Microsoft Solitaire Collection
- August 31, 2020
- Microsoft Casual Games
- 2h median play time
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.
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Reviews
- The variety of solitaire games available is enjoyable and keeps the gameplay fresh.
- The daily challenges and events provide a fun way to engage with the game and improve skills.
- The app runs smoothly and has a user-friendly interface.
- The ads have become excessively long and intrusive, often requiring multiple clicks to close.
- The app frequently forgets premium subscriptions, forcing users to restore purchases repeatedly.
- Recent updates have made the card sizes too small, making it difficult for players to see and enjoy the game.
- monetization1,178 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the prevalence of intrusive and lengthy ads, even for those who have paid for a premium subscription intended to eliminate them. Many players report experiencing unskippable ads lasting 30 seconds or more, which disrupt gameplay and often require multiple attempts to close. Additionally, the subscription model for ad removal is viewed as excessive, with users expressing frustration over the app frequently "forgetting" their premium status and forcing them to watch ads despite having paid for an ad-free experience.
“Although the inclusion of microtransactions on what was once a free game on my old PC is disheartening, the nostalgia this brings is enough to enjoy it all the same.”
“Best solitaire game around. I have the paid version because I enjoy it; there are no ads ever, and the app has never been problematic.”
“Super fun with no ads (with a Microsoft account), different levels and difficulties.”
“After several days I paid for the premium version and to my surprise, after some time, I start to see the ads again!”
“It's flooded with unskippable 30-second ads which send you directly to the store when you try to close them - and when you try to return to the app, you're either sent back to the ad (which then sends you to the store again, and so on) or the game closes and upon reopening plays another 30-second ad.”
“Frustrating to pay for an ad-free experience, but get ads anyway.”
- music46 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is heavily criticized due to intrusive ads that mute any background music or audio players, disrupting the overall experience. Users express frustration over the inability to control audio settings effectively, as ads often override personal music and do not resume playback afterward. While some appreciate the in-game music, the overwhelming presence of loud, unskippable ads detracts significantly from enjoyment.
“The music is amazing and I wish I could listen to it all the time, but the sound effects are super annoying.”
“I play this game obsessively, but recently there was an update and now I cannot turn off the sound effects while keeping the music.”
“It's a bit silly, but I like the little music at the end; it's like a small reward for myself.”
“The lengthy ads come before every game and override what comes from your music player.”
“Ads disrupt music.”
“The game itself is good, but having to deal with terrible ads that mute my phone completely (really annoying if I'm listening to music) just ruins the whole experience.”
- stability45 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has significantly declined, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and glitches, particularly during ad loading and gameplay. Many players express frustration over the app's inability to function properly, often requiring restarts or even uninstallation to regain access. While some users note occasional stability, the overwhelming sentiment is that recent updates have exacerbated the issues, making the game increasingly unplayable.
“The game seems to be bug-free and easy to navigate.”
“Hasn't locked up for months; no glitches.”
“Was a great game even with the ads, but they have become worse and now it's just a black screen that won't go away and freezes the game immediately no matter how many times the game is restarted.”
“Every day it crashes, fails to load ads, freezes, and more.”
“I loved the jigsaw collection, but lately it freezes increasingly and does so every few minutes now, so it is unplayable.”
- graphics32 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the clean visuals and variety of themes available. However, some users have noted issues with readability, particularly with small card sizes and poor optimization for mobile devices, which detracts from the overall experience. While the latest updates have introduced some appealing visuals, there are calls for improvements in clarity and options to customize graphics further.
“Beautiful graphics.”
“The app runs super smoothly and the graphics are really nice, as well as has a good variety of themes.”
“Great graphics and challenges.”
“The latest revision to the graphics makes it almost impossible to see separate cards in some of the games on my phone and there isn't a high contrast option.”
“I agree with recent comments, the numbers and graphics are now so small they are difficult to read.”
“Every time you end a hand now you have to wait for the idiot graphics.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its quality, variety, and smoothness, particularly in solitaire modes, making it enjoyable and relaxing for many players. However, the overwhelming presence of long, unskippable ads significantly detracts from the experience, leading to frustration and dissatisfaction among users, with some opting to uninstall the game despite enjoying the gameplay itself. The subscription model to remove ads is also criticized, as it adds to the overall negative sentiment surrounding the gameplay experience.
“Gameplay is top notch, there is so much to explore in this collection and ads are also okay and the subscription is quite reasonable as they are charging it annually.”
“Gameplay is smooth, and the games are time-eaters.”
“Clear and functional gameplay with lots of variety and deeper challenges... this is my go-to game for relaxation.”
“Everything besides the gameplay is awful.”
“But since ads have become 30 seconds long with no option to skip, turning off my music player and blasting me with inane gameplay sounds, I'm no longer feeling relaxed and will be seeking a new nighttime routine.”
“The small banners that don't affect actual gameplay are fine, not intrusive at all, but the ones that you have to sit through to even begin a game are obnoxious and I hardly play anymore because of them. Not everyone can afford a subscription every month just to get rid of ads.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly once loaded and is generally well-made, users report issues such as poor visual and interaction optimization for mobile devices, lack of customization options, and performance lag on some phones. Additionally, the game's mechanics, like the "single tap to move," are criticized for being overly simplistic and requiring precise input.
“Performance is good.”
“Once the game has loaded, it runs smoothly and is enjoyable.”
“+ Extremely well optimized + Very well made + Ads are relatively non-intrusive.”
“There's no options to enable 'relaxed' mode.”
“Visuals and interactions are poorly optimized for phone.”
“Since installing, my phone has started lagging in performance drastically.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, citing excessive sign-in processes and frequent ads that disrupt gameplay. This has led to a significant decline in user satisfaction, with some reviewers downgrading their ratings due to perceived greed from the developers.
“Ridiculous move that makes the game tedious and shows the greed.”
“Downgraded to 1 star; why is there such a tedious signing-in process now?”
“Ads are now in between nearly every game, which is tedious.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by players' experiences of unexpected failures in easier challenges, creating a sense of irony and amusement. Additionally, the inclusion of excessive features by Microsoft adds a layer of absurdity that enhances the comedic aspect of the game.
“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.”
“Microsoft has bundled this version with a hilarious amount of unnecessary features.”
“Man, you're funny.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of intrusive ads, particularly when attempting to close them leads to unintended consequences, such as being redirected to the ad's website. This experience detracts from their overall enjoyment and can evoke feelings of annoyance and helplessness.
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's multiple fun experiences that offer endless replay value, although many find the presence of annoying clickbait ads to be a drawback.
“Multiple fun games with endless replay value.”
“The game has some fun elements, but I found the replayability to be lacking after a few rounds.”
“While the initial experience is enjoyable, there isn't much incentive to play again once you've completed the main objectives.”
“I was hoping for more variety in gameplay, but it quickly became repetitive and lost its charm.”
