Checkmate Showdown
- November 15, 2023
- BadRez Games
Get on Steam"Checkmate Showdown" is an online multiplayer game that combines chess and fighting mechanics in intense battles. Each chess piece has a unique fighting style, and the outcome of the chess match affects the fight. Tag-assists and Ultimates add strategy and action to the game, making it a must-play for fans of both chess and fighting games.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game combines chess and fighting mechanics in a unique and innovative way, providing depth and strategy.
- Character designs and animations are well-executed, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- It's a fun party game that is easy to pick up, making it enjoyable for both casual players and those familiar with fighting games.
- The online player base is nearly non-existent, making it difficult to find matches and diminishing the multiplayer experience.
- The fighting mechanics feel shallow and simplistic, lacking depth and complexity found in traditional fighting games.
- The AI is poorly balanced, often being either too easy or frustratingly difficult, leading to a lack of engaging solo play options.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay combines chess strategy with fighting mechanics, creating a unique but polarizing experience. While some players appreciate the clever integration and find the mechanics enjoyable, others criticize the fighting system as shallow and inconsistent, often overshadowing the chess elements. Overall, the game is seen as innovative but in need of significant improvements to its core mechanics for a more balanced experience.
“Fighting and movement feels really good and snappy, and the whole theme and mechanics of the game are super clever.”
“This indie gem is a masterful blending of two distinct styles; a classic arcade fighting game with all the combos, mechanics, and systems you already love from your fighters, melded with a fresh take on chess.”
“The gameplay is so new and fresh, a combo of tactics and fighting I've not seen before.”
“Don’t expect much out of it, the fighting mechanics are barebones, and if you happen to have any basic fighting game experience, you’ll always win regardless of your chess tactics.”
“The fighting game aspect of this is actually pretty shallow, and unfortunately no amount of proper chess strategy/gameplay seems to matter when absolutely braindead piece placement can be completely made up for by just being mildly better than your opponent in the fighting game portion.”
“Fighting mechanics lack identity other than the chess framework surrounding it.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their clean and appealing art style, contributing to a fun and engaging experience. While the character design is noted as cool and the overall aesthetic is well-executed, some players feel that the graphics do not compensate for shortcomings in the fighting mechanics. Overall, the visuals enhance the unique blend of chess and fighting elements, making it an enjoyable title despite mixed feelings about gameplay.
“The art style is simple, but nice, and the game actually feels very fun and is wildly easy to pick up thanks to its low barrier of entry.”
“Such a great game, phenomenal idea, really well executed, great art style, and fun!”
“The graphics are pretty clean.”
“I like the game and art style, but I'm not a fan of the fighting mechanics. It would be cool if there was a classic game mode where you could play normal chess. Other than that, it's a good game; I just suck at fighting games.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be a significant draw, comparing its comedic style to that of cult classic films like "Kung Pow! Enter the Fist." While the concept is entertaining and reminiscent of the absurdity of chess boxing, some feel that the gameplay could benefit from more engaging mechanics to enhance the overall fun. Overall, the humor is appreciated, but it may not fully compensate for gameplay shortcomings.
“I'm not good at chess or 2D fighters, but dang this game is just too funny not to play.”
“This game is fun along the lines of 'Kung Pow: Enter the Fist' movie being funny, as in it's dumb but still a good movie.”
“I kind of wish the pawns could also attack because having a Samsho-style nicotine type character in this game would be very funny, but that's just me daydreaming.”
- character development4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character design and art style are praised for their creativity and appeal, the overall character development is overshadowed by the game's shortcomings in gameplay mechanics, particularly in its execution as a fighting game.
“I absolutely, without a doubt, love the character design!”
“The game itself is pretty fantastic with a cool smooth stop motion animation and character design.”
“I really like the character designs for the pieces.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While the game lacks variety in gameplay features such as arcade mode and difficulty settings, the soundtrack and art style have received positive acclaim for their quality.
“The soundtrack and art style are really good.”
“The game feels barren - no arcade mode, tutorial, more than 1 music track, no difficulty setting, etc.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“There are only a few songs, and they quickly become monotonous.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game's optimization encourages strategic thinking regarding piece positioning in the chess section, which in turn enhances performance in the fighting section.
“This also makes players think about the positioning of their pieces in the chess section to allow better performance in the fighting section.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frustrating lag during critical moments.”
“I often find myself waiting for the game to catch up, which disrupts the overall experience.”
“The lack of proper optimization makes it difficult to enjoy the game, as it frequently stutters and crashes.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that while online matchmaking can experience lag, particularly with ping levels between 40-60, the overall experience remains enjoyable and smooth enough to encourage replayability. However, there is a desire for developers to address these connectivity issues to enhance the online experience further.
