The Archanist Reviews: Klondike for the iPod Nano 3rd Gen.

Okay, I decided that I'd review a game that wasn't of you're ordinary kind (probably because I don't want to review the online to Rock Band which, in short, is awesome). So I decided that I'd review the Klondike game that came free with my iPod Nano. It's been cause of a major lack of sleep for me, so I wanted to put it into the view of everyone here.

Klondike is, for us Brits, Solitaire. The reason I got Klondike instead of Solitaire, is because I got my iPod when I was last over in America (it was a Christmas gift from my parents).

The game is the same as the Solitaire/Klondike we're all used to, 7 rows of cards, each with one more card on it than the last. Solitaire/Klondike is an extremely simple game to learn to play. You try to put the cards in order (King, Queen, Jack, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Ace) in alternating suit colour (Red/Black/Red, Black/Red/Black) on the board and move them into place on the four Aces which can be placed at the top left of the screen.

The problem with this simple task is that, while 28 cards start on the board, only the top 7 of them are available for use and all the other cards are in a pile in the top left, and are drawn in groups of 3 or 1 depending on how you wish to play the game (1 card being quite easy, 3 cards being infuriatingly difficult).

You move between the cards with the iPod's scroll wheel, this is smooth at first, but once you've played you're 500th so hand, the wheel wears out a bit to the point that you have to call upon the Power of Greyskullâ„¢ to move it. You have to activate the ability to be able to move cards off of the bases, which is simply ticking a box on a menu, but should just be automatic if you ask me. The Undo feature is easy to use, hold down the middle button, and the game resets one turn, at cost of money.

Now the game is ridiculously time-consuming, because it gives your score in dollars, you always want to increase it and they many, many games that you play will increase you score a lot (my sum currently is : $64,099, proof that I play the game far too much). But there is an inherent problem with having a total score. Solitaire/Klondike is a game of absolute luck, there is no skill involved in it (well, there is a tiny amount of skill, but it's a ratio of 1% skill, 99% luck). Your score increases with every card put on a base and decreases for Abandoning a game and for using the Undo feature.

In my opinion the game is fun to play, but don't let it consume you like it did me. I now see only the waving arms animation of the Kings, that occurs when you win the game, when I shut my eyes.

Side-Note: For new-guy Silver Delorian, I wrote this review only listening to the three Muse albums that I have (Absolution, Origin of Symmetry and Black Holes and Revelations) in homage to the fact that he is obviously a HUGE muse fan (Yes, the caps were completely necessary). I hope you enjoy it around here Delorian, it's dark down here but with enough people we can climb our way out.