Allow me to be blunt for a moment. Academy: Chess Puzzles is for hardcore chess aficionados only. I am not a hardcore chess aficionado.
The concept is simple enough – Academy: Chess Puzzles sets up over 750 scenarios and gives you an objective, such as getting a checkmate within two turns with a set of pieces that have been strategically set up. There is no time limit and there are no penalties for mistakes. You can keep trying an unlimited number of times until you find the move that you are supposed to make for that scenario.
How well Academy: Chess Puzzles trains you depends completely on how invested you are in learning chess strategy from this application. The game also features a quiz mode that provides a set of questions and sets the timer. The quiz mode also limits you to three mistakes, making for an arguably better training experience for the less self-motivated.
For those dedicated enough to complete each of the puzzle sets and quizzes, the game features achievements and unlockable boards. The look of the user interface fits the theme of the game nicely and the jazzy soundtrack is also suitable to the game.
My one huge complaint is that Academy: Chess Puzzles does not allow you to play a simple game of chess. The pieces and boards are all there, but unfortunately there is no option to put all of that practice to the test in a real game environment.
Overall
If you are looking for a simple game of chess, you won’t find it here. Rather, Academy: Chess Puzzles takes the game of chess and breaks it down into quizzes and tests. How fun or useful that is to you will depend a lot on how much you enjoy the game of chess and how dedicated you are to memorization. No chess training app should be complete without being able to practice the game versus a computer opponent, and for that reason alone, I would recommend giving serious consideration to whether Academy: Chess Puzzles is worth your time and money.
 |
Title: Academy: Chess Puzzles Publisher: Gamelion Developer: Gamelion Platform: DSiWare Release Date: October 4, 2012 Genre: Quiz MSRP: $1.99 ESRB: E |