Microsoft Solitaire Collection

About

The Microsoft Solitaire Collection is a single-player video game that comes with Windows 10, offering fabulous gameplay with stunning graphics. It includes classic games like Solitaire, FreeCell, Spider Solitaire, Pyramid, and TriPeaks, and offers new daily challenges and themes. However, the game is criticized for having too many ads and bugs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Microsoft Solitaire Collection screenshot

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 940 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

monetization922 negative mentions

The game offers a variety of solitaire modes, keeping gameplay fresh and engaging.
The daily challenges and events provide a fun way to compete and earn rewards.
The app has a polished interface and runs smoothly on most devices.

The frequency and length of ads have increased significantly, often interrupting gameplay.
Many users report issues with the app forgetting premium subscriptions, leading to unwanted ads.
The ads can be difficult to close, often redirecting users to the Play Store instead of returning to the game.

monetization
944 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the overwhelming frequency and length of ads, which often exceed 30 seconds and are unskippable. Many players report that even after purchasing a premium subscription to eliminate ads, they still encounter intrusive advertisements, leading to frustration and a diminished gaming experience. The ads are described as not only excessive but also poorly designed, often obstructing gameplay and causing technical issues, which has prompted some users to consider uninstalling the app altogether.
- “And if you have Game Pass Ultimate, you get no ads and extra perks!”
- “I would gladly pay a one-time fee of up to $10 for the full version with no ads, but $10 per year is stupid.”
- “At first, all worked well and I paid for premium for no ads.”
- “The game used to be great, but the ads have ruined the experience.”
- “I paid for a year to get ad-free and yet... every time I have to force stop and reopen to avoid ads.”
- “I understand that you have to run ads; however, it went from the right amount of ads and being great to ridiculous.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
82%
9%
The music experience in the game is severely hampered by intrusive ads that take over audio playback, muting any music or podcasts users are listening to. Many players express frustration over the inability to listen to their own music while ads play, as the ads not only interrupt but also do not restore the previous audio after they end. Overall, the combination of unskippable, loud ads and the lack of options to manage audio settings detracts significantly from the gaming experience.
- “As challenge rounds are released in the evening in my timezone, I like to play while listening to music in another app before going to sleep.”
- “Yes, there is a reward system in place where you accumulate experience points and gain ranks, but it would be neat to be able to spend that XP to get new cards back, new win animations, new backgrounds, new background music, etc. You could really do a lot with the win animations.”
- “Needs more real music options, not just the tavern noise.”
- “The lengthy ads come before every game and override what comes from your music player.”
- “If you try to listen to music while in the app, the ads will shut your music off, and then when you put your music back on, the ad will freeze and won't let you progress to your game.”
- “Ads are blocking background audio, can't listen to audiobooks or music while watching the ads (which seem to be appearing more frequently now sadly), this has a severe negative impact on my experience with this app.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is frequently criticized, with users reporting persistent freezing issues, particularly during ad loading, which disrupts gameplay. Many players experience crashes and glitches that hinder their ability to play, leading to frustration and a perception of the game as buggy. Despite occasional smooth performance, the overall consensus indicates that stability remains a significant problem, detracting from the gaming experience.
- “Instead of running an ad, it often just goes to a black screen and freezes there.”
- “The app freezes more than it allows me to play.”
- “I've enjoyed playing this game for a long time, but it freezes and crashes all the time.”
gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
Overall, the gameplay is highly praised for its fun and engaging mechanics, particularly in the context of daily challenges and various solitaire modes. However, many users express frustration with intrusive and lengthy ads that disrupt the experience, leading to a significant decline in overall enjoyment. While the core gameplay is solid, the excessive advertising and poor user interface detract from what could be a five-star experience.
- “QOL features make gameplay very intuitive, allowing you to focus on the game and not fuss with bad controls or UI.”
- “The gameplay itself is quite good, and I like the daily challenges.”
- “Gameplay is smooth, and the games are time-eaters.”
- “A 5-star game, losing 4 stars because of the intolerable long ads allowed during gameplay.”
- “But since ads have become 30 seconds long with no option to skip, turn off my music player and blast me with inane gameplay sounds, I'm no longer feeling relaxed and will be seeking a new nighttime routine.”
- “Everything besides the gameplay is awful.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
47%
18%
Overall, the graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the smooth visuals and user interface. However, some users express dissatisfaction with certain design choices, such as the representation of card symbols and the size of graphics, which can hinder readability. While the graphics are considered decent and familiar to those who have played recent Windows solitaire versions, there is a desire for more customization options and clearer layouts.
- “For gameplay, graphics, user interface, and overall experience, this is the app that excels.”
- “The visuals are good; it offers the 5 main solitaire games and a range of difficulty and mode options.”
- “Microsoft offers 5 solitaire games with great graphics, tutorials to better skills, daily challenges, and online competition.”
- “I also wish the cards would have an actual number of symbols corresponding to their numbers (i.e., what normal cards look like) instead of the somewhat unintuitive single graphic of the card's suit.”
- “Every time you end a hand now you have to wait for the idiot graphics.”
- “After having persevered playing the app since the overhaul, I have now changed my 5-star review to 1 star and have almost stopped playing altogether. The graphics have been reduced in size and I now find it difficult to read the text.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Overall, the game is well-optimized, providing a smooth experience once loaded, which enhances enjoyment. However, some users express concerns about intrusive ads that detract from the overall experience.
- “Once the game has loaded, it runs smoothly and is enjoyable.”
- “The game itself runs smoothly, but I cannot give a good review for such predatory ads.”
- “A good implementation of the game that's attractive and runs smoothly.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration and emotional distress due to intrusive ads that disrupt gameplay, particularly when attempting to close them inadvertently leads to opening external websites. Additionally, the lag in animation response and accidental touches, often caused by pets, contribute to a sense of annoyance and loss, impacting the overall gaming experience.
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly due to a lengthy and cumbersome sign-in process that feels forced and unnecessary. This has led to significant dissatisfaction, with some reviewers downgrading their ratings to one star, citing it as a sign of the game's greed.
- “Ridiculous move which makes the game tedious and shows the greed.”
- “Unacceptably long, forced full-screen, and tedious to close.”
- “Downgraded to 1 star; why is there such a tedious sign-in process now?”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusingly excessive features and the irony of players struggling with easier challenges after breezing through tougher ones, creating a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “Microsoft has bundled this version with a hilarious amount of unnecessary features.”
- “I always find it funny when I zip through a hard or expert challenge and then, for some crazy reason, stumble and fumble with a medium or, worse yet, easy challenge.”