Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Genre: Compilation / Card Games / Board Games / Sports / Misc.
Players: 1-2 Cooperative (Local, Local Wireless, Online), 2-4 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online)
The Nintendo Switch 2 Difference
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Review:
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics is a family-friendly compilation of various games that is primarily classic card and board games, although there’s also a good smattering of fairly unique minigames as well. This is the second game in the Clubhouse Games series, with the first one hitting the original Nintendo DS in 2006, and with this sequel hitting the Nintendo Switch in 2020.
Here is what I thought of each game in this collection (be prepared for a lot of “this is a decent version of X”…):
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-Ball Puzzle | Falling Block Match-6 Puzzle | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | B+ |
tl;drThis is a fantastic competitive Puzzle game with great water, lighting, and reflection effects. If Nintendo added in a bunch of features, this could have easily been expanded into a full game. | |||
| Air Hockey | Sports (Air Hockey) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | B |
tl;drThis is a surprisingly good videogame version of air hockey. | |||
| Backgammon | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a good version of a classic board game. | |||
| Battle Tanks | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent Arcadey top-down competitive Action game, but there’s not enough content here to make for much longevity. | |||
| Billiards | Sports (Pool) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | B- |
tl;drThis simple, top-down version of Billiards is pretty good, and even has a few nice variants. It’s just a shame it only supports two players and doesn’t include things like aiming for different parts of the cue ball. | |||
| Blackjack | Card Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drA decent version of the classic card game. | |||
| Bowling | Sports (Bowling) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | B+ |
tl;drThis is a fantastic spiritual successor to Wii Sports Bowling with fantastic motion controls and great touchscreen controls. I wish there were support for more players here. | |||
| Carrom | Sports | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a decent game that plays a bit like marbles or pool. | |||
| Checkers | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent version of the classic board game. | |||
| Chess | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a decent version of the classic board game. | |||
| Chinese Checkers | Board Game | 1-3 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a good version of an excellent classic Board Game… but why only support for three players instead of the full six (or at least four)? | |||
| Darts | Sports (Darts) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent version of a simple game of skill. The motion controls are decent, but the touchscreen controls take a lot of getting used to. | |||
| Dominoes | Board Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | D |
tl;drThis isn’t a game about tipping the blocks over, but rather, lining them up so their dots match. And… I just don’t get the strategy in this game, and the scoring seems inconsistent. | |||
| Dots and Boxes | Puzzle | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drThis classic pen-and-paper game could really use a lot more options, like support for four players, and the ability to set different grid sizes. | |||
| Fishing | Sports (Fishing) | 1-2 Competitive (Local), 2-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | B- |
tl;drThis is a simple fishing game with some surprisingly good graphics for the water and fish. | |||
| Four-in-a-Row | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drBetter known to many as Connect Four, this is a decent version of a simple game. | |||
| Golf | Sports (Golf) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drThis simple, top-down version of Golf is pretty decent, although it’s limited by a lack of content – it includes only nine holes. I should note that the water effects here are very nice. | |||
| Gomoku | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drAlthough this game uses a Go board, it actually plays more like Connect Four (or in this case, connect five). A simple, fun game. | |||
| Hanafuda | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | N/A |
tl;drSorry, I don’t know how to play Hanafuda, and the included tutorial didn’t help me understand how to figure it out. | |||
| Hare and Hounds | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drA very simple asymmetrical game about maneuvering your pieces to trap or evade the opponent. | |||
| Hex | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent but simple board game where players try to bridge their sides before the opponent. | |||
| Hit and Blow | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drBetter known to many as Mastermind, this is a decent version of a simple deduction game. | |||
| Klondike Solitaire | Card Game | 1 | D+ |
tl;drThis is the solitaire Card Game that many will remember fondly as the game that comes included in Windows. Frustratingly, the game is often completely unwinnable, making for a lot of frustration. The game also doesn’t include any scoring options. | |||
| Last Card | Card Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drBetter known to many as Uno, this is actually a pretty shameless rip-off… but a decent one, at least. | |||
| Ludo | Board Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | D |
tl;drBetter known to many as Parcheesi, this is a decent version of a mediocre “roll and go” board game, where far too much of the gameplay depends on pure luck of dice rolls. | |||
| Mahjong Solitaire | Puzzle | 1 | B |
tl;drThis is the matching version of Mahjong, and surprisingly this version includes 60 puzzles, which is a hefty amount of content for a minigame collection. | |||
| Mancala | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drA simple but effective version of a classic African board game. | |||
| Matching | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drBetter known as Concentration, Memory, or Pairs, this is a decent version of the card game that even adds an interesting match-4 variant. | |||
| Mini Shogi | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | N/A |
tl;drThis is a smaller, scaled-down version of Shogi. And as I say for Shogi… I don’t know how to play Shogi, and the tutorial included here didn’t help me to figure it out. | |||
