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I think we can eliminate "ultimate" from this games' title.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 50 / 59
Date: June 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I, like many folks, waited months and months for "ultimate card games" to be released. I am underwhelmed by the game in it's final form.

Pros: 1. Very easy interface, you quickly pick up how to play your cards, make wagers, etc. 2. You can save games quickly and at any point during a game or even during a hand. 3. Game keeps your stats, if you're into that sort of thing, that's kinda cool. 4. As far as "classic" games go, you have a lot of selections. I was particularly interested in cribbage and euchre, and it's nice to have both of them in a handheld format. 5. The AI isn't overly smart, but when the CPU is your partner (at least in euchre) you can trust it to make the correct play.

Cons: 1. Non-existent game manual. There are token descriptions of games that you can read when you choose them from the menu but no rules, no how to play, nothing! I've always wanted to learn to play Bridge or Canasta but I'm not going to learn how here! How hard would it have been to give me a tutorial on these card games? At the very least put rules, etc. in the printed manual so I can figure out how to play these games. That's just lazy in my opinion.
2.They should've called it "Ultimate Solitaire with some other stuff thrown in". I'm not a big solitaire fan, for the most part I find it boring. Telegames gives you about a dozen versions to play and I'm saying, so what? If you like solitaire, you might give this game a higher rating. My problem is you've got a dozen kinds of solitaire and only one game (draw) of poker. Has telegames not been watching tv lately. Poker is HUGE! And while they may have given us the most familiar kind of poker (draw) they missed several great games. Like say...uhhh...I don't know....TEXAS HOLD 'EM! How about some poker with dueces wild or five-card stud or even regular seven-card stud?
3. Since we're talking about casino games. Where's Baccarat? Where is caribbean stud or pai gow? You give me black jack, draw poker and video poker (Video poker? What? I thought we were doing actual card games here? Why not just throw in pachinko, keno and slots and call it ultimate senior citizens games?)

4. The AI seems to get awfully good cards on a consistent basis. In both poker and cribbage I've had commanding leads and though my cards don't necessarily get worse, the AI's card become incredible! I've only been playing it a week so "lady luck" or random chance might have more to do with this, it just seems suspicious.

5. This technically is an addition to my first complaint. I've been playing euchre for roughly thirty years now and it's certainly possible that I and the millions of people who play it online are wrong. However, the last time I checked there were 24 cards in a euchre deck. This game has 25, the extra card being some sort of "super card" that trumps the right bauer (the highest card in a given hand). What is that? Get it right people, or at the very least include a game manual that explains this and all the other games in some sort of detail that would allow those unfamiliar to enjoy this "ultimate" selection of games.

6. There are hundreds of kinds of card games and I'm sure that Telegames wanted a few kid friendly games to attract the younger set, but maybe skip "go fish" or "crazy eights" and throw in pinochle or some other "adult" game.

Synopsis: This game has many good points, it has a decent selection of games. The interface is wonderful and easy to learn. However, the overemphasis on solitaire, the lack of any kind of manual and the limited variety in casino and poker games makes it difficult for me to recommend this at it's current price point (29.99). In no way is this the "ultimate" in card games.

Great handheld compilation of card games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 24 / 25
Date: June 25, 2004
Author: Amazon User

First off, I've got to say that I own a Palm, so I own most of these games in one form or another on my Palm. But I love card games, so I just had to buy this game when it came out. After playing it for a week or two now, I've got to say that this is one of my favorite games! Of course it's easier to play games like solitaire on a PDA with its touch screen, but I've got to admit, Telegames did a great job making this game as painless to play as possible. The selection of games is wonderful, as are the features. Here are some of the features I like:

--Backgrounds - You can change the background image to a picture or a gradient color.
--Music - There's an hour worth of music on the cartridge and it's playable CD-style, so you can pick and choose what songs you want to hear.
--Windows-style menus - This may sound crazy, but it really does make it easier to navigate options while you're in the middle of a game. You can save or load a game, view rules, change the music or background. All games should implement this system!

The graphics are wonderful considering how much the screen has to show, and on the photo backgrounds, the images are crystal clear--I never knew the GBA SP could display photos so clearly. There's even a simulated 3D face creator, so you can create your own likeness for when you play.

So here's what I don't like:

--Glitchy buttons - In order to rearrange your cards, you must first press the "R" button and then choose which card you want to move by pressing the "A" button. Thing is, if you're not careful, the "A" button also acts as the discard button, so you can lose a card you meant to keep.
--No female features in face creator - I'm sorry, but every single feature in the "Face Creator" program looks like a man's face. I tried making one for my fiance and decided against it as she would've killed me if I told her, "I think this looks like you."

These are small gripes and I think the game still deserves the five-star rating. This is a great game for all ages. There's no violence and the selection is such that there is bound to be a game you know, no matter your age. I mean, what six year old doesn't know "Go Fish"? And even if you don't know, the game has a pretty good "How to play" to get you started. I recommend this game to everyone, although I think adults will enjoy it more with the inclusion of Blackjack, Poker and Video Poker.

Missing the point

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: June 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

It seems to me that some people seem to be missing the point of this game. It is not a full blown casino product nor a master rated bridge game nor an aggregation of Microsoft products. What it is - is a superb collection of various card games with lots of features that is intended to be an entertaining way to "waste time" for mainstream consumers. Sure some of the games play a little differently than I'm accustomed to and some of the computer opponents are a little weak for my skill level, but so what. I adapt to their rules and still enjoy playing. I've had the game for a week and it is obvious to me that I will enjoy this product for years, not just for weeks or months like many other products. I'm getting ready to use it now to waste some more time while I wait for my ride to show up. Just get it and enjoy it.

