Customer Reviews

Big Screen FreeCell

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I have had the old verion of the Radica Freecell game for about 12 months, but wished it lit up in the dark. Hey presto, someone must have heard me and now my husband is even closer to divorcing me- (only joking. He says he won't, providing I keep the sound effects turned off!) This new upgraded model of the game is SUPERB especially with the 'low light' feature. Now I can be antisocial day or night!!! Joking aside, the cards are much easier to read, the scroll up and down buttons are far more easy to handle than the original 'roller' and the buttons are much bigger which makes the chances of mistakes fewer. On the next upgrade, is there any chance of an 'undo last move' button to reduce the curse words when I mess up????

I have a few of these handheld games and I'm a big fan. This one has a big screen which is nice because it holds so many cards. I love that the light comes on if it's too dark! That's a great feature. I've only had this a few days but it took me no time to adjust to it. It is a little different from the computer but if you're a free cell junkie it won't take long to be hooked.

I bought this game two weekends ago and have had both fun and frustration with it. I'm a Freecell junkie and have gone so far as to download a better version (more games) than the one that came with my computer. I lost track of how many total games I've played over the years since I've used several computers, but I play about 10 games a day on average. I'm very competitive and love keeping track of my stats. Unfortunately, that is the weakness of this version of the game. For example, if you get into a position were you can move only one card back and forth between two columns and there are no other moves, all you can do is hit the replay button or move on to another game. If you hit the replay button you don't get a loss recorded, which of course you should. Consequently, it is easy to run up a high win percentage with this version of the game just by resigning a game when you think you are going to loose and replay it. Then when you finally win, you get credit for a win. Of course, that is not proper scoring either. Also, there is a key combination that when you do lose a game outright and want to replay, you don't get any further losses counted against you. That's as it should be. The only problem is that key combination is very flaky and doesn't always work. Other than scoring inconsistencies, it's a great game! It's very easy to use. Although different to use than playing with a mouse on your computer, if you've played a lot on your computer you'll pick up the operation of this version almost immediately. The display is large and easy to see, and there is a low light level sensor on the front that will automatically light the screen when you are playing in an area with poor lighting. That is a great feature. I love playing this game while sitting in the airport waiting to board a plane and on the plane itself while in the air. It's a great and challenging way to pass the time away if you like playing solitaire. On the next version of this game, I hope they will beef up the statistics capabilities of the unit.

If you have played free cell on a computer this an exact duplicate. Otherwise a little practise will get you up to speed. This brand name is the only 1 I have found with a sceen that lights un automatically in dark situations, excellent for "older" eyes like mine.

The only problem is that the screen is hard to see in normal light. There is a back light which comes on in low light settings which is nice. I have resorted to tape over the light sensor so that the light stays on when I play the game. Perhaps an anti-glare screen may help. Other than that its a good game.

Update Feb 2009: I am embarrassed to admit I have dropped my Radica FreeCell from a height of four feet to a hard tile floor - twice - but it is still working excellently. It is a marvelously well-designed product. Just wanted to share that.

I have worn out one earlier model Radica FreeCell, and have had several years of use from a second. I hesitated to get the new larger-screen one because I like to carry one in my purse for those waits in line or in restaurants. But I am really glad I got the new one. First, it is faster (not like playing FreeCell on a PC, but still ...). Second, the selection of cards from a stack is more intelligent. Third, the backlit screen works well for me. Fourth, the larger numbers and larger buttons are much more comfortable. Fifth, the separate scroll-up and scroll-down buttons are a great improvement over the double-use deal wheel. I wish the bulbous "head" were a little smaller; I would like to be able to manipulate the unit with one hand - when I am brushing my teeth!

This is my second Big Screen FreeCell purchase. My first one is several years old and works well. I keep one in my car (for bridge lifts) and one in house. The screen is bright enough to play the game in the dark. Though I play the game daily, the batteries last for several months.

Love the way the game works. I am a Free Cell addict. This particular game has a back light, but it is too dim. I covered the 'eye' to make it stay as bright as possible, which is an improvement, but then it eats batteries.

I imagine this gadget may be adequate for the UltraHardcore Freecell Junkies among us. However, even as big a Freecell Zombie as I am I think this hand held "version" is a useless POS. I find it impossible to differentiate the four suits in any useful way. Yeah, you can see them by squinting but, since there's no color involved to distinguish hearts and diamonds from clubs and spades, it's almost impossible to figure out which card should go where. In addition, and, I think, a problem with all these solitare games, is the fact that you cannot see the entire field of cards so you have no idea where the aces are, e.g., without constantly using the "up" and "down" buttons.

In short, this game is pretty much for those who are desperate to play Freecell in the WORST way, because this is truly the worst way I can imagine. If you are totally jonesing for a hit of Freecell and you're dependant on your desktop, then get yourself a small laptop. Don't waste your money, as I did, on this toy.

Radica, Freecell Solitaire : Best game ever. I have bought several games and I stopped searching when I discovered this game. Don't buy other Solitaire games you can't win, when you can win about 1 out of three games with this game (adult). I have had this game for 3 years and still take it with me when I go out to appointments or out of town, or before falling asleep. Backlit, turns itself off, easy to read and wonderful at holding your interest. Just spend a little while learning Freecell, and you'll be sold.