Ludography
70/100
Players11 ratings
83/100
Critics5 reviews
More scores
Metacritic8 critic reviews
79/100
Metacritic usersuser score
62/100
GameFAQsJust Right-Tough
4.14/5
Player reviews
76% positive1,833 reviews
Steam Deck
Verified
Runs on
Windows
Price
US$12.99

Where to get it

Chess Ultra cover

2017 · Ripstone · Board game · Chess

Chess Ultra

Introducing Chess Ultra; the most breathtaking chess game ever made. Experience stunning 4K visuals, seamless online multiplayer, Grandmaster approved AI and full VR compatibility.

Released
20 June 2017
Platforms
Meta QuestNintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation VRSteamVRWindowsXbox One
Genres
Board gameChessIndiePuzzleQuizSimulationSportsStrategy
Developers
Ripstone
Publishers
Ripstone
Modes
MultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
First person
Themes
ActionKids
Country
England
Age ratings
USK 0ACB GESRB ECLASS_IND LGRAC ALLPEGI 3
Languages
Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish (Spain)
Time to beat
2hmain story14hcompletionist

About

Chess Ultra is a chess video game developed and published by Ripstone for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in June 2017. A Switch port was released a few months later. It is the second chess game by Ripstone after Pure Chess (2012). Chess Ultra is the first in-house developed game by Ripstone.

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The game features four different graphical locations (fireplace room, living room, museum, dark cave) and four chess piece sets. In the tutorial mode, there are basic lessons for beginners, 80 checkmate challenges for advanced players, and for the most experienced players there is a mode where the player has to recreate historic games by playing the closing moves. The multiplayer supports either local or online play. The online multiplayer supports cross-platform play (except the PS4 version).

In the portable mode in the Switch version, local multiplayer can be played by placing the console flat on the table to simulate a chessboard. The computer AI has ten difficulty settings. The game calculates the player's Elo rating when playing against the AI or other players online. The PlayStation 4 version has a PlayStation VR mode.

Reception

Chess Ultra received generally positive reviews from critics. Windows Central liked the tutorials and cross-platform multiplayer but disliked the matchmaking system. Digitally Downloaded thought the game is an improvement from Pure Chess in every way. They also liked the table mode in the Switch version.

Nintendo Life said the game is "[...] a polished and well constructed title. It falls short of true excellence due to controller quirks in local multiplayer and a few missing conveniences in online play, such as a notification system or means by which to communicate more directly." Nintendo World Report liked how accessible the game is and called it "outstanding".

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation 420 June 2017North America
PlayStation VR20 June 2017North America
Windows21 June 2017Worldwide
Xbox One23 June 2017North America
Nintendo Switch2 November 2017North America
Meta QuestUnreleased
SteamVRUnreleased

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.