Clubhouse Games

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Clubhouse Games 42 All-time Classics

Developer(s)	Agenda
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Release date(s)	November 3, 2005 September 29, 2006 October 9, 2006 October 26, 2006 April 19, 2007
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer (up to eight players)
Rating(s)	CERO: All Ages ESRB: Everyone (E) PEGI: 12+ OFLC: PG
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Media	256-Megabit flash card
Input	Touch Screen

Clubhouse Games (だれでもアソビ大全, Daredemo Asobi Taizen^?), 42 All-time Classics in Europe [1], is a compilation video game consisting of card, board, and parlor games developed by Agenda and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan on November 3, 2005, in Europe on September 29, 2006, in North America on October 9, 2006, and in Australia on October 26, 2006.

Clubhouse Games is a localization of the Japanese release. Some of the games included in Clubhouse Games are not the same as those included in Daredemo Asobi Taizen. This version of the game will be released in Japan and will be titled Wi-shite Taiou: International Daredemo Asobi Taizen (Wi-Fi対応世界のだれでもアソビ大全^?). It will contain all of the games from the English version, as well as support the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. It is slated for release April 19, 2007.

1 Gameplay
2 Multiplayer
3 Version differences
4 Reception
5 Trivia
6 Chess glitches
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Gameplay

[edit] Free Play

In Free Play mode, the player may choose any of the 42 games available to play. Clubhouse Games divides its 42 games up into eight categories. These are the categories and the titles found in each:

card games: Old Maid, Spit, I Doubt It, Sevens, Memory, Pig, blackjack, Hearts, President, Rummy, Seven Bridge, Last Card, Last Card Plus, Five Card Draw, Texas hold 'em, Nap, Spades and Contract Bridge.

Board games: Chinese checkers, Checkers, Dots and Boxes, Hasami shogi, Turncoat, Connect Five, Grid Attack, Backgammon, Chess, Shogi, Field Tactics and Ludo.

Variety games: Soda Shake, Dominoes, Koi-Koi and Word Balloon.

Action games: Bowling, Darts, Billiards, Balance and Takeover.

Single player games: Solitaire, Escape and Mahjong solitaire.

[edit] Stamp

Stamp Mode is a single-player mode that has three levels of difficulty. Players receive 1-3 stamps depending on how they place in the games. Several games in the "Free Play" mode are locked until the player plays them in Stamp Mode. After completing the first "easy" level of Stamp Mode, normal and hard modes are unlocked. Beating the normal level unlocks the "stamp" section in the chat window; finishing hard gives you a new color to use in the chat window and one last "stamp".

[edit] Mission

Mission Mode is a single-player mode that features 30 missions to accomplish. Some missions include beating the "Memory" card game under three minutes, bowling three strikes in a row, or getting 200 points in Darts. When the player successfully completes one mission, he or she unlocks another icon. When all 30 missions have been completed, the player unlocks the "Pop" set of music.

[edit] Multiplayer

A player may send over a demo of a game by using the "gift" option. He or she can set the difficulty of the CPU. It is similar to the DS Download Station demo; the receiving player may play the game many times, but once he or she turns the Nintendo DS game off, the game is erased.

Clubhouse Games supports the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. An upcoming version of the Japanese vesion will also feature Nintendo WFC support as well. With strangers, players may send pre-selected messages (such as "Good game!" and "Acck!") and emoticons. Like all other WFC games, it uses a friends list and friend codes. Against friends, players can draw out messages (similar to Pictochat). Out of the 42 games, only Old Maid, Spit, I Doubt It, Pig, and the three "Single Player Games" are not playable over WFC.

[edit] Version differences

The 42 games included in Daredemo Asobi Taizen are similar to the games included in Clubhouse Games, but there are some differences. The original Japanese version lacks the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service and the aesthetics of many games have been changed. The games Goninkan, Bozumekuri, Sugoroku, Size Game, Last One, Mini Golf and Napoleon (a Japanese card game, unrelated to the British card game Nap) are exclusive to Daredemo Asobi Taizen. Texas Hold 'Em, Dots and Boxes, Grid Attack, Ludo, Dominoes, Escape and Mahjong Solitaire are exclusive to the international version.

[edit] Reception

Clubhouse Games currently has an aggregate ranking of 82.2% on Game Rankings ^[1]. Many reviewers praised the game for its diverse selection, simple interface, tweakable rules, and easily accessible rules. The portable, pick-up-and-play mentality was also praised ^[2].

Much of the game's criticism comes from the limitations on card games. Both GameSpot and GameSpy complained that Texas Hold 'em allowed players to bet in negative chip totals and did not offer no-limit playing.^[3]^[4] Also noted was that the Blackjack options to "split" cards and buy insurance were not in this series.

Stamp and Mission Modes were greeted warily. IGN noted that having to unlock some games through Stamp mode went against the "pick-up-and-play mentality" of the game collection, while GameSpy went further in calling it a "cheap way" to get players to play every game.^[2] ^[3]

[edit] Trivia

The games Darts and Turncoat are included in Series 3 of the DS Download Station.
The game is compatible with the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak. If the Rumble Pak is inserted, the Nintendo DS will vibrate when it is the player's turn on the game.
It was the first game to use the PEGI "Gambling" disclaimer.

[edit] Chess glitches

Several glitches have been found in chess. These are accompanied by the game scores that allow for reproduction and thus verification of the glitches.

Castling glitch: if a player castles kingside and then moves his king, the opposing king can no longer castle kingside. [2]
The castling glitch can also happen even without the other player castling first. The exact cause is as of yet unknown. [3]
En passant glitch: it seems that en passant is not an option when your King is in check, even though it may be a legal move. This can lead to the game ended prematurely on a checkmate when there actually isn't one. [4]

Also, the game lacks features to offer draw or resign. It correctly declares automatic draw under the stalemate, insufficient material, and 3-fold repetition rules, but seems to ignore the fifty move rule.