Featuring more than 20 classic board, card, and party games,
Clubhouse Games allows gamers to play alone or take things online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service and is the latest entry in Nintendo's Touch Generation line of games. Released in Europe as
42 All-Time Classics, the gameplay of both titles is identical. Featuring plenty of gameplay and a budget price,
Clubhouse Games has plenty to offer. Is what it offers worth the price of admission, however?
- IGN - 80%: "The entire package is about casual, portable pick-up-and-playability when you've got some time to kill. That being the case, the variety on offer here is simply staggering. The fact that Nintendo's poured so much energy into ensuring everything is solidly entertaining - with particular props going to the multitude of mulitplayer and online options - just sweetens things further."
- Cubed3 - 80%: "Whilst games like Billiards border on the unplayable you will cherish that cart next time you are stuck in a tunnel on the way home from work/uni/college/school and can pull out your DS for a quick game of blackjack or solitaire. Or to see if you can finally get 3 strikes in a row for the bowling mission. It this is a highly personal choice for any gamer as strictly speaking these games are nothing new; but in terms of affordability, replayability and downright fun we feel it's worth it."
- Nintendo Power - 70%: "If you plan on playing with your friends, it's indespensible; if you'll be going at it alone, there's a fair amount to do but you may lose patience with the scoring and lack of single-player variety. [Nov. 2006, p.87]"
The points made that many of these games can be played for free via several different online outlets is certainly a valid one, however with the convenience of clumping all these games together for a small price, along with Wi-Fi Connect support, we certainly feel the package is worth the price. What about you, fine reader?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-09-2006 @ 3:10PM
Probot said...
"Featuring more than 20 classic board, card, and party games"
So exactly how many games are in the US version? I know the European version has 42 and you say they are identical, but that "more than 20" is worrisome.
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10-09-2006 @ 3:15PM
Jason said...
I'm so getting this today. I'd never play these games on a PC. Why? I don't know. Some games like on the PC, others I demand in handheld form. I played Ultimate Card Games quite a bit, even though I don't play a lot of real-life card games.
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10-09-2006 @ 3:31PM
Ian Charles said...
I got this on its UK release, and it hasnt left my DS since :)
Online is great fun too, and for once it isnt really cut down! (only 5 or so games arent playable online, and 3 of them are single player anyway)
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10-09-2006 @ 4:23PM
Jonathan Harford said...
Has anybody else gotten annoyed by how hard it is to find a list of all 42 games? I mean, you'd think that would be important, right? Here's what Wikipedia says:
Basic card games
1. Old Maid
2. Spit
3. I Doubt It
4. Sevens
5. Memory
6. Pig
Intermediate card games
7. Blackjack
8. Hearts
9. President
10. Rummy
11. Seven Bridge
12. Last Card
13. Last Card Plus
Advanced card games
14. Five Card Draw
15. Texas Hold ‘Em
16. Nap
17. Spades
18. Contract Bridge
Basic board games
19. Chinese Checkers
20. Checkers
21. Dots and Boxes
22. Hasami shogi
23. Reversi
24. Connect Five
25. Grid Attack
Advanced board games
26. Backgammon
27. Chess
28. Shogi
29. Field Tactics
30. Ludo
Variety games
31. Soda Shake
32. Dominoes
33. Koi-Koi
34. Word Balloon
Action games
35. Bowling
36. Darts
37. Billiards
38. Balance
39. Takeover
Single player games
40. Solitaire
41. Mahjong Solitaire
42. Escape
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10-09-2006 @ 4:30PM
Turken said...
Sure, you may be able to play all these games online on a PC for free, but I relly like the portable ad-hoc gaming. My wife and I like to play with our DS's while waiting for seats at a restaraunt, or while waiting for a movie to start, etc. Short, easy to play games like this will be fun.
And I know it will be worth the money. I downloaded the darts demo to my DS 2 weeks ago, and I have put many hours into just that single game. Almost worth buying the whole cart for just the darts. Hopefully the rest of the games will be just as addictive.
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10-09-2006 @ 4:42PM
Wari0 said...
@ Jonathan Harford - Yes, that list looks correct for the N.American version as well.
This game shines on games likes Darts, bowling, balance, and anything you can play against a friend via local WiFi, or anytime you can get to a wireless access point.
This is a must buy game for a number of DS owners out there. I bought two already, one for me and one for my wife.
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10-09-2006 @ 5:38PM
Shoesy said...
Excellent, excellent title- well worth the twenty quid. All the games (including billiards) are very easy to play, and the chat works very well with friends as well as the slightly more inpersonal wi-fi chat. Plus I can give the games to my darling girlfriend one at a time with the gifting of games (she went for ludo first- girls!). BUY IT IT IS GREAT especially the winnable paper modes!.
p.s I kick all yo asses at bowling, just dont ask me to play darts yeah?
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10-09-2006 @ 6:11PM
Clayton A. said...
This game isn't "budget priced"
The cheapest I've seen it online is 30.00$ and as high as 35$.
I thought 20$ was a budget title.
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10-09-2006 @ 11:44PM
rabidMike said...
Waiting for Tuesday to pick it up. Have been waiting for this title for a few months now and doesn't look to disappoint. Also seems a great title that my mom could get into. Texas Hold'em wifi here I come.
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10-10-2006 @ 4:32AM
Kefka said...
My first thought on this title were "meh", but the idea of it has really grown on me. Especially after buying Tetris DS - it's the same kind of pick up and play / everyone knows how game that will get played long after you finish your primarily single player adventure games...
Might pick it up sometime!
What's the word on download play?
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10-10-2006 @ 2:14PM
Will said...
At $20 I'd get this without a second thought, but I'll have to wait and see at $30.
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10-10-2006 @ 9:42PM
brian said...
I was so excited to pick this game up today, $30 price or not, but there was a shipment failure according to the guy at GameStop and it's not going to be available in the San Bernardino area (at least) until Thursday.
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10-11-2006 @ 5:36PM
Fox said...
I'm thinking that this is a must-have. It has emphasis on everything the DS is about, so I hear. I'll download the demo at my local demo-station first though.
With all due respect,
Fox
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10-16-2006 @ 1:03PM
Felix said...
I just picked this up. Some games are fine -- the lack of control/spin in bowling and darts is kinda annoying but whatever. Some games are terrible -- the interface for holdem is completely unusable. And some games are lots of fun -- hearts, for instance.
But the thing which makes me wish I didn't buy it is the way that the 'next player' interface works. A little box appears at the bottom, very rapidly swishes to the middle with the name of the next player, pauses a second, and then it swishes to the top. Since this can happen every few seconds, it can give you a blinding headache.
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