Solitaire offers the same core gameplay mechanics that we're accustomed to in the current version, but it also has new graphics and supports Windows Vista's new Games Explorer display window, which features game box shots and vital stats such as publisher, developer, and ESRB rating. The Windows team decided that it was time to overhaul its game collection by updating the user interface and unifying the design style to make the games worthy of the new AeroGlass desktop theme. The updated Windows Vista games have XP comparison shots, and the new Vista games have alternate shots. Mouse over each image to see comparison shots. Microsoft will update Windows's collection of casual games, which includes old standbys such as Minesweeper, FreeCell, and Solitaire, and Vista will also introduce completely new games including Chess Titans, Mahjong Titans, and Purble Place, which are designed to appeal to a large, global audience. Windows Vista's updated DirectX 10 API promises to give us better-looking and better-playing games by allowing game developers to get more performance out of the PC system, but Vista isn't only going to help improve those $50 games. The expensive games usually get all the attention at GameSpot, but we wanted to take a look at the Windows Vista games that will be responsible for countless hours of wasted productivity through the end of the decade.
