Card games are one of the oldest methods of gaming out there, so it’s no great surprise that they’ve converted well to modern technology such as our beloved iOS devices. The App Store is overflowing with different card games, ranging from typical solitaire games to trading card titles. We’ve taken a look at our four favorite card games out there, at the moment.

Fairway Solitaire
Fairway Solitaire is a modern interpretation of the classic card game of Solitaire. Free and backed up with some very tempting in-app purchases, it offers a huge number of different solitaire games, all based around the game of Golf Solitaire. There’s even a glimpse of a story through a mischievous gopher out to cause havoc on the gold course. Even better, there’s regular new content thanks to a new courses each day. It should keep both puzzle and card game fans happy for many, many hours.

FREE!

Fairway Solitaire by Big Fish

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-02-15 :: Category: Games

Rage of Bahamut
It’s far from the prettiest of card games out there, but Rage of Bahamut has proven to be quite the phenomenon. It’s even hooked the site’s Rob Rich since he reviewed it last year. A trading card game full of mystical creatures and magical items, there’s a surprising amount of strategical depth to it. Just don’t expect it to use iOS’s graphical prowess to its full potential.

FREE!

Rage of Bahamut

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-05-14 :: Category: Games

Assassin’s Creed Recollection
Moving onto a card game that does use some of the graphical potential of iOS devices, Assassin’s Creed Recollection is ideally suited for fans of the Assassin’s Creed world. A war between the Templars and Assassins is brewing in this real-time card game, with plenty of information about the titles available to unlock. There’s a story mode, too, offering hours of intriguing missions and political battles.

FREE!

Assassin's Creed Recollection

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-12-01 :: Category: Games

Full Deck Pro Solitaire
Returning to traditional card gaming, Full Deck Pro Solitaire is a solitaire game that dispenses with all the bells and whistles that Fairway Solitaire comes with, sticking to pure cards. A variety of different games are available within, such as Klondike 3 Card Pyramid, Spider, Golf and Freecell. There’s an extra pack to buy, too, including my all time favorite variety: Grandfather’s Clock. Those after the classic one player card game experience should revel in this.

$0.99

Full Deck Pro Solitaire

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-09-11 :: Category: Games

I profess I tend to spend a decent amount of time playing virtual solitaire these days, mostly thanks to some ridiculously early commutes. So it’s a game I’m quite familiar with, although I haven’t come anywhere close to mastering it. Why is this significant? Because Popcap is bringing their popular Facebook adaptation, Solitaire Blitz to iOS and I’m expecting to have a grand old time with it.

The rules of Solitaire Blitz are both familiar and totally new. Players still have to empty their cards into piles by following a particular sequence, but suits and linear progression don’t matter anymore. A King can be tossed on a Queen, to be followed by another Queen, then a Jack. Or it could go 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, Ace. But while this might sound like the challenge has been sucked out of the classic solo card game, the fact of the matter is it still makes for an intense game. Mostly thanks to the never pausing 60-second time limit and slots (up to four) for placing cards that have to be unlocked.

It makes for some rather frantic card shuffling as you attempt to spot anything and everything that can get tossed on a pile, attempt to plan ahead to avoid getting stuck, and search out any cards featuring a key icon that will unlock those essential extra card slots. All of this while the clock keeps ticking down. No specifics have been given regarding price yet but we can all look forward to one of the most intense games of solitaire ever this November.

Just about everyone in the world dreams about having super powers. Flight, strength, x-ray vision, that kind of stuff. While DeNA (think Mobage) and Marvel Entertainment’s upcoming Marvel: War of Heroes may not bestow impossible abilities to its players, it does put them in charge of a slew of iconic heroes.

Assuming the role of a S.H.I.E.L.D agent players will collect cards featuring various Marvel heroes and craft their own super team. Powers and abilities can be fused and upgraded as well, making an already powerful legend even more so. If you’re thinking it sounds similar to the more than a little popular Rage of Bahamut, that’s because it is. And because it’s being crafted by the same developers. Although the story – which is a thing that actually exists in this freemium card game. I know, right? – is all original and comes directly from Marvel itself. As does the art, actually, which is ridiculously awesome.

Marvel: War of Heroes is due to hit the App Store this fall. Anyone with even the slightest interest will be able to check it out for free, but those of us who are already curious can head over to the official website to pre-register. Why? Because it earns a free rare card, among other things. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from playing similar Mobage titles it’s that rare cards, no matter how useful they might be to my strategy, can pay off big. Also it might actually be really cool.

Poker has kind of taken the country by storm over the past several years. It’s made its way into all manner of media, obviously including video games. So what makes this particular digital rendition of card-based gambling worth checking out? Quite a lot, it turns out.

All of the expected options are available in World Series of Poker, such as Texas Hold ‘Em and even Omaha Poker, but there’s a slew of more social-oriented features that are actually pretty awesome. Every player has an account that automatically tracks virtually every aspect of their games; thus helping them to better understand their own play style through statistics as well as allowing them to show off their skills with a number of different trophies such as special tournament rings.

It’s easy to tell what a player needs to work on (i.e. too much folding, not enough folding, etc.) at a glance, but what’s also cool is that really good players can gain access to a special league of games that are only available to others that have earned the same honor. In other words, seriously good poker players won’t have to worry about finding themselves in a game full of casual players. It’s also easy to find, invite, and join games that are already in progress. Each game is represented with a table, and players have only to tap an open seat to invite a buddy or two. And it’s just as easy to join a game.

I wasn’t able to procure any pricing information, but World Series of Poker will be available on the App Store “soon.”

There is a new app/accessory hybrid for card gamers that is changing the rules. Or at least it aims to. Bicycle Jacked Up! Interactive Card Games gives traditional cards a very 21st century twist.

The special playing cards made by the well-known Bicycle brand are available at most major retailers or can be purchased directly from their web site. Right now card lovers can buy War, Solitaire or Hearts for around six dollars each, and the cards come with a special iPhone stand. When used with the iPhone or iPad app, Jack the Joker hosts a multi-media “adventure” that adds both comedy and gameplay variations to the classics along with live card games. We love the way the app switches up the rules of these familiar games to add variety and replay value.

Don’t have the special cards yet? The apps can also be used to keep and share scores for several players at once. If you grab a deck, be sure to let us know what you think in the comments.

FREE!

Bicycle® Jacked Up!™

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2012-04-26 :: Category: Games

FREE!

Bicycle® Jacked Up!™ Interactive Card Games

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Released: 2012-04-26 :: Category: Games

Silver Creek Entertainment, developer of “Hardwood” card games like Hardwood Solitaire IV and Hardwood Spades, has released the next card game it its Hardwood series, Hardwood Hearts.

Hardwood Hearts is an app for playing the classic card game Hearts, of course. Hardwood Hearts and the other Hardwood games are known for freshening up classics card games like Hearts by adding high quality graphics and sound. Hardwood Hearts has a sort of fantasy theme with gnomes and fairies as characters to play the classic game.

Hardwood Hearts includes the traditional, partnership game mode as well as singles (individual mode), Spot Hearts, and Timed games.

Players create their own fantasy avatar for playing this fairy tale version of the game as well as changing the beautiful background for the set of the game. Backgrounds, cards, avatars, and tables that aren’t included in the game can be added with in-app purchases.

Hardwood Hearts is available for $2.99.

$0.99

Hardwood Hearts

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-04-16 :: Category: Games

Now, I’ve never been a huge card game enthusiast. That is to say, the kind of card games that use playing cards. Because of this, I have absolutely no idea how to play Hearts. I am a fan of turn-based multiplayer iOS games, however. Seeing as there are a good deal of iOS users who have similar tastes in their multiplayer, and a good deal of people who actually do know how to play Hearts, this seems like a kind of natural progression.

Hearts Tournament from Trivial Technology was designed to juggle multiple games simultaneously. Up to 30 in fact. Best of all, players can mess around with their own single player games while waiting for their friends or random opponents to take their own turns. Along with all the card-slinging goodness are leaderboards to dominate and challenges to complete in order to earn special items, achievements, and more.

Hearts Tournament is available on the App Store now for $0.99. Hearts fans should feel free to dive right in and start juggling dozens of games immediately.

$1.99

Hearts Tournament

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-04-10 :: Category: Games

iCADE, You Cade, We All Cade!

On This Episode:

Who We Are:

Music:

“Beatnes7 (Theme to The Portable Podcast)” by The Eternal – Download on iTunes here:

How to Listen:

Listen Here:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Apps Mentioned on This Episode:

FREE!

$0.99

Kard Combat ™

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-07-12 :: Category: Games

$0.99

$4.99

Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-06-29 :: Category: Games

$2.99

Super Crossfire™ HD

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-10-12 :: Category: Games

FREE!

Poker Pals

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2011-11-03 :: Category: Games

$1.99

Disc Drivin'

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-12-13 :: Category: Games

A good number of people are familiar with Fullmetal Alchemist, whether they’ve actually watched it or not. As far as anime goes, it’s kind of a big-name series. And unlike other popular series (*cough* Dragon Ball Z *cough*) it’s actually good. The story of the Elric brothers has seen a number of adaptations and spin-offs, so it was only a matter of time before one of those spin-offs got its own game.

FMA Battle is a relatively new collectible card game based on the “less old” Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood series. Calling it a spin-off, however, isn’t entirely accurate. The original show followed the manga (a.k.a the source material) up until about the halfway mark, then went off and did its own thing. Brotherhood sticks to the script, so to speak. So technically, the original anime series was actually a spin-off. Confusing, no?

Getting away from semantics and back to the game at-hand, FMA Battle is a free-to-play CCG set in the FMA universe. Players will construct their deck and customize a team of three alchemists while continually dueling with others online. Cards/characters will gain experience as they’re used, earning new abilities as they get incrementally stronger. Of course, this is a freemium game, so deck expansion is limited unless players are willing to pony up some actual cash to buy new cards.

Free online multiplayer. Collectible cards. Fullmetal Alchemist. I think it’s safe to assume this will find its niche pretty fast. If it sounds interesting, then why not check it out? It’s currently on the App Store, and as I’ve previously stated (repeatedly) it’s free.

FREE!

FMA Battle

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2011-10-21 :: Category: Games