6 ms·

I love Solitaire - it's such a nice way to kill a few minutes while waiting for something else. Unfortunately, many solitaire phone apps are filled with ads, s

by bbkane 2y ago

I love Solitaire - it's such a nice way to kill a few minutes while waiting for something else. Unfortunately, many solitaire phone apps are filled with ads, slow, or have clunky controls. A few years ago, however, I found https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.tobiasbielefeld.solitaire/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.tobiasbielefeld.solitaire... . Its free and open source, and quite fast with nice shortcuts to move the cards. I love this app and have played multiple Klondike/Spider Solitaire games a day using it. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you want a simple game of Solitaire in the same spirit as the post.

diggan 2y ago
Was looking for this on iPhone as well some weeks ago, and came across a Solitaire that is included in Apple Arcade that works really well, doesn't have any ads or other distractions, just plain Solitaire. And another bonus is that Balatro (which the submission author created) is included in Apple Arcade too, which was the original reason I got Arcade.
- schnable 2y ago
  Apple Arcade is great for avoiding all the adware and in-app payment crap.
foobarian 2y ago
This is why I play it with actual physical cards. I learned it as kid so partly it's a comfort ritual, and partly the tactile interaction is very soothing.
- matsemann 2y ago
  It also "forces" you to keep playing when it gets tough, as a complete shuffle plus new setup isn't just a simple click away. It's also nice to get off the screen for a while. I recently bought a smaller deck of cards, like half or three quarters of the size of a normal deck or so. Makes it easier to play without needing a huge table.
sl3dge78 2y ago
I highly recommend the Zachtronics Solitaire Collection. Greatly designed solitaire games. I play them every day on my commute to work.
- rezmason 2y ago
  Zachtronics Solitaire Collection inspired me to begin experimenting with Solitaire variants, and hopefully Balatro's well-deserved success will stoke people's curiosity in similar titles. For now, my web prototype lets you choose the numbers of suits, colors, ranks, columns, and multiples of cards drawn from the deck. It's a start. I invite HN to explore the Klondike Extended Universe: https://rezmason.github.io/patience https://rezmason.github.io/patience
  - yoz 2y ago
    I LOVE that you let the player tweak those variables in the mechanics. Many of us want to be able to relax with a nice comfy game for half an hour, and "comfy" means setting the difficulty just right. My partner used to relax with Flipflop Solitaire[1], which lets you choose how many suits there are in the deck. These days they play lots of Balatro with the checkered deck[2]. [1] http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com/ http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com/ [2] https://balatrogame.fandom.com/wiki/Checkered_Deck https://balatrogame.fandom.com/wiki/Checkered_Deck
- motes 2y ago
  I was gonna recommend the same one. I wanna add that Hempuli (Baba is You, Noita) also made a solitaire collection inspired by Zachtronics. It's just 3 bucks on his itchio and it's something I play while I have my coffee. https://hempuli.itch.io/a-solitaire-mystery https://hempuli.itch.io/a-solitaire-mystery Funny enough it has a "Royal Flush Solitaire" where you make poker hands and your goal is to reach 240 points. Binary Solitaire and Transformation are my favorites.
  - jefurii 2y ago
    The Solitaire Mystery is also the name of a very interesting novel that explores all kinds of permutations of the cards, suits, etc, etc, by Jostein Gaarder, author of Sophie's World.
NoboruWataya 2y ago
This is the one I use too. I like how many variants it has as well.
palsecam 2y ago
Using a lightweight PWA (progressive web app) is also an option: https://FreeSolitaire.win https://FreeSolitaire.win (self-plug). Doesn’t generate unwinnable games[1] & detects dead-ends. Works offline after the first visit. No ads until game over, and they aren’t obtrusive. Often lauded on HN, e.g. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41972075 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41972075 or https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42031052 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42031052. 1: The probability that a random deal is unwinnable is ~20%. Wikipedia has a section on the subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_(solitaire)#Probability_of_winning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_(solitaire)#Probabili...
- rpigab 2y ago
  Nice! I should add only-winnable generation to my own Solitaire, it's adfree, although it has extremely clunky controls. Well, it was designed for the terminal, try the webconsole version here: https://rpigab.gitlab.io/solitaire-cli/ https://rpigab.gitlab.io/solitaire-cli/ Source: https://gitlab.com/rpigab/solitaire-cli https://gitlab.com/rpigab/solitaire-cli
- djeastm 2y ago
  Thanks! I like the rewind feature. One of my key frustrations with the game solved!
- rpigab 2y ago
  First time I've played any game through the end just because I wanted to see an ad! It's really well made, gotta confess I went the CLI route because I don't know how to design GUIs with moving parts. Also, I wanted to play my game with controls tailored for the keyboard layout (ASDFGHJ keys control the columns if using QWERTY).
  - quantotius 2y ago
    You can also try my own implementation of https://klondikesolitaire.com/ https://klondikesolitaire.com/. Ad-free.
playsolitr 2y ago
[dead]
MattSayar 2y ago
One nice side benefit of DNS-level adblocking (pi-hole, etc) is that a lot of mobile games never end up showing ads. It doesn't always work perfectly, but in particular I play a euchre game on my phone that frequently asks me to "pay X to play with no ads" and every time I think "What ads?" That said, sometimes I pay to support the developer if I like the game. Sucks when a game I like doesn't offer the "remove ads" option.
Jach 2y ago
That's long been my favorite Android version of klondike too. But my favorite favorite remains the old Windows 95 Solitaire. I keep a copy around even on Linux through wine to play sometimes on PC. The main reason? I still love the ending animation of all the cards springing down without clearing the background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uev21NTzom8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uev21NTzom8 I don't understand why no other version seems to want to implement this ending animation, it's the best one of all time.
- 7thaccount 2y ago
  I was horrified to find Microsoft removed a simple Solitaire with a junk app full of ads (I hadn't looked at Solitaire in years). Perfect example of enshitification. It did have the benefit of me deciding I'll never purchase another Windows computer ever again and my family just doing physical card games.
mikrasya 2y ago
If anyone is using iOS, please consider our app [0]. It only has banner ads at the bottom that does not block game play. Other features include history of all your plays, statistics, and ability to play older hands again. Another detail that might be relevant to HN audience is that it is built using 100% SwiftUI. [0] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-solitaire-app/id1613070030?platform=iphone https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-solitaire-app/id1613070030...
zfg 2y ago
> Unfortunately, many solitaire phone apps are filled with ads, slow, or have clunky controls Here's one written in C# and compiled to WebAssembly: https://solitaire.xaml.live/ https://solitaire.xaml.live/ Source code: https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Solitaire https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Solitaire
addy34 2y ago
I wrote a cat-themed web version a little while ago for fun. It's not overly configurable, but there are zero ads, trackers etc. and it's very lightweight with hopefully no (significant) bugs. https://www.solitairecat.com/ https://www.solitairecat.com/

