Chess Ultra Reviews

Chess Ultra is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Jun 19, 2017

Simply put, if you’re in the market for a chess game, you’re not really going to find anything much better, especially if visuals are your thing.

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8.8 / 10.0
Jun 20, 2017

Ripstone have gone far and beyond to make this the best Chess experience digitally.

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7 / 10
Jun 25, 2017

Obviously you'll need to either already enjoy playing Chess or have a desire to learn the game to want to play Chess Ultra in the first place – giving the game a relatively narrow appeal – but this is a beautifully designed game that Chess novices and experts alike could quite easily lose hours and hours to, and at just £10 it is incredible value for money.

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8 / 10.0
Nov 11, 2017

Chess Ultra is ultimately a triumph as an atmospheric, streamlined chess game that both newcomers and experts can enjoy. What the game lacks in environments and chess sets it makes up for with high production values and plenty of extra features. Cross-play with the Xbox One and PC versions is a welcome bonus.

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8 / 10
Dec 23, 2017

Accessible to all, Chess Ultra will undoubtedly please aficionados of the strategy game while marking the perfect entry point to those that have always wanted to learn how to play. With the chance for your Nintendo Switch to become a virtual chess board to play against someone across a table, the portable home console could also be seen as the perfect home for it.

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Nov 16, 2017

It would be hard to make a bad chess game, but it's not easy to make a beautiful one and that's what Ripstone have achieved with Ultra Chess. It's priced reasonably, plays and looks fantastic and if you are a strategy or chess-afficiando then it's a no-brainer. Unlike some of the matches you might play...

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 3, 2017

From top to bottom Chess Ultra is a complete package and perfect for anyone who either loves or would like to develop a greater appreciation for chess. Not merely giving you an excellent presentation for playing matches, but also providing for a multitude of ways to play by yourself or others, it really checks probably all possible boxes for you getting a good game rolling. When you then pile on the excellent tutorials and challenges that will help you improve and refine your overall game there really isn’t much more that you could ask for if you have an interest in this classic board game.

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8.7 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2017

Chess Ultra is an ultimate chess experience for consoles. In the game you can duel against AI, play with friends online, share a controller on a couch and replay most famous plays in chess history. There is nothing more you possibly wish for.

Review in Polish | Read full review

10 / 10
Jun 27, 2017

If you're looking for a solid chess game on PlayStation 4, then Chess Ultra is the way to go. It's a gorgeous release with chess pieces and environments that are hyper-realistic – especially when playing in 4k.

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Jul 5, 2017

Chess Ultra is as good as I can conceive Chess actually getting.

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95%
Dec 8, 2017

If you're looking for the best way to digital play chess, this is exactly what you need!

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 8, 2017

What resonated with me the most was just how accessible it is to players of all skill levels. For newcomers, tutorials and novice level computers help to ease you into the game. And for veterans, challenge modes and difficulty up to Grandmaster will certainly be a test of your skill. While I found some set pieces to be unusable and wish there was an online option for a continuous game, these were merely minor complaints in an otherwise outstanding offering from developer Ripstone.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jan 3, 2018

Chess Ultra is a great chess game and a welcome addition to the Switch's digital library of titles. Its in-depth tutorial offers a useful starting point for those new to the sport, while challenges, AI difficulties, and customizable matches ensure that established players have the tools needed to improve their game in a variety of formats. While the lack of a real-time filter for matchmaking is a bummer, Chess Ultra more than justifies its budget price tag of $12.50. Whether you are a grandmaster or a complete novice, Chess Ultra is a worthy entry into the world of virtual chess.

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Impulsegamer
Top Critic
5 / 5.0
Jun 26, 2017

Sure, CHESS ULTRA is chess but it's some very good looking chess and more importantly, it plays very well on the PlayStation 4 with some great multiplayer and a really fun VR mode… I just hope to god I still have my soul!

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7 / 10.0
Jan 9, 2018

Chess Ultra is an almost perfect digital recreation of the classic game. It's visually appealing, provides numerous features to tailor-make your experience and relies on few gimmicks to sell Chess as a video game.

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8 / 10
Nov 3, 2017

Chess Ultra is a welcome arrival on the Nintendo Switch; it's a visual treat, while also soothing you with pleasant music as you engage in a tough match. There are plenty of options and variety for online and offline matches, with the former being particularly enjoyable if you're able to get into a real-time contest. With Tournament play and some well constructed Challenges on board, along with Tutorials for newcomers, it ticks most boxes. It's another checkmate for the Switch eShop.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2017

Chess Ultra is a nice little game to own. When Nintendo first began marketing the Switch, they really hammered home the idea of taking it where you go, and playing it to pass the time. I feel that this title is a perfect example of that. If a player has a few hours to kill, it's probably best to play a big game like Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. On the other hand, if someone has a mere few minutes to spare, turning on the Switch and playing a match of Chess would surely suffice.

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8 / 10
Nov 17, 2017

A videogame based on chess requires some particular assets to stand out and Chess Ultra on the Nintendo Switch fulfills all the requests in ways that make it a very welcome addition to the system's catalog. Thanks to its impressive variety of game modes, its choice of difficulty levels that are very suitable to all sorts of players and a high quality audiovisual component, Chess Ultra is an outstanding game that should be on everyone's radar.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Jun 29, 2017

Chess Ultra is a really solid game of chess. It looks beautiful and has some quality tranquil music that varies by the locations elected, including a few songs with lyrics. The robust tutorial and vast number of challenges ensure that solo players can learn the game and have a great time, and cross-platform multiplayer is awesome too.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 2, 2017

Chess will always be chess, but with its glorious presentation and wealth of options, Chess Ultra is a Queen in a genre filled with Pawns.

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