Chess (video game versions)

[opa]

Anyone else play chess video games? I don't have time to sit down with a real human being right now. But good ol' Chessmaster on the Game Boy is always waiting to give me the what-for.

Do you have a favorite video game version of chess?

[Ziggy]

Chessmaster 5000 was the first chess video game that I ever owned or played. And I played quite a bit of it back in the day. It's one of the games I'm looking forward to playing again after I get my Windows 95 PC set up.

I never knew there was a Gameboy Chessmaster port. I'm gonna have to look up a let's play video of it.

I'd be interested to hear if there's any worthwhile chess games for retro consoles. I never tried any. And I've never played any other Chessmaster versions on PC, I'd be interested in hearing what changed in later versions.

These days, I'll occasionally play the computer on chess.com. And I actually just recently picked up a nice (physical) chess set, I've only owned cheap ones in the past. The problem though is finding people to play with.

[Gucci]

I’ve played the GBA port of Chessmaster quite a bit. I saw you two mention Game Boy. Was there an earlier port?

On the GBA, I’ve played chess in Telegames’ Ultimate Brain Games.

I played a couple on the DS as well: Chessmaster - the Art of Learning was another game in the CM series. I think it was the first game in the series (portably) that added some cold additions including a set of minigames and chess themed puzzles.

Clubhouse Games (which BTW is a phenomenal game) has chess plus a crap ton of other games.

[RobertAugustdeMeijer]

I really wish that the sequel, Chess 2, would be more popular.
Less remises, six armies to choose from, more mind games, it's simply a better game. Designed by David Sirlin, so you know it's gold!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3143 ... he_Sequel/


The problem is: Chess 1 can be studied like a puzzle, which is its strongest point, because so many games have already been played.

[marurun]

I suck at chess because I'm too impatient to look ahead, so I enjoy Battlechess. My primary goal was just to see all the various animations for each different matchup.

[Limewater]

I really wish that the sequel, Chess 2, would be more popular.
Less remises, six armies to choose from, more mind games, it's simply a better game. Designed by David Sirlin, so you know it's gold!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3143 ... he_Sequel/


The problem is: Chess 1 can be studied like a puzzle, which is its strongest point, because so many games have already been played.

I have no interest in "Chess 2," but Shogi, the Japanese variant of Chess, is very interesting. The board is 9x9, the pieces are a little different, you can add captured pieces to your own army, and it has its own long history, so it seems a little less like a nobody making a sequel to a timeless classic.

[opa]

Yes! There is a Game Boy port of Chessmaster! Good ol' Black and White (or... Black and GREEN) graphics.

My preferred version. Portable and I've actually won a couple of times. lol

I also have chess on the "4-in-1 Fun Pak" on Game Boy. A compilation of chess, checkers, backgammon, and reversi. Not as good as Chessmaster in my opinion but I'm hardly a chess expert.

I have some other versions of chess I need to check out. I know there's a Star Wars Chess on Sega CD. I want to try it at least once. Seems like it might be difficult to play.
I'm not big on the "let's change up all the graphics on the pieces" thing. I like to know what piece is what. Is a Wookie a knight?

I have not tried Battlechess but I did recently get Shotgun King from GOG. It's a rougelike/lite wherein you're a king that shoots the other pieces with a shotgun. Not a "pure" experience but it's pretty fun.

[Ziggy]

I never saw Chessmaster for Gameboy in a store, or even a magazine or anything. I had no idea it existed. I would have loved a copy back then, when I use to occasionally bring my Gameboy around with me.

I watched a Let's Play of it, and it's not too bad. Until a few moves into the game, the computer started taking FOREVER to make a move. Is that typical?

[MrPopo]

I suck at chess because I'm too impatient to look ahead, so I enjoy Battlechess. My primary goal was just to see all the various animations for each different matchup.

I am disappointed it took this long for someone to mention Battlechess.

I had Chessmaster on the SNES back in the day. It was better than I was, but I can't really comment on how good of a product it is for an enthusiast.

[opa]

I never saw Chessmaster for Gameboy in a store, or even a magazine or anything. I had no idea it existed. I would have loved a copy back then, when I use to occasionally bring my Gameboy around with me.

I watched a Let's Play of it, and it's not too bad. Until a few moves into the game, the computer started taking FOREVER to make a move. Is that typical?

Yes, sometimes it takes a moment for the computer to "think" about its move. I'm sure the other console or PC versions of Chessmaster are faster at computing than the Game Boy.