Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2: Solitaire

Last updated: January 16, 2026

Overview

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2: Solitaire is a card game collection developed and published by Sierra On-Line in 1990 ¹. The game represented a significant expansion from the original Hoyle volume, offering players 28 different solitaire variants compared to the first volume’s six card games ². Named after the 18th-century English writer Edmond Hoyle, who authored foundational texts on card game rules, the Hoyle series became one of Sierra’s most enduring casual gaming franchises ³.

Unlike its predecessor, which featured multiplayer card games with Sierra’s iconic adventure game characters as opponents, Volume 2 focused exclusively on single-player solitaire experiences²⁴. This design decision eliminated the need for AI opponents entirely, instead offering players a comprehensive digital recreation of classic patience games²⁵. The game was built on Sierra’s Creative Interpreter (SCI) engine, specifically the SCI0 version, demonstrating the company’s technical versatility in adapting their adventure game technology for card game simulations ⁶¹.

The title was released across multiple platforms including DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, and Macintosh, making it accessible to a wide audience of home computer users ¹. The game utilized a top-down perspective with fixed/flip-screen visuals, appropriate for displaying card layouts across the various solitaire games ¹.

Game Info

Developer: Sierra On-Line, Inc.¹ Designer: Warren Schwader¹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line, Inc. / U.S. Gold Ltd.¹ Engine: SCI0 (Sierra’s Creative Interpreter)⁶ Platforms: DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh¹ Release Year: 1990 Series: Hoyle Official Book of Games Protagonist: N/A (Solitaire games) Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

As a collection of solitaire card games, Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 does not feature a narrative storyline ². The game instead serves as a digital implementation of 28 classic patience card games, each with its own rules and strategies ¹.

The absence of Sierra characters as opponents—a notable feature of Volume 1—meant that players experienced a more traditional solitaire gaming environment ². This purely single-player focus was appropriate for the solitary nature of patience games, which have historically been played alone as a form of relaxation or mental exercise.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 presents its card games from a top-down perspective, allowing players to view the full card layout on screen ¹. The interface uses fixed/flip-screen visuals typical of Sierra’s SCI engine games from this era ¹. Players interact with the cards through mouse-based controls, clicking and dragging cards to make moves within each solitaire variant.

Structure and Progression

The game offers 28 different solitaire games, providing substantial variety for players ¹². The included games are:

• Calculation – Mathematical-based solitaire
• Strategy – Strategic building game
• Eagle Wing – Classic patience variant
• Beleaguered Castle – Open-foundation building game
• Klondike – The most famous solitaire variant
• Canfield – Fast-paced single-deck game
• Golf – Rapid-play solitaire
• Flower Garden – Visual building game
• Scorpion – Challenging spider variant
• Spiderette – Simplified spider solitaire
• La Belle Lucie – French-origin patience game
• Fortress – Strategic layout game
• Baker’s Dozen – Tableau-based solitaire
• Bristol – Stock and waste pile game
• Eight Off – FreeCell precursor
• Shamrocks – Building game with suit groupings
• Yukon – Klondike variant
• Eliminator – Removal-based solitaire
• Slide – Movement-focused game
• Bowling – Themed solitaire variant
• Nestor – Pair-matching game
• Aces Up – Elimination solitaire
• Gaps – Rearrangement patience
• Penguin – Modern FreeCell variant
• Pyramid – Matching and removal game
• Triplets – Three-card matching
• Poker Square – Poker hand building game
• Cribbage Square – Cribbage-themed variant¹

Puzzles and Mechanics

Each solitaire game follows its own traditional ruleset, with players attempting to arrange cards according to specific objectives—typically building foundation piles in sequence by suit ¹. The games range from relatively simple variants like Klondike to more challenging options requiring careful strategy and planning ².