by bbkane 2y ago

diggan 2y ago

Was looking for this on iPhone as well some weeks ago, and came across a Solitaire that is included in Apple Arcade that works really well, doesn't have any ads or other distractions, just plain Solitaire. And another bonus is that Balatro (which the submission author created) is included in Apple Arcade too, which was the original reason I got Arcade.

schnable 2y ago
Apple Arcade is great for avoiding all the adware and in-app payment crap.

foobarian 2y ago

This is why I play it with actual physical cards. I learned it as kid so partly it's a comfort ritual, and partly the tactile interaction is very soothing.

matsemann 2y ago
It also "forces" you to keep playing when it gets tough, as a complete shuffle plus new setup isn't just a simple click away. It's also nice to get off the screen for a while. I recently bought a smaller deck of cards, like half or three quarters of the size of a normal deck or so. Makes it easier to play without needing a huge table.

sl3dge78 2y ago

I highly recommend the Zachtronics Solitaire Collection. Greatly designed solitaire games. I play them every day on my commute to work.

rezmason 2y ago
Zachtronics Solitaire Collection inspired me to begin experimenting with Solitaire variants, and hopefully Balatro's well-deserved success will stoke people's curiosity in similar titles. For now, my web prototype lets you choose the numbers of suits, colors, ranks, columns, and multiples of cards drawn from the deck. It's a start. I invite HN to explore the Klondike Extended Universe: https://rezmason.github.io/patience https://rezmason.github.io/patience
- yoz 2y ago
  I LOVE that you let the player tweak those variables in the mechanics. Many of us want to be able to relax with a nice comfy game for half an hour, and "comfy" means setting the difficulty just right. My partner used to relax with Flipflop Solitaire[1], which lets you choose how many suits there are in the deck. These days they play lots of Balatro with the checkered deck[2]. [1] http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com/ http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com/ [2] https://balatrogame.fandom.com/wiki/Checkered_Deck https://balatrogame.fandom.com/wiki/Checkered_Deck
motes 2y ago
I was gonna recommend the same one. I wanna add that Hempuli (Baba is You, Noita) also made a solitaire collection inspired by Zachtronics. It's just 3 bucks on his itchio and it's something I play while I have my coffee. https://hempuli.itch.io/a-solitaire-mystery https://hempuli.itch.io/a-solitaire-mystery Funny enough it has a "Royal Flush Solitaire" where you make poker hands and your goal is to reach 240 points. Binary Solitaire and Transformation are my favorites.
- jefurii 2y ago
  The Solitaire Mystery is also the name of a very interesting novel that explores all kinds of permutations of the cards, suits, etc, etc, by Jostein Gaarder, author of Sophie's World.