Hours of Entertainment!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: February 24, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This game has tons of card & casino games. I am 47 & use it on my son's Gameboy when we travel or go camping. It is great for all ages!

All in all, a pretty good collection of card games

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 28, 2004
Author: Amazon User

It has plenty of card games to play. I purchased this mainly to play spades on the go. I wish it were more like Yahoo spades with more options in the menu so I could play double nil passing and suicide. Also, I would like characters with different difficulty levels, because I have only lost 1 game so far. I play on a regular Gameboy Advance, and I have found that if I create too many faces (3) and save too many games and settings, the game will freeze up. This can be corrected by going to the options menu and erasing your saved stuff. And I agree, there really isnt enough female faces. They all look like men. I didn't dare make one for my wife either! But, nonetheless, I love this game, as does my wife (gin rummy). I can't get the gameboy away from her! Hearts, Poker, Blackjack, Crazy Eights, and Go Fish are excellent. I would give this game an A, 4 stars because there is room for improvement. But it is my favorite gameboy game so far. Enjoy!

Extremely addictive and fun, but solitaire will tire you out

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've noticed that a lot of the reviews are really harping on a specific game having a bug that ruins the experience for them. If you look at the group on a whole, though, this is the best bargain in Gameboy games that I have seen yet.

The casino games are a lot of fun. Poker and Blackjack are well done, albeit slow (the computer really takes its time dealing cards). Video poker is a bit too simplistic to play for any amount of time, but your kids or slightly retarded uncle might enjoy it.

The Classic card games are extremely well done. I haven't played euchre in ages, but I got sucked back in almost immediately. Gin Rummy is slightly different than the version I played as a kid, but it's as viable a version as mine, so it doesn't bother me. Crazy Eights is a hoot, and learning to play cribbage and bridge by myself with a cold beer and Radiohead playing is a lot easier than having to listen to my grandmother or mom harp at me about how I played the last hand all wrong.

The solitaire games, while technically fine, are rendered almost useless by the controller. Moving each card one-by-one with the controller reminds me how much easier it is to play the solitaire games on my computer with a mouse. By the end of one game of Freecell, my hand was cramped so bad I had to go get another couple of cold beers and listen to side 1 of Dark Side of the Moon before my hand was functioning again. Fun, competent solitaire games, but I'll bet you develop Popeye forearms after a couple of weeks.

The cartridge is definitely worth it just for the Classic and Casino games, though. Perfect games for sitting in the airport or riding in the passenger seat - most of these can be played in 5 to 10 minutes, which is a plus for me. Even when they go longer than that, every game has a good save feature. You can make an identity for yourself, complete with customized face. Pretty funny and cool. This thing never seems to come out of the GBA. My wife is just as hooked as I am, too.

A good one

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: June 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Ultimate Card Games is a very good game. It offers a whole bunch of entertainment value in a single purchase. I have noticed a few "quirky things" occur, but most of these things I later found described in the onscreen how to play information or in the onscreen rules section. There are a lot of variations on how to play these games and the options generally allow you to adjust your version to your own taste. It will be in my collection for a long time.

Lots of choices, high quality game.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 09, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Didn't you love all the lunk-heads who left reviews before the game was released? Caramba.

Okay, The Positives are clear. LARGE selection of games, well done graphics, pleasant music, changeable backgrounds (good for fighting boredom and to see better in low light. Great built in help menus.

Negatives: All of these games are rather easy. I play A LOT of hearts, and find this game not challenging at all. As a matter of fact I won 24 out of 25 hearts games. In all that time, the computer NEVER once passed a heart! I am a casual Gin player and am cleaning the games clock too. Don't get me wrong. I'm NOT trying to say I'm the worlds best player. What I'm saying is the games are too easy.

Now, that said....It doesn't bother me because the game pack holds so many games, there couldn't possibly be enough memory space to write every game with lots of levels. I play gameboy to pass the time at airports and waiting rooms. If I want challenging opponents, I'll play against humans, or a GBA advanced gamepack that is only one game, Like Chess with Kasperov.

By the way, I appear to be in the minority about the sister game pack "Ultimate brain Games." I hated that thing. If you did too, don't compare that to this. This is much better.

I'm glad I bought this game, and recommend it.

One of the best games for adults and kids for the GBA

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: June 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I just bought this game 2 days ago and am already a big fan. Not only are there a good variety of some of the best card games around (sorry I am not a big Texas Hold Em fan) but the game also keeps stats on everything you play even down to how many Full Houses you get in Video Poker, how many minutes you have played a game, and your current win streak. It is also great for my 4 year old son who is getting good at Go Fish. The face creator adds a nice touch to personalize your character as well. If there are games that you are not all that familiar with you can read the in-game help to learn how to play it. Most of the games as well have rules and settings that can be changed to suit your style of play. This game will surely remain in my collection until the GBA becomes a thing of the past.

Nicely done graphics

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Yes, some of my favorites are missing from this game, but there are so many versions of card games, there was no way the creators could please everyone.
The graphics are surprisingly good, with choices of background, card backs, and a face creator. Face creator is a bit more limited than the one included in "Ultimate Brain Games" but will suffice. I didn't buy this game to create faces... I play card games with it!
The link feature is nice and the whole family can link up and play.
Overall, it was a good buy and an improvement to be able to finally play card in color on the Gameboy as opposed to my old B&W game.

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