Jewel Quest Solitaire 3 is another interesting Jewel Quest game. This time it’s a solitaire play with match 3 games in between levels. You can choose either full quest or just cards (forgoing the adventure story).

In the quest mode you are assisting Ratu Edward Kadanu search for his lost treasure (I didn’t play 1 and 2 so I have no idea what the tale was for the first 2 games). Rupert and Emma Pack (from the Jewel Quest series) commissioned Ratu for this expedition starting in the deepest jungles of Cambodia. Ratu Kadanu is more than qualified to research every aspect of this exploration and successfully complete it. He is a Fijian born Oxford professor hungry for new adventure and dangers.

In the Klondike format of solitaire there are platforms (initially 4) at the top of the screen with the dealt cards below. The top card of each row is faced up. The object of the game is to place cards of the same suit in ascending order starting from the ace (Ace, 2,3,4…). Below the platforms in the game board area you move any available card on to the cards in descending order (King, Queen, Jack, 10,9…) with each touching card in alternating suits. The deck at the bottom of the screen is flipped through to get additional cards, however each time you flip, the meter on the right will go back down. The only way to increase the meter is to place a card on the platform at the top. Once the meter reaches the top, you get a power-up. Some of the power-ups are the wild card, x-ray (you get to view the faced down cards for a limited time) and shuffle.

Buried cards are flipped when cards on top are moved to a different spot. When all the cards are removed from a row, you can replace the empty spot with a King or wild card only. When the computer determines you will win the game, it will ask you if you want the computer to automatically complete the level. This is an added plus because you do not need to do the mundane mechanics of the play unless you want to.

After winning your hand you will get pieces of a photograph to put together in a jigsaw puzzle fashion. This picture will reveal a precious artifact of your search. In addition there is a match 3 game to play for bonus points. The match games are basically identical to their other Jewel Quest match games, and although easy to play, the break from the cards is a welcome diversion.

Jewel Quest Solitaire 3 is a straightforward and addictive Klondike game with some great power-ups to advance your play. The extra games are an added bonus from the solitaire play. The graphics as always is well executed, however the story line is not as engaging as when the Packs are the main focus of the game. Enjoy this solid Mac card game Jewel Quest Solitaire 3.

Features of Jewel Quest Solitaire 3:
-100 Solitaire Boards and Match 3 Gameplay
-8 Power-ups
-Unravel the Mystery

You may also like Jewel Quest, Jewel Quest II,  Jewel Quest III and Jewel Quest Mysteries.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Ancient Tri-Peaks II is the equally fun and sequel to the original Ancient Tri-Peaks, but this time there is a change in the story. Instead of the original ancient societies of South America, the creators have decided to focus this game on Ancient Greece. Learn mythology along the way, as you try to find your way across the ancient Mediterranean Sea toward the capital of Athens.

Like most Tri-peaks games, the object is to remove all the cards from the board in the allotted time. The catch is that you can only remove a card that is either higher or lower than the one currently in “your pile.” This means that it takes some quick thinking and strategy to remove all the cards without using up the reserve cards that are available to reset what is on top of “your pile.” That being said, the only way to lose the game is to use up all the reserve cards and still have other cards left on the board.

Ancient-Tri Peaks II does have an objective besides the game. While you play, you reach certain roadstops that allow you to continue to build a marble statue of your subject (you learn about Greek myths like Helen of Troy, Paris and the Trojan War, etc.). Once you complete these tasks, the statue is complete and you can move on to learning about the next story. There are 16 different types of boards to choose from, ranging from fairly easy and straightforward to very complected and difficult. The catch is it is easier to sculpt your statue on these harder levels, as the harder the skill level, the more points come.

This game was fun, but it lacked something for me, in the end. I guess I couldn’t necessarily pinpoint what was off, but I definitely did not enjoy the repetitive music and revolving help-questionmarks. Other than that, the game was fun and played exactly the way one of these games should. All in all, I would give Ancient Tri-Peaks II three out of five stars.

Features of Ancient Tripeaks 2
-16 Tripeaks Games
-Original or Power-up Modes
-Unlockable Levels, Card Backs
-Combo-based Scoring

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I don’t come across golf related Mac games too often so Fairway Solitaire was a pleasant surprise. The last golf game I played was GL Golf and that was a straight sports game. Fairway Solitaire is both golf and card game combined to entertain golf and card players.