The singleplayer-only nature of the game means all 28 variants are played against the randomized card deck rather than AI opponents ⁶. This represents a one-time game purchase monetization model typical of software from this era ⁶.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Contemporary review data for Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 is limited in the available research materials. The game was released during a period when dedicated card game collections were becoming popular on home computers. Publications such as Computer Gaming World covered Sierra’s Hoyle series during this era, though specific review scores for Volume 2 were not as widely documented as its predecessor⁷.

Modern Assessment

Modern aggregate ratings show the game has maintained a positive reputation among retro gaming enthusiasts. According to MobyGames, the game received a critics score of 65% based on 5 ratings, while players rated it 4.3 out of 5 based on 16 ratings ¹.

Aggregate Scores:

• MobyGames Critics: 65% (5 reviews)¹
• MobyGames Players: 4.3/5 (16 ratings)¹

Development

Origins

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 was developed as a follow-up to Sierra’s successful first Hoyle volume from 1989 ³. The decision to focus exclusively on solitaire games represented a strategic shift from the multiplayer-focused original, which had featured Sierra adventure game characters as card game opponents ². The Hoyle brand itself drew upon the legacy of Edmond Hoyle, the 18th-century English writer whose name became synonymous with authoritative game rules ³.

Production

The game was designed and programmed by Warren Schwader, who also contributed to the game’s artwork ¹. Ken Williams served as executive producer, providing oversight for the project as part of Sierra’s broader software catalog ¹. The music was composed by Robert Atesalp, adding audio accompaniment to the card game experience ¹.

Development Credits:¹

• Executive Producer: Ken Williams
• Designer/Programmer: Warren Schwader
• Artists: Warren Schwader, James Larsen, Gerald Moore
• Composer: Robert Atesalp
• Atari Version By: John Rettig, Steve Coallier
• Development System By: Jeff Stephenson, Robert Eric Heitman, Pablo Ghenis, John Hartin, Dan Foy, John Rettig, Corinna Abdul, Corey Cole

Technical Achievements

The game was built on Sierra’s SCI0 interpreter, the same technology powering the company’s adventure games during this period ⁶. This engine allowed for mouse-driven interaction and graphical card displays across multiple hardware configurations ⁶. The use of SCI technology demonstrated Sierra’s ability to leverage their adventure game development tools for other gaming genres.

Technical Specifications

DOS Version:⁶

• Resolution: Variable (Hercules, CGA, MCGA, EGA, Tandy/PCjr, VGA supported)
• Video Modes: Hercules, CGA, MCGA, EGA, Tandy/PCjr, VGA
• Minimum CPU: Intel 8088
• Recommended CPU: Intel 8086
• RAM: 512 KB minimum
• OS: DOS 6.22

File Sizes by Platform:⁸

• DOS: 364.2 KB
• Amiga: 1.9 MB
• Atari ST: 492.2 KB
• Mac: 620.0 KB

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	1990	DOS	Initial release6
1.0	1990	Amiga	Amiga port1
1.0	1990	Atari ST	Atari ST port by John Rettig and Steve Coallier1
1.0	1991	Macintosh	Mac port1

SCI Interpreter Version:⁶

Game Version	Interpreter	Type	Notes
1.0	SCI0	SCI0	Initial release, Sierra Creative Interpreter

Technical Issues

The game benefits from modern compatibility solutions. ScummVM version 2.1 and later supports cloud saves on third-party cloud storage services, enabling players to synchronize their progress across devices⁶⁹. This modern enhancement helps preserve the gaming experience for contemporary players.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• The game includes all 28 games as solitaire variants, unlike Volume 1 which featured multiplayer card games ²
• There was no option for choosing opponents, as the solitaire format eliminated the need for AI players ²
• Volume 2 did not feature any Sierra characters as co-players, departing from the first volume’s tradition ²
• The Hoyle brand name derives from Edmond Hoyle, the 18th-century English writer who became the definitive authority on card game rules ³

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

While specific sales figures are not available in the research data, the Hoyle series proved commercially successful enough for Sierra to continue producing additional volumes throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s ³. The brand eventually passed to other publishers, with Encore Software later releasing Hoyle titles for Windows platforms ³.

