The MeggieSoft Games rendition of Canasta is a two-player game, fully supporting both the "Classic Canasta" and the "Modern American Canasta" rule sets.

Because MeggieSoft Games Canasta supports both rule sets, they can be mixed-and-matched. For the most part, this means selecting individual Modern American Canasta rules as variations to the Classic Canasta game..

Canasta utilizes the traditional MeggieSoft Games foundation user interface, common to all our games. This incorporates some new features specially created for Canasta, which include the following. (The first four of these are also implemented in version 15 of the other games, as appropriate.)

"MultiSelect". Using the right mouse button: click down and drag over a series of cards to select them for melding. and then release.If AutoMeld is active and the meld is valid, the cards will be selected and melded in one action.

"AutoMeld". Automatically melds a MultiSelect group when the mouse button is released, automatically melds a taken discard, and enables the ability to double-click on a card to add it to the matching rank meld. (Wild cards will be added to the last meld played; cards of previously unmelded ranks will create a new meld).

Step-by-step Undo: Because of the large number of melding actions that can occur in a single turn, the undo facility can either undo the last action or the entire turn. Step-by-step undoing of each action of the current turn is supported.

Customizable meld display: You will be able to specify that melds are displayed in one of the following ways: in the order played, sorted by length, sorted by rank, or in fixed rank column positions.

MeggieSoft Games Canasta is a comprehensive two-player implementation supporting both the Classic and Modern American rules. Play against an online opponent or against your computer. Canasta has a rich user interface and many customizable graphic, sound (including MIDI music and speech output), rule and scoring options. Six different computer opponent skill levels are available for when you are unable to get online, or just want to practice privately.

Canasta is played with a 108-card deck (two standard packs, plus four Jokers). The game involves taking, melding, and discarding cards with the object of scoring more points than your opponent. When taking cards, one may either take new cards from the stock, or pick up the discard pile - provided that the top card can be melded immediately. Melded cards score points, and melds of seven cards (Canastas) also score bonus points. Each round ends when one player has no more cards in hand or the stock is empty. The first player to 5000 points wins the game.

The user interface, common to all MeggieSoft Games, supports both point-and-click and drag-and-drop mouse operations. Features include: realistic animated card movement; right-click pop-up menus; a hint facility; a tutorial; automatic play; automatic save and restore of partly finished games; multiple-user scoreboards; a clean and uncluttered main window; status-bar shortcut buttons; and fully customizable main display font and wallpaper effects for the table and playing mat, and the card backs.