| Nine Men’s Morris | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drA simple but effective version of a classic Roman board game. | |||
| Piano | Misc. | 1-2 (Local) | D+ |
tl;drThis isn’t a game so much as a toy, and is pretty much only usable with the touchscreen in handheld mode, though you can shake the Joy-Cons to make drum/tambourine/maraca noises. | |||
| Pig’s Tail | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | D |
tl;drThis card game seems almost completely random and pointless. | |||
| President | Card Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drA decent version of the card game. | |||
| Renegade | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drBetter known to many as Othello or Reversi, this is a decent version of a simple board game. | |||
| Riichi Mahjong | Board Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drThis is a decent version of a classic Chinese Board Game, but even with the included tutorial, I feel that new players may still find themselves confused at how to play this game. | |||
| Sevens | Card Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drA decent version of the card game. | |||
| Shogi | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | N/A |
tl;drSorry, I don’t know how to play Shogi, and despite this game including a tutorial, I still can’t figure it out. | |||
| Shooting Gallery | Arcade | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a simple but fun little shooting gallery game that uses gyroscopic motion control for aiming. It’s got good core gameplay, but lacks the content to make this more than a fun distraction. | |||
| Sliding Puzzle | Puzzle | 1 | C- |
tl;drThis is a sliding Puzzle game where you need to move pieces to make a path for a mechanical turtle or hare. Unfortunately, the game feels far too cramped due to too few pieces you can move. | |||
| Slot Cars | Slot Car Racing | 1-2 Competitive (Local) 2-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis is a decent version of a really simple game. It would have been nice if the game included local 4-player support or a track builder (beyond the “mosaic mode”) | |||
| Speed | Card Game | 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drA decent version of the card game. | |||
| Spider Solitaire | Card Game | 1 | C+ |
tl;drThis solitaire Card Game isn’t as well-known as Klondike, but I’d argue it’s much better, and this is a decent version of it. | |||
| Takoyaki | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | D |
tl;drThis card game seems almost completely random and pointless. | |||
| Team Tanks | Arcade | 1-2 Co-Op (Local), 2-4 Co-Op (Local Wireless) | C |
tl;drLike Battle Tanks, this is a decent Arcadey top-down co-op PvE Action game, but there’s not enough content here to make for much longevity. | |||
| Texas Hold ‘Em | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drA decent version of the classic card game, but the lack of options or the ability to see other players’ faces really limits the game. | |||
| Toy Baseball | Sports (Baseball) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drThis is a simplified version of the sport. Batting is really fun. Pitching doesn’t feel like it gives very good control, unfortunately. | |||
| Toy Boxing | Sports (Boxing) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C |
tl;drThis seems a little like Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots, but it’s thankfully less hectic and more strategic than that. It’s still very simple, but not bad. | |||
| Toy Curling | Sports (Curling) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | B- |
tl;drThis is a fun little “toy” game where players aim for a spot in the center of a field and try to knock away the other player’s pieces. Really nice subtle effect of frost getting cleared from the ice. | |||
| Toy Soccer | Sports (Misc.) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drThis is a little like foosball. It’s not bad, but it feels like it’s chaotic and doesn’t really involve much skill. | |||
| Toy Tennis | Sports (Tennis) | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C- |
tl;drThis is a cute version of tennis, but the “toy” aesthetic seems unnecessary, and limiting players’ movements to notches in the toy is really frustrating. | |||
| War | Card Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | F |
tl;drThis card game is completely random and pointless. Seriously, they couldn’t have included a variant where you can at least see your card before playing it? What a waste. | |||
| Yacht Dice | Board Game | 1-2 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online) | C+ |
tl;drBetter known to many as Yahtzee, this is a solid version of the game, though the lack of support for more players is disappointing. | |||
Okay, now that is a lot of C-, C, and C+ grades, right? The only games to get a B- or higher (by my judgment) were 6-Ball Puzzle, Air Hockey, Billiards, Bowling, Fishing, Mahjong Solitaire, and Toy Curling, for a total of 7 out of 51 games (plus Piano, which apparently isn’t included in the 51 count). Meanwhile, you have some actual bad games in here – Dominoes, Klondike Solitaire, Ludo, Piano, Pig’s Tail, Takoyaki, and War are all disposable or outright terrible.
So this is a bad collection, then?
No, hold up.
Firstly, it bears mention that Clubhouse Games is a compilation that’s about quantity more than quality. True, the overwhelming majority of what’s here lacks the sort of depth or options you would hope for in a more fully-fledged version of that game… but you’re also getting over 50 games for $40, so each game amounts to roughly $0.80.
Secondly, while the games often lack options and features, the overwhelming majority of them are perfectly playable versions of time-tested classics. For example, I gave Chess a C+, because it lacks the display options, the game settings, and tutorial content I would ideally like to see in a great chess game… but it’s still chess, the game of kings, a classic that has lasted through the ages.
Thirdly, while these games often lack options, the presentation here is superb. Boards and pieces often have a great tactile look to them, with nice little details and the most commonly-used areas of board even look a little worn like a real board might. Games like 6-Ball Puzzle, Fishing, and Golf have nice water effects, Toy Curling has nice subtle ice effects, and a lot of attention has been paid to the way pieces sound and move, too. The music is decent if a bit forgettable, but on the whole the overall experience here is nice, welcoming, and appealing.