Used copies of various Hoyle games, including later entries in the series, remain available on secondary markets with prices ranging from $0.99to$6.99 on sites like eBay and Amazon ³.

Collections

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 was part of Sierra’s broader Hoyle gaming brand, which originated in 1989 with the first volume³¹⁰. The series continued to expand with additional volumes covering different game types and categories, documented extensively in Sierra’s historical archives¹¹.

Fan Projects

The game is preserved and playable through various retro gaming platforms. ClassicReload hosts the DOS version for browser-based play ¹². ScummVM provides modern compatibility support for the title, with version 2.1 adding cloud save functionality ⁶.

Related Publications

The Hoyle brand was associated with a long tradition of printed game rule books. While the game itself served as a digital implementation of solitaire rules, the broader Hoyle publishing legacy includes works such as “Hoyle’s Rules of Games: Play According to Hoyle” by Albert H. Morehead and Geoffrey Mott-Smith, published by Signet ¹³.

Critical Perspective

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 represents an important moment in Sierra’s diversification beyond adventure games. While the company remained best known for series like King’s Quest and Leisure Suit Larry, the Hoyle brand demonstrated Sierra’s ability to capture the casual gaming market years before that term became industry standard.

The game’s comprehensive collection of 28 solitaire variants provided substantial value for card game enthusiasts, offering digital implementations of games that would otherwise require physical decks and considerable table space. The top-down, fixed-screen presentation established conventions that would persist in computer solitaire implementations for decades, most notably in Microsoft’s bundled Windows solitaire games.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• No official digital release currently available; physical copies available through secondary markets

Download / Preservation

• ClassicReload - Browser-based play¹²
• Old Games Download - Multi-platform downloads⁸
• MyAbandonware - DOS version¹⁴
• Internet Archive - Preservation copy¹⁵

Series Continuity

Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2: Solitaire was the second entry in Sierra’s Hoyle gaming series. While the first volume featured multiplayer card games with Sierra adventure characters as opponents, Volume 2 shifted focus entirely to single-player solitaire variants ². This established a pattern where subsequent Hoyle volumes would specialize in particular game types rather than mixing formats.

• Previous: 1989 - Hoyle Official Book of Games - Volume 1
• Next: 1990 - Hoyle Official Book of Games - Volume 3

References

Footnotes

1. MobyGames – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2: Solitaire – credits, platforms, ratings, game content, development team ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴

2. Wikipedia – Hoyle’s Official Book of Games – game count, solitaire focus, platform releases, differences from Volume 1 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²

3. Medium – The History of Hoyle Slots Video and Poker Game Creation & Development – Hoyle brand history, Edmond Hoyle origin, series continuation ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

4. Fictional Crossover Fandom – Hoyle’s Official Book of Games – series connections ↩

5. UVList – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 – release information, technical data ↩

6. PCGamingWiki – Hoyle’s Official Book of Games: Volume 2 – SCI0 engine, system requirements, video modes, ScummVM support, release dates ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

7. GameFAQs – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 – platform data, user interest ↩

8. Old Games Download – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2: Solitaire – file sizes, platform availability ↩ ↩²

9. ScummVM Wiki – Hoyle’s Official Book of Games series – engine compatibility, series overview ↩

10. Sierra Gamers – Hoyle Series – series history, development context ↩

11. Sierra Chest – Hoyle Series – series documentation, packaging ↩

12. ClassicReload – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 – DOS platform, 1990 release ↩ ↩²

13. AbeBooks – Hoyle’s Rules of Games – Hoyle brand publishing history, 28 solitaire varieties mention ↩

14. MyAbandonware – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 – download, platform list, user ratings ↩

15. Internet Archive – Hoyle Official Book of Games Volume 2 – preservation copy, DOS version ↩