Chess Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More

When installing my first chess app on my smartphone, I had no intention of becoming an expert player. I just needed something to do while waiting for a bus. All mobile games seemed either to require permanent internet connection, offer some sort of rewards or bombard me with annoying advertisements. But not chess.

Initially, I was losing most of my games as I fell into the trap of all beginners who chase pieces without securing their king. But after some days passed, I found myself finding patterns in the game which resulted in more thoughtful moves, longer matches, and victories that were achieved through my efforts and skills.

As for now, after investing a lot of time playing Chess on Android, experimenting with different levels of difficulty, playing against other people on the internet, solving daily puzzles, I could say for sure that it is one of those mobile games which will never get boring.

If you wonder whether Chess Mobile deserves your attention, here comes the review.

What is Chess?

Chess Mobile is an app-based version of the popular game that allows you to play chess any time you like via your smartphone or tablet. There is no need to move any actual pieces in the game – you just tap the screen to move the pieces. The objective of the game is to outplay your competitor using tactics, foresight, and finally capturing their king in a situation known as checkmate. The majority of such chess apps provide the opportunity to play offline against artificial intelligence, multiplayer games, puzzles each day, tutorials, and varying levels of difficulty, which makes the game interesting both for beginners and skilled players.

Story

Unlike other adventures or action video games, there's no specific story for Chess.

Each match makes a unique story.

Sometimes, you'll find yourself trying to protect your king from a disastrous start. Other times, you sacrifice your queen for a great checkmate three moves ahead. Each match is always unique since your opponent will be as active as you.

One of my favorite matches lasted about thirty minutes. I was sure that I've been completely defeated since I made an error and lost a rook. Far from stopping, I kept on playing smartly, managed to get some exchanges, and finally won the match by promoting my pawn.

And this is what makes chess such an amazing game each match is always a unique story.

Game play

When it comes to game play, Chess Mobile shines.

Controlling pieces is extremely easy all you need is to tap on the selected piece and then tap on the destination square.

This doesn't make the game play itself easy though.

A small blunder will completely alter the game.

Modern chess software features many game play modes such as:

Training vs. AI

Multiplayer online

Puzzles every day

Timed games

Unranked games

Ranking games

Chess tutorials

Opening training

I began playing with the easiest computer setting before progressing to online games, which helped me learn some simple tactics without getting frustrated.

Online games are very exciting since every opponent is different.

Some begin their attacks right from the start.

Others wait patiently until you make a mistake.

This unpredictability keeps every game exciting.

Controls

The controls in this app should be applauded.

Everything feels responsive even on cheap phones.

Typically features are:

Tap-to-move

Move suggestions

Option to undo (in offline modes)

Board zoom and rotation

Move history

Game analysis

Even the most inexperienced players can get accustomed to controls in a few minutes.

Graphics

No one installs the Chess app looking for console-level graphics.

Nevertheless, modern chess apps are quite impressive in their appearance.

They all have various themes of board such as:

Wooden boards

Marble boards

Classical tournament boards

Board in dark mode

2D figures

3D figures

Animation is smooth without being intrusive.

Movement of pieces looks good.

Some apps even have beautiful backgrounds and relaxing visual effects while preserving the gameplay.

Sound Effects and Music

There are no too many sound effects that work pretty well.

Among the main you will hear:

Sound effects for moving pieces

Sounds of captures

Notices when someone checks you

Sounds for victory

Background music (optional)

I like to listen to my music playlist or podcasts while playing the game.

Difficulty

The game of chess ranks among the highest skill ceiling in all games.

Newbies can expect to lose often in their first week.

This is entirely normal.

The positive side is that many chess games have increasing levels of AI difficulty.

Some of my mistakes when I first started playing chess include:

Pulling out the queen too early

Not paying attention to the safety of the king

Lack of castling

Leaving pieces hanging without realizing it

Rushing to make a move

Making these mistakes actually made winning more enjoyable since I learned a lot from them.

Multiplayer Mode

This is where the Chess Mobile gets addictive.

It is quite different playing against real players rather than the computer.

The matchmaking system always gives you an opponent with an almost equal rating.

This ensures you play fair matches.

Features of multiplayer mode include:

Blitz games

Bullet games

Rapid games

Daily correspondence

Global leaderboard

Challenges to friends

Tournaments

Beating an opponent always feels rewarding since you know that they were equally working hard.

Performance

I tried playing Chess on both my old and new phones running Android.

Performance was seamless on both.

Advantages:

Fast launching

Very low battery consumption

Small storage space needs

Frame rates are stable

Little heating

Chess does not require high-end hardware that most mobile games do.

Internet and Offline Mode

The first thing that I must praise is the offline mode option.

While traveling or when internet connection is poor, you can still:

Play the computer

Solve chess puzzles

Work on openings

Analyze past matches

However, internet is needed mostly for:

Online gaming

Cloud saving

Ranking

Tournaments

Learning Options

This is certainly the key factor that makes this application special.

Not all games give you an opportunity to learn how to play.

Good learning aids include:

Interactive classes

Daily puzzles

Match analysis

Opening library

Endgame training

Mistakes detection

My game skills have greatly improved due to analyzing my past failures instead of immediately playing the next match.

Advice for Novices

As a beginner in chess, here is how I improved my game:

1. Know Your Pieces' Worth

Know which piece is worth more before making an exchange.

2. Castling Early

Castling early if possible.

3. Center Control

Aim to control the center four squares while starting.

4. Take Your Time

Consider taking some additional time for each move.

5. Analyse Your Game

Most improvement comes from analyzing blunders.

Mistakes That Novices Make

Beginners always end up making some common mistakes.

Some of these should be avoided if possible:

Making early moves with the queen

Neglecting development

Not thinking about opponent's threats

Exchanging pieces without a good reason

Playing fast

Attacking at all costs

I have made each of these mistakes many times.

Fortunately, in chess, patience pays off.

What I Liked About the Game

Easy to learn

Infinite replay ability

Great brain workout

Good performance

Compatible with most smartphones

Can be played offline

Competitive online community

Tutorial and puzzle mode

What Could Be Better

Beginners may feel uncomfortable at first.

There are some programs that hide tutorials for experts from the subscription.

Online players may turn out to be highly experienced.

Some ads appear in some free versions.

However, none of the aforementioned cons may spoil your experience. Of course, you should be aware of it before installing any chess program.

Is Chess Mobile Worth Playing?

Undoubtedly.

Whether you have 5 minutes during your coffee break or an hour at home, there is always something useful and enjoyable in Chess Mobile. The program does not provide you with some achievements or grinding. On the contrary, each game needs your skills and development.

I've downloaded numerous games on my phone for many years, but I keep only chess among them. It's a special game, as compared to other games, as it's both entertaining and rewarding.

If you enjoy problem-solving, strategizing or just want to entertain yourself, you can try Chess Mobile.