Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Clubhouse Games is the latest entry in the Nintendo Touch Generations label. These games exist outside the norm of gaming. They're usually non-games, or outside-the-box titles, that are meant to appeal to a wider audience than most games target. Nintendogs for pet lovers, Brain Age for those interested in puzzles, and so on and so forth. Clubhouse Games might very well be the strongest entry into the genre yet. A collection of 42 awesome card, board, and variety games, Clubhouse Games is perfect for single players, a group of friends, or online matchups. The game list is impressive, spanning from the usual staples such as Poker and Blackjack and Solitaire to the rarer things like Go, Hanafuda, Field Tactics (stratego) and others. The list is already covered in reviews, so I won't reiterate. The game shines with a simple, plain display that allows you to easily manipulate the controls for all of the card and board games. The games themselves come with detailed rules, and tips should you desire them. Given that some of these games can be pretty obscure, it's a nice addition. And refreshing your memory never hurts. The only problem is the games that are more action-oriented. Billiards and bowling are almost impossible to control with dependable accuracy, unless your hands have control of surgeon-level quality (I beat Trauma Center, I know what I'm talking about. =D). It's frustrating, given that tighter control would have made them standouts. As it is, I'll play it when I'm bored, or a friend wants to play that one with me. As for the multiplayer options, that's half the reason to get this game. Not only are most (if not all) of the games single-cart multiplayer, but every game can be played online, as well. And included with the game is an online version of PictoChat, the amazingly addictive little chat client bundled into the firmware of every DS. This pictochat comes complete with paint and stamp options, though some colors have to be unlocked. In fact, many of the bonuses for this game are unlockable: some of the games need to be opened, as do half the avatars, extra chat colors, and whatnot. But exploring all the game modes will open up most of them, and certainly all the important ones. Yes, Clubhouse Games seems like the usual shoddy card-game compilation. But I assure you it's much more. It's 42 games that range from average to impressively deep, and at such a high number (42!) you'll be spending lots of time with it, especially if you have a gaming companion. It truly is the meaning of life. GET IT!