The main play is the solitaire card game where you select a face up card from the board that is either one higher or one lower than the face up foundation card at the bottom of the screen. Strategy and thinking is involved in order to use up all the cards on the board. And, like in golf there are sand traps to bypass by finding the sand wedge to overturn the cards. There are also water hazards to conquer. If you play 6 cards in a row, you will get a long drive. At the top of the screen you can see your progress on the golf course. The mulligan button is the undo or retry, but you get only 1 mulligan per hole.

Throughout the game you hear running commentary from 2 golf announcers regarding how you are playing. Just like watching a golf championship match on television. Polite applauds are scattered through your plays. What happened to the guy who yells out “in the hole”? Your scorecard is similar to the card you use in golf showing your pars, bogies, birdies and the eagles. In addition, you can win tournaments for extra points and shop in the pro shop for your golf needs like a polo shirt and pants to dress your golfer. The game allows you to win tournaments and big money by playing under par so you can unlock other golf courses. Another way to get more money is to have a 20 or more card run.

If you are not into golf, you will learn a lot of lingo to impress your golf playing friends next time you get together. There are a lot of golf facts you will learn in this game. I found it to be repetitive even with the mini games, but if you like this type of card play, the golf aspect gives you a little more interest to the play. So watch out for the sand traps and score a birdie.

Features of Fairway Solitaire:
-70 Courses
-Funny Running Commentary
-Golf Clothes Power-Ups

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The mystery behind the woman shooting her husband and escaping on horseback is hidden deep within the 80 levels in Mac game Heartwild Solitaire. The objective of the story is to complete each level to reveal the answers to the many moods of Anna the woman scorned.

The play is relatively easy but is it? Classic solitaire moves often have twists to the play and is not always straightforward. You must match 2 cards to clear the entire game board. If you run out of matches, you have extra cards to flip at the bottom of the board, the retry button, undo button and other helps. There are bonuses for matching in ascending or descending order. Other bonuses are rewarded for speed and matching identical cards. There are also power-ups for extra deals and shuffles.

Heartwild Solitaire is not for children even though the play is easy to learn, the storyline is for mature audiences only. It reads a bit like a romance novel. The artwork in the background of the game board and the deck of cards itself are beautifully executed. The play is relaxing and addictive and the story a little dramatic is interesting enough to keep your attention. Even if the melodrama is not your thing, the solitaire play is always fun and enjoyable.

Features of Heartwild Solitaire:
-80 Levels
-Engaging Storyline
-Create Own Levels
-Challenging Bonus Games

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The game designers purposely made this more than just a “poker game.” In addition to playing cards, you control your character who travels from saloon to back-room poker games trying to make a reputation for yourself. As your street cred (and wallet size) grows you can play in more games with higher rollers. After amassing a substantial sum of money, you can go out into the town and start snatching up properties. These properties in turn, make a profit for you to continue your gambling habits. As the little Texas town gets too small for a big fish like yourself, you can travel to over ten other cities and try your luck wherever you choose.

The name of the game is Texas Hold-Em (I mean, what other game could it possibly be?). In Hold-Em, players are dealt two cards each. These are your pocket cards and you use them to create poker hands with the community cards that are dealt. After the first round of antes and bets, the dealer shows the flop, or the first three community cards. After another round of bets and bluffs, the dealer shows the turn card. Again there is another round of bets before the final card, the river. After all is said and done, the player with the best poker hand wins. For all you new players out there the best hand possible is a royal flush followed by a four of a kind, full house, three of a kind, flush, straight, two pair, and finally a pair. Try to bluff and luck your way past the competition to become the best poker player the Lone Star State has ever seen.

Personally, I loved this game. It combined two of my favorite genres (Poker and Sim) and created something fun with unlimited re-playability. Although many poker fans enjoy playing online sites (like Pokerstars and things like that) I find the game more fun when I don’t have to worry about actually losing $1,000. Overall, this is a fun game for new and experienced poker players alike and I give this game four and a half stars out of five.

Features of Governor of Poker:
- Tournaments and Cash Poker Games
- Over 100 Different Opponents
- Challenge Artificial Poker Intelligence
- Can You Take Over the State of Texas?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Once again, a game uses epic in the title to grab some attention. Well, it was clear that the game lived up to it’s definition in both gameplay and music. When one thinks of epic, one can usually conjure up images of loud, booming, orchestral scores (at least this is what I think of). Solitaire Epic delivers in this way, as well as creating three games in one package. Another epic task!

