Chessmaster series returns to Windows PC

By Hector Cortez Aug 14, 2007, 19:59 GMT

Chessmaster returns to Windows PC and makes its Nintendo DS debut.

Ubisoft announced today that it will publish Chessmaster: The Art of Learning for the Nintendo DS and Chessmaster: Grandmaster Edition for Windows PC. In both games, Josh Waitzkin, International Master and eight-time National Chess Champion, coaches players to grasp the basic fundamentals of chess and to master the game through courses and tutorials taken directly from his book, The Art of Learning. Players can then practice their newly learned skills in single-player mode or challenge their friends in multiplayer mode via LAN or Internet.

Using the principles outlined in his book The Art of Learning, Josh puts players in his shoes during some moments of his career. He then walks players through the classics, introducing beginners to the fundamentals of the game and providing commentary about the road to mastering the game of Chess.

Two players can battle each other using the wireless option on the DS. A variety of 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.

The game will also include mini-games. Each mini-game includes 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.

Chessmaster: The Art of Learning and Grandmaster Edition are scheduled for worldwide releases in October 2007.