Despite the outward sneers from elite gamers, you know, the ones who wouldn't be caught dead owning a copy of Myst, most of us at various times have indulged in the illicit pleasure of playing solitaire from time to time on our PC or Mac. Like you, I, too, have played solitaire on the computer, but usually became bored quickly because of the blandness of the gameplay and graphics. Well, I'm here to say, this review almost didn't get written because I couldn't stop playing Freecell long enough to write it!

Hardwood Solitaire III is the latest version of Silver Creek's popular registered player edition. Offering the same attention to graphic detail as before, plus with many new options that take advantage of 3D video cards, Hardwood Solitaire III is the best solitaire game in town.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Hardwood Solitaire offers an excellent presentation of several well-known solitaire games along with new variations. Previous editions included the ability to change the pictures on the cards to any images players wanted via a free Deck Press editor available for download on the Silver Creek website, plus add music. This latest edition adds tons more games (more than 80, not including variations played with more decks or at different difficulty settings), more gameplay options and an enhanced graphic capability for users with 3D video cards. People without the correct 3D card can choose the software rendering mode.

The interface is extremely intuitive and easy to master, with help just a click away. However, the help files aren't very detailed and often players will have to just play a new game a few times to get the hang of it. Options include numerous methods of gameplay mechanics for the actual cards, music details, player statistics and special animated effects. Gameplay is really made easy by the "redo" and "undo" buttons, along with the "hint" button for those who may need some help.

Designing unique decks and environments make this solitaire suite incredible, and there is really nothing like it on the market. Addictive gameplay is the key here and is not a hackneyed journalistic expression, but the only term that truly describes what will happen when people begin playing. Do yourself a big favor, and don't install this on your work computer.

The only quibble I have with this game is the price tag of $30, which is a bit steep considering that many of these games can be found for free from various locations, although admittedly of not comparable quality. However, I can guarantee that most players will get their money's worth of gameplay hours.

Graphics: 8 
Very nice graphic effects, especially with the 3D mode. The card animations make moving the cards realistic, which when combined with all the other options make this program much more fun than a real deck.

Sound: 7
The music is just a click away and players can add their own music files, but only .midi files apparently, which is a slight detraction considering the different music files available currently. The music sounds great, though!

Concept: 7 
Well, when all is said and done it is just another solitaire collection, but the superb presentation uplifts this suite from the general crowd.

Overall: 8
An awesome card game collection that is the best in its genre. Even when taking into account the single nature of the game and the high price, this program is a well-designed game that will probably outlast most other games on your hard drive. There is a demo available so people can test drive it, I urge players to check it out.