Solitaire Epic is very simple. From the minute you open up the game, you realize that there is not a lot of options and see that everything is straightforward. There are three different game modes to choose from: Matching, Tri-Peaks, and Klondike. Each is a totally unique experience that basically makes Solitaire Epic three games in one. In matching you choose two like cards to remove them from the board. There is a design on the puzzle, and as you remove cards on top, more cards below are revealed. There is also a reserve deck that can help you to find more matches. Tri-Peaks is very similar to matching except that you have to choose a card that is either higher or lower than the last card selected. Again, there is a design on the board and with each card removed, more cards can be uncovered. The final game in Solitaire Epic is Klondike, which is you basic game of solitaire with a one card draw.

Being an avid card game gamer, I thought Solitaire Epic was a very good game because it did not stray from the fundamentals of the games. All three puzzles were basic, yet classically fun. The game also provides a build your own level maker, which I thought was a good way to increase the length of the game and allow the player to be their own creative boss. In addition, the fact that there is over one hundred different levels is something that appeals to those gamers who want a game that can be played for a long time to come. Remember, no two hands of solitaire are exactly alike!

Features of Solitaire Epic:
- 3 Games In One: Matching, Tri Peaks And Klondike
- More than 110 Different Levels
- Make your own Levels

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I am not a card player, but I decided after reading the review on Macgames.info on Ancient Tri Jong to attempt Ancient Tripeaks. From Bostongamer’s explanation and the simple tutorial I figured out how to play this fun and relaxing game.

The 8 modes appeared daunting at first, but I went through them one by one and found each mode to be a little different in strategy and play. The 8 were Classic, Mirror, Double, Circle, Reverse, Turned, Stars and Single. The titles pretty much explains how the deck of cards will appear on the screen. The Classic is the traditional format, mirror the top and bottom mirrors each other, Double used 2 decks, Circle connected into a round shape, and the Turned mode all the cards were faced up. Peaks described the placement of cards to form peaks.

The play is assisted by hitting the H key to get help. This will teach you about each section of the game. You move all the cards from the peaks on the game board to the stack on the right side. The available cards must be either 1 higher or 1 lower from the visible card on the right side of the stack regardless of the suit. There is a timer so you must make your decisions quickly but smartly. If you make a mistake or change your mind you can click on the Undo button to correct the last move. If there is any time left over, you get bonus points. If time runs out, the game is not over and the play will continue, but there are no bonus points.

The Combo Multiplier increases your score every time the Combo Bar fills up. You get a multiplier (either x2, x3, x4). The Combo Meter is when each card from the play area is removed it, and it will fill up a percentage of the combo bar. However, the longer you wait between moves the bar will deplete. The Combo Counter keeps track of the numbers of cards in a row you’ve removed without hitting the Undo button or clicking on the deck. Each time you click on the deck 30 points will be deducted. A peak completed will add 100 points times the multiplier points.

I’m glad I tried this card Mac game first, because it is easy to learn, the tutorial, and the review helped me understand the play better. It is a great game to pass the time in a relaxing manner. If you are new to card games like me or just want a enjoyable game to play, try Ancient Tripeaks.

Features of Ancient Tripeaks:
-Ancient Theme
-8 Tripeaks Games
-Twists and Combo Bonuses
-Multiple Decks

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Magic Stones is a well planned and thought out RPG and card Mac game.  The mixture of this game makes it unique from straight RPG games.  It is based on Celtic mythology that in itself is captivating and intriguing.

This game is set in Avavorn, the land of many druids.  There are hidden treasures in the unlikeliest places like abandoned temples, enchanted forests, cursed islands.  These valuables can be anything from magic formulas, amulets to runes.  Each object will increase your druid’s power and experience.

To start the play you must select your druid and its own unique characteristics.  This part is important later in your dueling matches.  You will need wisdom, strategy, artifacts and magic in order to succeed in your battles.  There are many options to choose from and if you choose wisely, it can make a difference in each outcome of this game.  If you experiment a little with the features, you’ll be able to figure out the most appropriate one for your druid.  It’s to the developers’ credit they include a female druid to choose from and that she is equal to the male.

There are 3 modes of play in this Mac game.  The first is the Gather Artifacts section where you search for the artifacts in the different areas of the land:  Frozen Lands, Slimy Swamp, Green Plains and Lava Mountains.  This is the mode to build your druid’s character, experience and gather artifacts.  The second mode is the most interesting one called the Challenge Druid.  This section may be the most action-packed part of the game.  In this section the druid must fight other druids in the Black Tower to the death.  Quest the third mode is a new section.  You play a custom story with new avatars.  There is a quest released every 3-4 months for free to registered users.  A big plus and a great savings for Mac gamers.

