Peg Solitaire 1.1 Posted: 29-Jul-2001

2 1/2 out of 5 Mice Author: Mark Pazoli Software Type: FREEWARE Reviewer: Moe Bradley Class: GAMES           Download

Peg Solitaire 1.1 is the computer version of an old classic game which has been around for years in one shape or another (sometimes called Hi-Q). The play is simple - game pieces (pegs) are arranged in the pattern illustrated below, with the center space open.   Pegs are moved by jumping one peg over a peg next to it, either horizontally or vertically (but not diagonally).  The peg which was jumped is removed from the board.  Play continues in this manner until no more jumps can be made.  The object of the game is to leave only one peg remaining when all jumps are completed.

This is a great game to teach kids how to plan ahead, and think in a progressive manner. The game keeps a running tally of how many pegs remain on the board during play, and shows the best score achieved, so a player can see how he/she has progressed from one game to another, and also try to beat the best score. Only one board configuration is available. This means that, once the "trick" to reach the goal is discovered, there is no challenge left to overcome.  The only way to change the difficulty of the game is to decide for yourself, in advance, which space you wish to leave the last peg in. Additionally, the board colors are dark and cannot be changed.  The game does not differentiate between players, and the only historical information saved is the best score that has been achieved on the local install, so players do not know who achieved that score. Pros Great learning tool for kids Running tally of pegs that remain Shows best score Cons Only one board configuration is available Number of pegs is always the same Center space is only starting empty space No instructions, help files or hints are provided Rating Design: 2.0 Mice User Interface: 3.0 Mice Keeping Interest: 1.0 Mice Overall: 2.5 Mice