9.4 /10 1 Votes
5/5 Touch Arcade Initial release date 13 October 2016 Platforms iOS, Android | 4.3/5 iTunes - Apple Developer(s) Zach Gage Mode Single-player video game | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Genres Mind sport, Abstract strategy game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Really Bad Chess (stylized as really bad chess) is a mobile video game developed by Zach Gage. It was released on October 13, 2016 for iOS, with a version for Android currently in development. The game is based on the original game of chess but contains rearranged boards.
Contents
Really bad chess ios board games first look
Gameplay
Really Bad Chess is played using a normal chess board, but with each player given one king and 15 other pieces selected at random based on the player's skill level. The pieces, moves, and goal are identical to the original game. Because of the rearranged pieces, players cannot use typical chess opening moves.
Development
The game was developed by Zach Gage, the developer behind the 2015 solitaire mobile game Sage Solitaire. It was released on October 13, 2016 for iOS devices. Some players have reported stability issues when playing the game. A port for Android, produced by Noodlecake Studios, is currently in development.
Reception
Really Bad Chess has received positive reviews from critics.
Stephen Totilo of video game news site Kotaku recommended the game to those with an iPhone because though he doesn't "care for chess", he enjoyed playing it. Rob Funnell of mobile gaming site TouchArcade awarded the game a 5/5 rating and said the game turns the "mundane task of learning chess into an extremely enjoyable experience".
Reviewers thought the game would be good for helping newer and more experienced chess players learn how the game works. Funnell believed Really Bad Chess was a good way for new players and chess veterans to learn how to understand chess, and eventually become better at the game through learning how to "read the board". Prior to release, Emma Kidwell of Kill Screen said the game "should be great for beginners to learn about the joy of landing a checkmate without having to study openings".