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Chessmaster: The Art of Learning DS
Chessmaster: The Art of Learning Image
Metascore
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User Score
6.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 10 Ratings

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  • Summary: Learn from champion Josh Waitzkin: Using the principles outlined in his book The Art of Learning, Josh puts players in his shoes during some of the most riveting moments of his career. He then walks players through the classics, introducing beginners to the fundamentals of the game and providing revealing commentary about the road to mastery. Two players can battle each other using the wireless option on the DS. A variety of exciting multiplayer games are available, including: Dark Chess, in which the opponent's pieces are invisible; Extinction Chess, where the winner is the first player to capture all of the opponent's pieces; and Losing Chess, a game that rewards the first player to lose all of his/her pieces! Six original mini-games: Each mini-game is packed with its own music, sound effects, a high-score record and 20 levels of gameplay. Players can look forward to: Minefield, in which chess pieces are used to locate mines hidden in the board; Breaking the Lines, where the knight is moved to capture all of the pawns; and Fork My Fruit, a game that uses chess pieces to fork fruit of the same kind, among others. Players have access to 900 of the most important chess games, which are analyzed to provide key tactics. [Ubisoft]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. IGN
    78
    With one exception, this is about as good a handheld chess collection as any DS owner could hope for.
  2. GameZone
    78
    The presentation sucks, but games are ultimately about something more than that. They're about the entertainment value, and if you're a fan of chess or don't yet know how to play, Chessmaster is great game to have on your DS.
  3. PALGN
    70
    A great Chess game for those who want to learn Chess or for those who have been playing for years.

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. DanielM.
    9
    Just had to chime in on this one. Chessmaster on the DS is an excellent chess game. Plays much stronger than the Chess in Clubhouse Games which really stinks. Chessmaster will give you a good game. The personalities and rating system really make the game a lot of fun. The board is 2D and very easy to see. The bonuses are the only negative part. The lessons are really short and too simple. There are no historic games included which would be realy nice to have in a portable format and the puzzles where you fork fruit and stuff is really kind of lame. When you want to play a quick game of chess this thing is great. You can choose color, set time limits, and play in a hurry. The only real negative is the lack of WiFi online play but to me it isn't too bad since the personalities are fun to play against and finding someone online can take 10 to 15 minutes of waiting like in Clubhouse games or Chessmaster on the XBOX. Instead of waiting to play people who quit as soon as they start losing, I'd rather play the computer... I highly recommend this game to anyone who wants to play chess it is stronger than the Clubhouse Games and easier to sue and more fun than the GBA version which'll play in the DS.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. TygerK.
    6
    I have seen better from Ubisoft, the learning is in form of puzzles and games, which is not readily apparent. Unfortunately,some sites, as well as promotional developers mix the DS ads with the ads for the 360 or the WII, which gives one many false impressions. This is done in am attempt to save writing time, but does damage to the devoted buyers opinions. The graphics are plain, and generic. But i have to agree with JT, although I gave it a higher score. Better Luck next time Ubsift, I'll stilll try again, your last Xbox version was great.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. BK
    3
    Flat out a huge disappointment. The online is one thing, but for me the bigger disappointment is that there is almost no Teaching whatsoever, funny considering its called Art of LEARNING. All along they have been saying it will feature 900+ of the best games ever (even here on Metacritic's description), but that is NOT the case. There are NO GAMES. ZERO. Apart from the basic rules of chess there is almost nothing here to teach you to become a better chess player. Also, I totally agree with JT about the personalities being similar. A rank 500 player will start out sloppy, but from the time you have the upper hand on, they are all of a sudden playing like they are masters. Even the puzzles were botched because you have to pick the exact type of puzzle so you kind of know what to look for. You cant even have it randomize Mate in 1s with Capture Piece, etc. A nitpicky complaint is the "narration" which consists of a guy making weird poses as the words appear. You'll know when you see it. Just really annoying/lame. All in all you get a decent game of chess, but Club House Games gives you that and so much more. I was looking forward to this for months and I can't say how much of a let down it is. Chessmaster on my 2 year old cell phone has more features than this, better puzzles and it DOES include hundreds of famous games. Ubisoft really made a mess of this.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

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