Magic Stones is not your typical RPG game because of the card game aspect.  It changes the play somewhat from your usual role playing moves with more strategizing than movement.  However, I think diehard RPGers will be able to play this game and enjoy it.  Casual gamers will be able to pick it up from the excellent step-by-step tutorial at the beginning of the story.  I was muddling through some of the confusing parts of the card game, and the help came on to address my mistake.  The hint made a big difference in the play. 

The imaginative features of Magic Stones with its detailed artwork and the creative druids were all well done.  The sound effects and music were appropriate for the game, but some of the moans were disturbing.  I didn’t feel the story drew me into the game as some other RPGs, but that can just be me.  I’m not a big RPG or a card player.  All in all it was a good experience, and I’m glad I ventured into the world of Magic Stones and would probably try more of their games. 

Features of Magic Stones:

-3 Modes of Play

-20 Different Avatars

-17 Spells

-Over 15 Enemy Druids

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Three Musketeers is a classic novel and now a RPG Mac game. The play starts with d’ Artagnan leaving home to pursue a life as a Musketeer. He travels to Paris to begin his training. He has a letter of introduction to Monsieur de Treville but it is taken from him during a scuttle with a rogue.

The game is to follow the yellow footprints for d’ Artagnan’s quests. You can veer off the yellow prints to search barrels and crates for loot and mana for health. The story is moved along in conversations and cartoon strips. You duel with just about everyone who challenges you. The main thing to remember when dueling is to wait to see your opponent sweat and then take them down. D’ Artagnan’s father had told him to never sell the horse he gave him, but to get money and avoid embarrassment (the horse is a different color than most horses) d’Artagnan sells it right away. Other methods of earning money is to take on quests that will pay you and sell your loot to the blacksmith. Some of the loot can be coins, peasant shirts, berets with or without feathers, collars and more. The blacksmith also will repair things, and he can sell you firearms. It’s important to collect the health potions in case you get injured in a fight.

You will eventually come across Athos (aura of mystery), Aramis (true calling is the priesthood), and Pothos (great strength). They will help you along the way. They like to party and play games so be ready for the side games. Tennis anyone? Cards and dice are also favorites of the musketeers. You will meet the evil cardinal and you will pursue the man in the purple outfit who stole your letter.

Your quests will take you all over France and England and back again helping good people and fighting the bad. You will encounter civilians and soldiers.

This RPG play follows the novel in a close adaptation. The artwork is simple and flat but works for this type of play. The game is easy enough for new and casual players without being frustrating like some other more difficult and violent RPGs. I never advocate not reading a book, but this game makes it very tempting not to read the original novel. Find out what happens to d’ Artagnan and his fellow musketeers. All for one and one for all.

Features of Three Musketeers:
-17th Century France and England
-Thwart Cardinal Richelieu
-Defend Queen Anne

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

If you like to play poker or if you don’t even know how to play, Pirate Poker will engage you in its addictive play whatever your level of expertise. However, be forewarned, ye mateys, for this is an habit forming play once you get started. Without losing your shirt or walking the plank, this game is easily playable for an enjoyable time.

There are 6 video poker plays in this game: Deuces Wild, Jack or Better, 2 Pairs or Better, Joker Poker, Aces and Faces and Tens or Better. Deuces Wild, as the name implies, is a play that makes the 4 deuces in a deck wild so do not discard any of the 2s. Jacks or Better, Tens or Better and 2 Pairs or better is just that. Anything better than the title suggests will win you the hand. Joker Poker is when the one joker acts as a wild card so do not discard it. Aces and Faces wins when you have a pair of jacks or higher so do not discard any face cards or aces. As you play, you will get used to what the winning hand is, and your play will move faster. To begin your play you decide how many hands you like to play at a time. It can be from 1, 3, 5 or 10 hands. If you are a novice, you might want to start out with 1 hand until you get your sea legs. After making your bet, click on the deal button to view your hand. Depending upon which mode you choose, click on the cards you wish to keep or hold. Hit the deal button again to receive new cards. The computer will automatically show your winnings or losses on the right side bar. That’s basically all there is to it except you can change the card deck from your standard cards to the pirate theme to any other decks available.

The only side game is when the computer flashes the bonus button for you to win double or nothing. It is the coin under the cup game. The 3 cups will rotate around quickly to trick you, and you must decide which cup has the coin under it. Not a difficult game if you keep your eyes on the cup. This mini game will help you get back some of your money.

Pirate Poker is a relaxing, fun, addictive card game for experienced players as well as the uninitiated. Play this game in search of buried pirate treasure by winning as many hands as possible.

Features of Pirate Poker:
-Six Video Pokers
-Color Graphics
-6 Decks

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars