After 26 years of availability on Windows, the Microsoft Solitaire Collection is catching up with the times and going mobile, launching on Android and iOS.
The Solitaire Collection is among Microsoft's most popular products and it's a bit surprising that it took more than two decades to finally bring it to the 21st century and make it available on mobile.
Microsoft confirmed back in August that it was bringing the Solitaire Collection to Android and iOS, but at the time it did not offer any specific timeline for when the games would become available on mobile.
Fast forward to the present date and one of the world's favorite procrastination tools is now officially available on Android and iOS, the most popular mobile platforms, and it brings goodies such as daily challenges and Xbox Live integration.
What's In Store
The Microsoft Solitaire Collection is now available as a free download for iOS and Android and it brings Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Tripeaks and Pyramid game types.
To further sweeten the deal, Microsoft has also added daily challenges to keep players engaged, as well as Xbox Live integration into the game so that players can sign into Solitaire and play with others or earn achievements. At the same time, all progress and game data is saved in the cloud, which means that users can start playing a game on mobile and finish up on a compatible Windows 10 device.
The five games in the collection have different difficulty levels just like they do on Windows, so players can test their proficiency and gradually work up to playing on expert-difficulty levels.
Free Version vs. Premium Edition
As expected, the free version of the Solitaire Collection includes ads, but Microsoft is also offering a "Premium Edition" that's ad-free and offers game boosts and twice as many coin points for daily challenges. To celebrate the release on mobile, all players can enjoy the premium version of Solitaire until the end of the year. After Dec. 31, the Premium Edition will cost $1.99 per month.
One Of The Most-Played Games Of All Time
"Microsoft Solitaire continues to be one of the most-played games of all time on Windows for more than 25 years," Microsoft touts, highlighting that the Solitaire Collection has attracted 119 million unique players worldwide in the past four years alone.
Hitting Android and iOS devices worldwide will likely boost the user base considerably, given today's mobile-driven world.
Are you planning on having a little fun with Microsoft Solitaire Collection on mobile? Let us know in the comments section below!
