Golfitaire!

Golfitaire? Okay, maybe I should leave the naming up the the professionals, but that was really the best way I could describe Fairway Solitaire. The game expertly blends the experiences of golf and solitaire to make an amazing game that I cannot stop playing! Who would've thought that these two activities would go together so well? I'm not just pulling your chain here; this is as perfect a matching as peanut butter and jelly!

Let Me Explain

The actual gameplay is similar to that of solitaire, while the scoring is closer to that of golf. For example, each stage has a par. However, this isn't how many shots you have to get the ball in the hole, but rather how many cards you should end the level with. If the current stage is a par three and you run out of moves with three cards left, you've met par. If you have two cards left, it's a birdie; one, an eagle; and three, a hole in one. The scoring works the same way if you have too many cards. It works suprisingly well for solitaire and my hat (one of those funny checkered caddie hats) is off to the developers for finding a combo that works so well.

The golf scoring doesn't stop there, not by a long drive. You see what I did there?

Speaking of which, matching several cards in a row nets you a long drive multiplier. You don't make matches quite like traditional solitaire. You have rows of cards, as well as a stock card at the bottom. Click on any card that's one higher or lower than the stock card to make a successful match. It's a simple concept and one that should take you all of 30 seconds to master.

Every now and then you'll get an iron, which has a number value and goes in your bag. You can use this iron at any time, just like any other number. Water hazards will show up and take up a whole row of cards, blocking the row next to it. Match all of the numbers on that row to unblock the rest. Sandtraps will appear and you'll have to dig out the sand wedge card to flip them over, where they become useable. Finally, each match will earn you money, which can be used to unlock courses.

Plenty of Courses

The game offers dozens of different courses, each one unlocked by meeting certain criteria such as earning a certain amount of money, getting a certain score, etc. The different courses do vary in that the arrangement of the cards will differ from stage to stage.

A Hole in One

I have had more than my fill of solitaire games, but Fairway Solitaire was just too good to pass up. It really is a brilliant mixture and makes for one hell of a game, pardon my French. To top it all off, it's quite long, ensuring you lasting fun that's hard to find these days.