. You can save in the middle of a game and come back to it later, and you can keep track of your wins and losses for each challenge. In some of the games, you can even set it to auto-play so it will automatically move aces to where they need to go. Or you can tweak the challenge in other ways in the options menu.

The graphics are kept simple, but the cards are big and easy to point to and maneuver around with the Wii remote. Just like using the mouse cursor on the PC. While most of these kinds of games you can play for free on Windows, it’s just as relaxing to enjoy them on a big screen on the Wii.

While I can’t see a hardcore gamer getting into 5 in 1 Solitaire, I can imagine people like my mom and grandmother would really enjoy this. And if that can get them interested in playing the Wii, it’s worth the 500 points (five bucks) right there. 5 in 1 Solitaire is also available on the DSi for only 200 points (two bucks), so that may be a better deal since it’s cheaper and solitaire games are great for on the go gaming.

Kid Factor:

One of my favorite aspects of 5 in 1 Solitaire is that each game has thorough hands-on instructions for each of the games. While most people assume everyone knows how to play solitaire games, a young kid may not, so this feature is great for them. But they’ll need to know how to read for the text instructions. 5 in 1 Solitaire is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews