Hardwood Hearts (Xbox 360)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 6.1 (3.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Jeff Gerstmann
• Reviewed on: 01/25/2006
• Released on: 12/08/2005
• Originally published on GameSpot: Hardwood Hearts (Xbox 360) Review

Hardwood Hearts is one of three Hardwood games currently available on the Xbox 360 via the Xbox Live Arcade. Hearts is somewhat similar to Hardwood Spades, and all three games have roughly the same presentational quality, which is to say, all three look and sound awfully bland. If you're a fan of Hearts and you're looking for a new way to play it, then Hardwood Hearts fits the bill.

Hearts is a four-player card game that can be played in teams of two, if you'd like. A deck of cards is divvied up between the foursome, some cards are passed around, and then play begins. The goal is to avoid getting points by not taking tricks that have hearts in them. There are different options that count the points you get from hearts differently, as well as a few other alternate rule options that vary the game slightly. In short, if you're familiar with Hearts, you'll find this to be a version of Hearts. In addition to playing alone against three CPU-controlled opponents, you can also go onto Xbox Live and play against live players in ranked or unranked games.

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