Platinum Solitaire

We've always thought solitaire was purely that game you learn as a child, where you have to create four stacks of suited cards via careful turning-over and rearranging (and subsequently cheating when you get stuck). But it turns out there's umpteen versions of the game, many of which bear little resemblance to the solitaire we know and love.

On mobile, most solitaire games have opted for the traditional mode. However, Platinum Solitaire has set its sights higher than that. Besides standard solitaire, it also offers the Golf, FreeCell and Pyramid variants. It's practically four games in one, then, and a card education to boot.

As you'd expect from a Gameloft title, the presentation is excellent. Okay, so card games don't need much in the way of graphical bells 'n whistles, but the visuals are clear and clean. Fittingly, the controls aren't too complicated, either, and if you get confused about the rules of whichever variant you're playing you can call up a Help menu to set you right.

In Quick Play mode you dive into any of the four available games. However, if you seek a longer lasting challenge, you'll be wanting to test your skills in Casino Mode. Here, you get to play in four different casinos: La Grande Folie, Venezia, Sphinx Hall and Paradise Island. The last three charge entry fees, meaning you'll have to earn a few dollars in La Grande Folie first to unlock Venezia, then some more there to unlock Sphinx Hall, and so on.

Each casino has its own 'favourite' game, where the potential rewards are doubled. You bet cash at the start of every game and, if you do well enough, can walk away with a fortune.

It sounds rather simple but we were surprised at how quickly we got sucked in. The inclusion of virtual cash had us howling with anger when we came to a dead end in a game of solitaire, but it also had us diving straight back in for another go at winning back our dosh.

Platinum Solitaire, itself, is a winner on two counts. If you just want to play basic, old-fashioned solitaire, it's the best version available for phones. And if you're into your cards enough to already know the Golf, FreeCell and Pyramid variants, this game offers you all three, as well as the Casino mode if you do decide to branch out further.

Whichever way you look at it, then, Platinum Solitaire is a bargain. Even if it doesn't allow you to bend the rules by swapping cards when you get stuck. Bah.