NoboruWataya 2y ago

This is the one I use too. I like how many variants it has as well.

palsecam 2y ago

Using a lightweight PWA (progressive web app) is also an option: https://FreeSolitaire.win https://FreeSolitaire.win (self-plug). Doesn’t generate unwinnable games[1] & detects dead-ends. Works offline after the first visit. No ads until game over, and they aren’t obtrusive. Often lauded on HN, e.g. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41972075 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41972075 or https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42031052 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42031052. 1: The probability that a random deal is unwinnable is ~20%. Wikipedia has a section on the subject: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_(solitaire)#Probability_of_winning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_(solitaire)#Probabili...

rpigab 2y ago
Nice! I should add only-winnable generation to my own Solitaire, it's adfree, although it has extremely clunky controls. Well, it was designed for the terminal, try the webconsole version here: https://rpigab.gitlab.io/solitaire-cli/ https://rpigab.gitlab.io/solitaire-cli/ Source: https://gitlab.com/rpigab/solitaire-cli https://gitlab.com/rpigab/solitaire-cli
djeastm 2y ago
Thanks! I like the rewind feature. One of my key frustrations with the game solved!
rpigab 2y ago
First time I've played any game through the end just because I wanted to see an ad! It's really well made, gotta confess I went the CLI route because I don't know how to design GUIs with moving parts. Also, I wanted to play my game with controls tailored for the keyboard layout (ASDFGHJ keys control the columns if using QWERTY).
- quantotius 2y ago
  You can also try my own implementation of https://klondikesolitaire.com/ https://klondikesolitaire.com/. Ad-free.

playsolitr 2y ago

[dead]

MattSayar 2y ago

One nice side benefit of DNS-level adblocking (pi-hole, etc) is that a lot of mobile games never end up showing ads. It doesn't always work perfectly, but in particular I play a euchre game on my phone that frequently asks me to "pay X to play with no ads" and every time I think "What ads?" That said, sometimes I pay to support the developer if I like the game. Sucks when a game I like doesn't offer the "remove ads" option.

Jach 2y ago

That's long been my favorite Android version of klondike too. But my favorite favorite remains the old Windows 95 Solitaire. I keep a copy around even on Linux through wine to play sometimes on PC. The main reason? I still love the ending animation of all the cards springing down without clearing the background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uev21NTzom8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uev21NTzom8 I don't understand why no other version seems to want to implement this ending animation, it's the best one of all time.

7thaccount 2y ago
I was horrified to find Microsoft removed a simple Solitaire with a junk app full of ads (I hadn't looked at Solitaire in years). Perfect example of enshitification. It did have the benefit of me deciding I'll never purchase another Windows computer ever again and my family just doing physical card games.

mikrasya 2y ago

If anyone is using iOS, please consider our app [0]. It only has banner ads at the bottom that does not block game play. Other features include history of all your plays, statistics, and ability to play older hands again. Another detail that might be relevant to HN audience is that it is built using 100% SwiftUI. [0] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-solitaire-app/id1613070030?platform=iphone https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-solitaire-app/id1613070030...

zfg 2y ago

> Unfortunately, many solitaire phone apps are filled with ads, slow, or have clunky controls Here's one written in C# and compiled to WebAssembly: https://solitaire.xaml.live/ https://solitaire.xaml.live/ Source code: https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Solitaire https://github.com/AvaloniaUI/Solitaire

addy34 2y ago

I wrote a cat-themed web version a little while ago for fun. It's not overly configurable, but there are zero ads, trackers etc. and it's very lightweight with hopefully no (significant) bugs. https://www.solitairecat.com/ https://www.solitairecat.com/