Xbox Critic Reviews

A top quality game that did not short the consumers or insult the seasoned players by dumping a low-end game for the sake of having a chess game for the Xbox. It's a joy to play, and keeps me wanting to come back for more.

Chessmaster presents an unparalleled chess experience. Though Xbox Live compatible, you will rarely ever find anyone online at all.

Chessmaster is accessible to all skill levels. If you've never played, you can run through the tutorials and, with diligence, can become a true chess pro. If you're already an expert, the higher levels of the AI are incredibly challenging.

If you were looking for a great game of chess, with hundreds of AI opponents and even more online, Chessmaster is definitely recommended.

Between getting the fundamentals right and offering up a boatload of extra features, this literally is the only chess video game you'll ever need to buy for the forseeable future.

Chessmaster isn't for all Xbox'ers, but it is highly recommended for anybody event remotely interested in learning how to play chess or wanting to become a better player.

The real strength of this game is the bounty of narrated, interactive tutorials that effectively demonstrate strategy, tactics, and psychological analysis of your opponent. [Jan 2005, p.82]

Offers a plethora of options, online play, and no innovation to a game that doesn't really need innovation (except to my own twisted imagination).

If you love chess, Ubisoft's Chessmaster is an essential selection, as it is a genre defining title that features a high level of polish and satisfying gameplay.

From the graphics to the dry commentary to the awkward controls, Chessmaster could have had a lot more going for it. Since older versions for the PC can be found, and the mouse interface is more intuitive, I'd have to recommend one of those versions over the Xbox version.