Fourth, pretty much everything here has some great controls. Most games make good use of traditional gamepad controls in a layout that works well for the game, a few games have really good use of gyroscopic motion control, and most games make excellent use of the Nintendo Switch’s touchscreen. A lot of work has gone into making the controls as intuitive and accessible as possible.
Fifth, on the topic of accessibility, everything here is presented in a way that makes these games as accessible as possible. Every game has a cutesy (and often kinda’ cringe-inducing) introduction with characters represented by figurines having a little conversation introducing the game and its concepts, there’s further text-based tutorial instructions for each game, trying to make it as easy as possible for anyone to learn how to play each game. And while some games are naturally harder to learn than others (looking at you, Chess, Hanafuda, Mahjong, and Shogi), for the most part these tutorials do a good job laying out the rules and strategy for each game.
Sixth, one more note about accessibility – these games actually make it a point to include elements to make it easier to parse things if you’re colorblind, which is a nice touch.
Seventh, some of the games here actually have more depth than one would expect from such a collection. Mahjong Solitaire has a full 60 puzzles, and Bowling is a straight-up expanded port of Wii Sports bowling with an added game mode.
I really wish Nintendo included more options and features for the included games here. In some cases, I feel like they missed a huge opportunity – 6-Ball Puzzle, as I said before, really could have been expanded into a full game on its own if it had more features and options. Also, I can’t ignore the fact that you could easily play a sizable chunk of the games here with a deck of cards you probably have lying around at home, and I suspect most people likely have a chess/checkers board at home as well. However, having a slew of these classic games collected together in one convenient place certainly is nice.
A few notes on the game’s multiplayer: Firstly, know that most of the games here are only playable locally by two players – if you want to play with four, most four-player games will require multiple Nintendo Switch consoles, either locally or online. Having said that, the overwhelming majority of games here support two-player local play, with the only exceptions being games where you need to keep information secret from other players (Riichi Mahjohng, Dominoes, and some of the card games), and solitaire-style games (Klondike Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Mahjong Solitaire, and Sliding puzzle). However, barring these exceptions, Clubhouse Games is a pretty phenomenal game for couch competitive play for two players. The online multiplayer is pretty good too, though your success at finding an opponent will depend in part on which game you’re trying to play.
I also feel like I should mention a unique feature that some of the included games here offer – Fishing, Piano, Slot Cars, and Team Tanks all make use of something called Mosaic Mode that allows you to place up to four Nintendo Switch consoles next to each other to combine their screens together. This is used to, for example, make an oddly-shaped slot car track, or long or winding stream in the fishing game (or even tilt one Nintendo Switch to make a waterfall). It’s a bit gimmicky, but it is nevertheless a cool feature that gives players with multiple Nintendo Switches a way to customize their experience.
I think this is now officially the longest review I’ve ever written. Suffice it to say that Clubhouse Games is a Compilation that could definitely do with improvement in many areas, but it is also absolutely filled with content, the majority of that content is good (if a bit feature-poor), the presentation is excellent, the accessibility is superb, and there are even a few delightful surprises. As a result, this is an overall excellent package that delivers a wide variety of fun activities, and it’s a welcome addition to just about any player’s any Nintendo Switch library.
tl;dr – Clubhouse Games is a family-friendly Compilation of 51 various games (plus a piano toy software) ranging from time-honored classic card and board games to simple sports and arcade games. While most of the individual games are pretty feature-poor, there is a massive amount of content here, and most of it plays well and is excellently-presented. There are even a few delightful surprises here as well. Add in good local competitive play for two players and decent online play, and you have a superb game collection well worth owning.
Grade: B+
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The Nintendo Switch 2 Difference
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
Genre: Compilation / Card Games / Board Games / Sports / Misc.
Players: 1-2 Cooperative (Local, Local Wireless, Online), 2-4 Competitive (Local, Local Wireless, Online), GameShare (Local Wireless / Online)
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Review:
One of the initial batch of games to receive free updates on Nintendo Switch 2 when it launched in 2025, Clubhouse Games was the very first game shown to make use of the new GameShare feature on Nintendo Switch 2, even before any Nintendo Switch 2 games. And it’s hard to argue with that choice – this is a great way to introduce players to the concept, since this is a collection of multiplayer games that pretty much anyone can pick up and play right away.
Playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t unlock any other significant enhancements, but it doesn’t really have to – this is a nice, polished-looking game that isn’t technically-impressive, meaning a graphical upgrade will have negligible effect.
Overall, despite that this update only adds the one feature, it’s a wonderful addition that makes this game even better on Nintendo Switch 2.
tl;dr – Clubhouse Games is a family-friendly Compilation of 51 various games (plus a piano toy software) ranging from time-honored classic card and board games to simple sports and arcade games. While most of the individual games are pretty feature-poor, there is a massive amount of content here, and most of it plays well and is excellently-presented. There are even a few delightful surprises here as well. Add in good local competitive play and decent online play, and you have a superb game collection well worth owning.
Grade: B+
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