Klondike Solitaire

Klondike Solitaire is a cozy 2.5D card table: real-feeling cards on felt with a wooden rim, soft shadows as you lift a card, and small props around the table, such as a steaming cup of tea, a plant, a candle and a pocket watch, that change with the table theme. Despite the name, it covers three classic patience games: Klondike, FreeCell and Spider.

In Klondike you build the columns down in alternating colours, only Kings go into empty columns, and the goal is to move every card to the four foundations from Ace to King, drawing from the stock one or three cards at a time. In FreeCell every card is dealt face up, single cards can be parked in the free cells, and longer runs move only when enough cells and empty columns are free. In Spider you build down regardless of suit, but only runs of one suit move together, a full run from King to Ace leaves the table, and dealing from the stock adds a new row to every column.

The campaign has 128 deals across eight themed tables of 16, from Parlor Morning and Garden Terrace through the Rainy Library, Seaside Cabin, Orchard Harvest, Lantern Market and Snowy Lodge to the Starlit Observatory. Each world brings a new rule: Klondike draw one and draw three, FreeCell with four, then three and finally two free cells, Spider with one and two suits, gilded cards that pay bonus coins when they reach a foundation, and challenge deals with a move limit. Every campaign deal was solved by the game's own solver before it shipped, so each one can be won, and the solver's move count sets the par. Finish at or under par for three stars, or within one and a half times par for two. New worlds open with stars.

Some tips: in Klondike, uncover face-down cards in the longest columns first and avoid emptying a column unless a King is ready to move in; in FreeCell, keep free cells open, because every empty cell lets you move a longer run; in Spider, build same-suit runs whenever you can, since mixed runs cannot move as one. Tapping a card sends it to the best spot, undo is always available, and hints are worked out by the solver.

After the campaign, the Daily Deal gives one winnable deal a day with a streak, and the variant changes by weekday. Free Play offers endless winnable deals in any variant. Coins from wins buy ten card backs and eight table themes. It suits short breaks and long sessions alike, and it works on desktop with mouse and keyboard and on phones and tablets with touch.

In Klondike the goal is to move every card to the foundations, suit by suit from ace to king. In the tableau you build down in alternating colours, turn over face-down cards and draw from the stock when you are stuck. In FreeCell the free cells act as temporary parking, and in Spider you clear the board by building full runs of one suit from king to ace.

Coins from wins buy ten hand-drawn card backs and themed tables. Hints come from the solver, and undo is always there.