Piece the Puzzle Together.
Something has gone terribly wrong and you awaken on the beach to a mysterious island, stranded with no supplies or tools. You cannot recall how you got there or where you came from, so there's no way of knowing how you can possibly get off this strange land in the middle of nowhere. That is, unless you can gather enough clues to make sense of it all.
Mystery Solitaire: Secret Island is composed of two parts. In the main part of the game, you are faced with a large field of vibrantly designed playing cards. By quickly scanning this foreign environment, you attempt to find matching pairs. Simply click on one card to highlight it, and then click on another card of the same value (suits don't matter). In some stages, there will be a draw pile that pulls out three cards at a time. These can also be used in your matching quest, but your ultimate goal is clear the layout of its cards. By uncovering the background, you manage to make some progress on the island until you discover...
Hide and Seek
The second part of this adventure. Everything seems so strange, so novel, yet there are several familiar items here. At each checkpoint, you must collect six particular items hidden in the sea, in the jungle, or in a ship wreck. Some items are common, everyday things -- like mugs, dice, and spiders -- while others are much more frightful -- like spears, pistols, and masks. This bonus "seek and find" or "eye-spy" portion of the game is particularly enjoyable (and addictive), adding much value to an already excellent game.
After you have retrieved these objects, you are awarded a piece of a map. There are twelve pieces in total, each corresponding to a location on the island. Seek out them all, discern their meaning, and you may be able to find your way back home.
The Secrets to Freedom: Powerup Tips and Hints
While playing the "solitaire/card matching" portion of Mystery Solitaire, you will come to encounter several special cards:
Keys and Locks. Any key will fit in any lock. You must first completely uncover the key to make it available for play, but after you do so, it can open any lock, regardless of whether is covered by other cards or not.
Magnets. A magnet can pull ANY card into its position (even if the card is face down). This item is particularly useful in situations with limited playable cards, as the magnet can pull in ANY card, even if it is partially buried amongst other face-down cards.
Jokers. These are wild cards, pairing a Joker with any FACE UP card will remove every card with the same value from the level. Use them wisely.
Strategic Tips & Bonus Points
To increase your chances of collecting the clues and to maximize your score there are some tricks you should be aware of:
1) Remove cards that reveal the most cards, and that typically means working on long rows and tall stacks first.
2) If multiple pairs of the same card value are available match them back-to-back to unclutter the level and to receive 2500 bonus points.
3) If beating your own high score is your bailiwick try to removing ALL the cards from the level including the Stockpile to receive 10,000 bonus points.
4) Use the Special cards sparingly and save them because you never know when you'll need them.
There's No Place Like Home
Finding your way home will be a difficult, challenging proposition. There are twelve exotic locations of the island to explore, sixty three playing areas, and 3 different card faces to choose from ("mystery", "picture cards", and "accessible"). The foreboding and mysterious music creates for an eerie atmosphere, keeping you at the edge of your seat, anxious of what may await you around the next bend. With added functions like unlimited Shuffles, Hints, and Undo's, you may go from being stranded on Secret Island to finding your way safely back home. Trek on, noble adventurer, trek on!
