Absolute Chess

Absolute Chess Review

I'd normally be a bit upset at a game reusing art and assets from another, previously-published title from the same studio -- but I kinda dig this "Absolute" brand so far. Absolute BrickBuster kicked off the franchise on DSiWare a few weeks ago, offering an fast and frantic Breakout clone wrapped up with some electric Japanese music, menus and cast of playable characters. Chess, as a slow-paced, thinking man's strategy board game, is about as far away from Breakout as you can get. And yet Absolute Chess has the exact same presentation -- music, menus and playable cast. I'd normally be upset, but this time I'm just amused.

Probably because the chess itself is so good. Separated into several different difficulty levels that actually play like their descriptions suggest (from novice on up), the player-versus-computer matches here are satisfying and well-presented. It's probably my favorite chess download on DSiWare – which isn't that tough a title to claim, seeing as the only competition has been the ugly Chess Challenge! (which was easier to recommend back when it came out in May, when there were zero other competitors to compare it against.)

You'll also get support for DS Download Play to take on human opponents, and a whole set of missions to accomplish in a separate Challenge Mode -- tasks like completing the current game in under a set number of moves, or before a countdown clock runs out of time.

The interface is nice too, offering both D-Pad and stylus control and good art that highlights how each of your pieces is able to move.