Everyone’s favorite solitaire card game, Klondike, has been reincarnated once again. Klondike is probably the most basic and most familiar of the literally thousands of Solitaire games available for any electronic device, also for the Android, Windows and iOS systems. Deal seven columns of cards, each row one card longer than the row to the left, and build up runs in each suit, starting with the Ace, drawing from a face-down pile of remaining cards.

It is hard to see why another version of this Klondike Solitaire game is needed. There are no innovations here, no sound effects, no interesting animations and no breakthrough graphics. In fact, there are some major problems.

One drawback is the design of the number cards. Each card has only one suit symbol on it, regardless of the number value of the card, so that each one looks like the Ace. The number appears only in the upper-left-hand corner of the card face. This is a serious design flaw and really interferes with playability as the user must scan each card to determine if it is a 2 or a 5 or a 7 rather than being able to tell immediately as in a regular deck of cards.

On the other hand, one design plus is the large play area, which is not cluttered with menus or other distractions. The limited menu is accessed by clicking on an inconspicuous icon in the lower left corner of the screen. However, you cannot keep the menu open and play at the same time. The user can choose to flip either one card or three cards from the draw pile. There is a Restart button and a New Game button, and a link to a Facebook login if the user should want to Store Progress, meaning track wins and losses. That is the extent of the popular card game’s options.

The design of the face cards is somewhat original. No two Kings, Queens or Jacks are exactly alike. Different clothing and hair colors provide some variety. The background is conventional green felt, and the backs of the cards are a red and yellow abstract pattern. There are no instructions although they probably are not needed. Anyone who can use a computer has probably spent far too much time playing Solitaire.

This is not a bad interpretation of the game. It simply does not offer any real reason to play this version as opposed to any of the others.

Make up your own mind and check out this Klondike Solitaire game! What do you say?