42 All-Time Classics (DS)

There are two main options for this game

- single player
- multiplayer

Once you have registered your game-name and chosen your icon you can start playing.

If you are unsure of how to play a specific game all you need to do is click on the rules tab at the bottom of the screen and scroll through at your own pace. The rules are, predominately, easy to understand.

--- MULTIPLAYER ---

This is one of those wonderful games where only one player requires a single DS cartridge for up to 7 friends in the same room to play against each other on a free LAN download; or for up to seven friends over the Nintendo WFC (Nintendo WiFi Connection). I have not played it over the WiFi so I do not if there is any delay in the game play.

It is great fun when you and your family or friends are on the move, or when others are hogging the console and you want a quiet bit of friendly competition.

--- SINGLE PLAYER ---

This option gives you 3 choices:

* Free Play
* Stamp
* Mission

Most of the games have 4 players - 3 CPU players and you.

* Stamp

You work your way through all the available games on either Easy, Normal or Hard. Before you can move onto the next game you must achieve 3 stamps on the current game.

In games where there are 4 players the one who finishes in 1st place will receive 3 stamps, 2nd place 2 stamps and 3rd and 4th places will receive 1 stamp.

In games where you are against a single CPU player the winner receives 3 stamps and the loser 1 stamp. So it is possible to progress regardless of how bad you are (in my case it's Blackjack, I'm just grateful it's not real money, and Hasami Shogi).

If you already have 2 stamps on a game and you then win 3 stamps then 2 of those stamps will carry over to the next game giving you an advantageous start on the next set of stamps - something which is very handy when you hit that game that you just can't get the hang of.

This "mission" series is a great way of trying games without becoming bored with them as the maximum times you have to play them is 3 before you can move on.

* Free Play

Choose a game from any of the available game groups:

--- Basic Card Games
- Old Maid, Spit, I Doubt It, Sevens, Memory, Pig

--- Intermediate Card Games
- Blackjack, Hearts, President, Rummy, Seven Bridge, Last Card, Last Card Plus

--- Advanced Card Games
- 5 Card Draw, Texas Hold'em, Nap, Spades, Contract Bridge

--- Basic Board Games
- Chinese Checkers, Checkers, Dots & Boxes, Hasami Shogi, Turncoat, Connect 5, Grid Attack

--- Advanced Board Games
- Backgammon, Chess, Shogi, Field Tactics, Ludo

--- Variety Games
- Soda Shake, Dominoes, Koi Koi, Word Balloons

--- Action Games
- Bowling, Darts, Balance, Billiards, Take Over

--- Single Player Games
- Solitaire, Escape, Mahjong Solitaire

* Mission

In this section there are 30 tasks to complete and they range in difficulty. For example the first game is "I Doubt It" but the twist is you have to correctly call "Cheater" 5 times before any of the CPU players do. The second is to clear the "Memory" board in under 3 minutes and so on. Each completed task opens a new player icon.

The games are a great distraction on journeys (bus or train), or if you have to spend time in waiting rooms or you have the misfortune to endure a hospital stay.

Overall the games are a great distraction for the individual player, but the free LAN download makes if great fun for a group of friends to play.