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> Results: Clubhouse Games
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SIMULATED GAMBLING: GamerDad found three games that include gambling: Blackjack, 5-card Draw, and Texas Hold-em. Without fail, soon after the release of every new piece of gaming hardware, someone comes along and offers a package of old-fashioned board and/or card games such as chess, backgammon, hearts, spades, etc... Clubhouse Games is such a title, but never have I seen an electronic compilation of board and card games that has such a diversity of titles and is presented in so many unique formats. Nintendo is known for adding polish to their games through the presentation of extra awards to be earned through multiple gameplay modes. Clubhouse Games is another such example of a game that goes the extra mile. Even a casual fan of board or card games will find something to like in this title. The game consists of forty-two different common card and board games. Common card games like Hearts, Spades, and Rummy are available but the inclusion of Bridge was a welcome addition, it is often overlooked in these types of compilations. Japanese games are represented with Mahjong solitaire, Koi-koi, and Shogi (a chess-type game). Koi-Koi is interesting historically, as Nintendo started out as a card company making Koi-Koi decks. Boardgames present include Chess and Checkers, but also include games like Reversi and Field Tactics (similar to Othello and Stratego respectively). To top things off, there are a few action-oriented games such as bowling, darts, and pool. Every game can be played against computer opponents or against human opponents either though local wireless or even over the Internet! A Picto-Chat type feature is present with every game so that players can write little notes to each other while playing the game if they aren't able to play face to face. While each, individual game may not stack up perfectly against a title that specializes in that specific game (the chess AI may be a bit weak for a good player), the shear number of games available and the convenience of downloadable multiplayer play makes this a good value.  But that's not all... there are several modes of play that add a bit of interest to the casual gamer. Games can be played solo or multiplayer simply by selecting the appropriate game from the menus, but there are two additional modes available. In Mission Mode, the player is presented with specific challenges for a game, and earns a completion stamp when it is finished. Examples include shooting the moon in hearts, making a Nil bid in spades, making a specific score in darts, etc... There are a wide variety of missions available, and they help make even less interesting games (like hangman, for instance) more entertaining. The second special mode is a game track that must be completed in order. The games are presented in series and players earn from one to three stamps depending on their performance in the game. When three total stamps have been earned, the player moves to the next game in the series. This is an excellent way to become familiar with all the games on the cartridge. While playing any game, the rules and a bit of basic strategy is available through a drop-down menu. Once the entire route has been completed on easy mode, players can repeat it on Normal or Hard difficulty οΎ– the games have three difficulty settings. Finishing the entire game track on Easy mode is the only way to unlock a couple of the games for normal solo play. The Nintendo DS is a great handheld system for board and card games, as the use of a stylus is great for dealing with cards or game pieces. Some of the menus are just a bit too helpful and slow down a player wishing to power through a particular game, but on the whole, the interface does a fine job. With so many games available on one cartridge, multiplayer play, and several different game modes, this simply is a must-buy for even casual fans of common (and a few not-so common) card and board games. Never has a card and board game compilation been so successfully executed. 
There is something for everyone here. Some of the more advanced games, such as chess and Shogi are a better fit for teens, while other games are simple enough for kids old enough to use a stylus. Gambling is present in several different card games, such as Blackjack and Poker, but is isolated to just those games. The multiplayer capabilities of the game are very family friendly, many of the games can be played multiplayer with a single game cartridge. Several games can even be passed to another DS for later solo play. For online play, the PictoChat-like feature allows players to send drawings as messages during the game. As any message or drawing can be passed along, younger players should be encouraged to only play online using the built in DS "friends code" feature so that they are always playing with known opponents.
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