Chess is one of those games that I really enjoy playing. No, I never joined the Chess Club in high school (I may be a geek, but I have my dignity), but I do enjoy a good game every now and then. Of course, I enjoy playing with real people, rather than a computer. I think the last chess game that I purchased was Chessmaster for the NES. That game kicked my ass every single time, and I've stuck to a real chess board ever since. However, I decided to pick up Chess Classics for my iPhone, as I never seem to have time to sit down with anyone for a game.
As expected, the computer thoroughly dominated each and every game I played. But not to worry, Chess Classics provides several different modes of play, which includes a two-player mode, if you happen to be sitting next to someone on a plane or bus that wants to play. You can also watch some classic chess matches in which the game walks you through each move, and why it was made. It's actually quite interesting to watch some of those game, though if you're not big into chess, they can seem a bit dull.
My favorite function in the game is Quiz Mode. You are given a set of 10 challenges that you must solve. You are given points based on how quickly you solve each puzzle. For instance, you are given a chess board with pre-arranged pieces and you must move a white piece so that it is safe from harm. They're actually pretty tough, and really make you think about your moves.
One thing that I will point out about this game is that since the screen isn't huge, your pieces are rather tiny. This makes pointing at the correct piece a bit difficult. It's not horrible, but can be frustrating at times.Something that isn't mentioned in the iTunes App Store is that you also get a Backgammon game with your purchase. I found it extremely difficult to move the pieces in this game, but then again I really didn't expect it to be there in the first place.
Chess Classics is going to take up 76.4MB of space on your iPhone, and will set you back $9.99.
