Chessmaster

by UBI Soft

Product Features

• Take your skills to a new level with a variety of different chess modes
• Test your skills on the field of battle with Battlefield Chess -- 3D animated pieces recreate fantasy battle on a chess board
• Take on more challenging human opponents by going online and playing in tournaments
• Learn strategy and playing tips from Josh Waitzkin and watch your game improve
• Unmatched chess engine for challenging & instructive gameplay, whatever level of ability you possess!

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00007KUW4
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: May 27, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,918 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #38 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Strategy

Product Description

Chessmaster helps beginners and grandmasters alike, by showing them the fun of digital chess!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addiction at a great price, June 1, 2003

By 

T. Jewell (Des Plaines, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chessmaster (Video Game)

When it comes to playing video games I have always been more of an action/sports fanatic...so why am I addicted to Chessmaster? I have never really played the game of chess before but I've always wondered what the big deal was about it, so after seeing this game advertised at a great price I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did!

This game has been outstanding for me as a beginner. It includes a complete "chess school" (do they actually have those??) feature that I am hooked on. After only a few lessons, I started to feel like I had inside knowledge on how to win at this game. The tutorial is thorough yet easy to understand. The different aspects of the game are broken down into small sections, and after a brief explanation of each one you are given a series of exercises that aid tremendously in the learning process (a la the old "doing is better than seeing" method). It is well-designed and, actually, fun. The chess lessons cover all levels of play and includes instruction from several grand wizards (or whatever they are called!) , so even advanced players will learn a lot from this feature.

Aside from being a great learning tool, it is the wide variety of gameplay options that makes Chessmaster such a great value. Ranked games, online play, and Puzzle of the Day are just a few of the features that are included. There are 150 different computer opponents, which is the largest number I have seen in a game of any type. It might not compare to the number of players online, but it still feels good when you beat someone and see your rating climb. Aside from twenty different sets of chess pieces, there is also a 3D battle chess mode that gives the game a little more action. I believe it could have been enhanced a bit, but it is still fun to watch.

With so many features included I have barely even cracked into this game. I am hooked on it and you just can't beat the price, which is less than most chess sets cost. I highly recommend it. Great for rainy days!

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Checkmate! This is a Chessmasterpiece!!, June 9, 2003

By 

George Goolsby Jr (Lee's Summit, MO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chessmaster (Video Game)

This game is actually designed to make you a CHESSMASTER YOURSELF! I was interested in the teaching prospects for this game and I was anxious to see what the PS2 would give us in the way of Chess. In just two days of playing this game, I find myself, at 36 years old, addicted to Chess again. It comes with a "Chess School" that is presented verbally and with text for students at any level including very well presented tutorials, drills, exams, commentaries on famous games,and puzzles to keep you or make you sharp! In the non rated game options there are several teaching and mentoring tools with and a cool "game analysis" feature visually animates "better" moves I could have made during the game. This is just the tip of the iceburg!

Once you feel like you are ready to take on the ChessWorld there are rated games and your rating is upgraded or downgraded depending on the outcome of games with some of the 150+ opponents with diverse playing styles and strengths you play against! Championship tournaments at different skill levels await players who love to compete. Your drill records, player rating, opponents defeated, and more all chronicled for you as a player!

There are 20 impressive, beautifully designed 3D chess sets ! Each with background, music, and distinct themes! One word of advice: get familiar with each piece so you don't mistake a bishop for queen and so forth between sets. There is even Fantasy Battle chess with animated action!

If you love Chess, truly want to be a "master" and own a PS2 get this game!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for learning chess, so-so graphics, August 1, 2003

By 

Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Chessmaster (Video Game)

In a world where Harry Potter is king, and Wizard's Chess captured the hearts of millions, it's no surprise that another animated chess game - Chessmaster - has hit the market.

The game has quite a collection of training systems - tutorials, exams, historic games, classic openings. But I went diving right for the fantasy chess, with its animation.

You can choose from the orcs or the humans, white or black. Each side has six leaders to choose from - each with his own style of play. You can play single player, two player or just watch. The play has a variety of backgrounds - stone walls, desert and more.

As much as I used to love Battle Chess and enjoy playing it, this version really wasn't that great. The fights were all extremely simple. While you could spin around the board, you couldn't zoom in or out, and often the not-great graphics made it hard to tell exactly which unit was which. The game played was a good one, but the graphics and angles made me quit back out to the regular game.

The main chess game has a variety of boards and piece styles as well. Each 'theme' has its own pieces, board, background, music. While I enjoyed the Halloween and gnome sets, again they were hard to use and fuzzy at best. I settled on the Irish wood set and got going.

The gameplay again was great, and the tutorials, lessons and examples really help you learn at your own pace and make solid progress. Since that's really what the game is about, I highly recommend you choose a nice, simple chess layout - maybe even going for the 2-D symbol set. Don't fool with the fancy backgrounds - just concentrate on the wealth of information the game offers as far as learning the game. There's even an online option for when you've gotten your feet wet and are ready for a human challenger.

Recommended for anyone wanting to learn the game of chess, or hone their skills.