ChessCraft

About

ChessCraft is a single player and multiplayer casual strategy game. It was developed by Stuart Spence and was released on December 16, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

ChessCraft is a strategy game that offers a unique twist on traditional chess. Create and customize your own chess boards, pieces, and rules in this AI sandbox, then play against the computer or friends in local or online multiplayer mode. With 80 built-in boards in adventure mode, ChessCraft provides endless possibilities for strategic gameplay and creative expression.

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,714 reviews

monetization40 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game allows for extensive customization of chess pieces and boards, providing a unique experience.
Adventure mode offers a fun and challenging way to engage with chess, making it accessible for beginners.
The absence of ads enhances the overall gameplay experience, allowing players to focus on strategy.

The AI can be inconsistent, often leading to draws in situations that should result in a checkmate.
There are bugs that cause custom boards and pieces to disappear, which can be frustrating for players.
The user interface could be improved for better navigation and usability, especially in the piece creation section.

monetization
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
3%
40%
The monetization aspect of the game is highly praised, with numerous users highlighting the absence of ads and microtransactions, which enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the option to support the developers through a Patreon without being bombarded by advertisements, making it a refreshing change in the mobile gaming landscape. Overall, the game is celebrated for being completely free and ad-free, providing a unique and enjoyable experience.
- “A great game with no ads, no predatory monetization, and an enormous wealth of campaign mode puzzles and creative options.”
- “I highly recommend this game, and am so glad that there are no ads; it's extremely rare to find a game of such high quality being free and ad-free.”
- “Chesscraft is the best chess app in the Google App Store and here's why: reason 1: it's easy to know the mechanics, reason 2: there is no advertising, reason 3: there are no microtransactions, reason 4: unlike most games that let you create, you don't have to earn it, it's just there!”
- “Edit: As of now, I found that the game keeps giving you ads to join the patron. I would appreciate it if there was an option to disable that as I don't intend on joining the patron.”
- “Good game, though when I upload something, it all disappears, and it comes back, except the board, and ads, they are awful, 3 stars.”
- “Unfair, when I play with friends I always get losses and the game always has ads, and lastly I can't even play nicely.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
The gameplay is generally well-received, praised for its creativity, challenging mechanics, and customization options, appealing to a wide audience by blending casual chess with innovative features. However, users have reported bugs that can hinder the experience, alongside some clunky mechanics and a need for UI improvements. Suggestions for enhancements include adding new mechanics and fixing battery drain issues, indicating a desire for further development to elevate the overall gameplay experience.
- “I really like the possible creativity and mechanics in the game.”
- “It can appeal to all ages due to its roots being connected to casual chess while integrating some complex new mechanics in new pieces.”
- “Very fun game with great gameplay.”
- “Overall, it's a 4.3/5 as the UI could use some improvement along with the basic mechanics, which feel kind of clunky to me and many others.”
- “I do not like the ghost piece mechanic, and there are way too many ghost levels.”
- “Garbage gameplay.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the unique, Minecraft-like aesthetic while others criticize it as childish and in need of polish. Many players express a desire for more customization options and graphical updates, particularly for menus and piece designs. Overall, while the graphics are deemed acceptable by some, there is a consensus that improvements are necessary to enhance the visual experience.
- “The graphics are awesome, and kind of like Minecraft, you know.”
- “Amazing game, my only suggestion is being able to create your own piece graphics.”
- “I think it needs a bit of work on the aesthetics mostly but this game certainly has potential.”
- “The graphics look childish and the 'creation' is limited.”
- “Could use a little more polish (in the visuals at least).”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's story mode is generally well-received, offering a fun and engaging experience that expands on traditional chess gameplay. Players appreciate the ability to customize pieces and boards, although some express a desire for more narrative depth and easier challenges in the adventure mode. Overall, the combination of story elements and gameplay mechanics provides a unique twist on chess, though some users note technical issues and a need for additional missions.
- “No ads, an entire story mode, piece customization... it's got everything!”
- “It's good expanding on the game chess so it's not just a cardboard cutout of the other ones in the story.”
- “Some of the characters you never see in create your own stuff and can be low on ideas, and the story mode is too hard.”
- “My only bother is that the 'adventure mode' needs a bit more story.”
- “Never thought chess would get a story game.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
23%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it hilarious and creative, particularly enjoying the funny pieces and boards, others feel the humor falls flat. Notably, the developers' witty responses to negative reviews have garnered significant praise for their comedic value, often overshadowing the game's own humor. Overall, the game is appreciated for its lightheartedness and the amusing interactions it fosters.
- “As a long-time chess player, this is a hilarious and fun game.”
- “Haven't touched the game yet, but how many times have you had to say 'wow, that draw you're talking about sounds an awful lot like a stalemate, that's a normal rule, you know'? I've been reading the 1-star reviews and it's hilarious.”
- “Very funny and creative game; you can create pieces and boards of almost every sort, and the engines are nice.”
- “Not funny!”
- “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
- “I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and issues with the board maker, leading to frustration despite the appealing concept. While some players experience smooth performance, the overall consensus indicates that the game is too buggy to achieve a higher rating.
- “I love this game and the ability to make your own boards and game pieces, but the reason for 3 stars is because the game freezes and crashes my phone when I am using the board maker.”
- “The concept is really cool and the execution isn't bad by any means, but the game is just way too buggy to get a 5 star rating.”
- “Buggy, randomly hides content in folders, bot acts weird.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players praising its quality and even creating playlists. However, some users noted issues with the timing of the music and expressed a desire for more tracks to be included during gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “Brilliant game and music.”
- “Great game with good music and no ads.”
- “I also found all the music and made a playlist on Spotify.”
- “One complaint, though, is the odd music timing.”
- “Needs more music during the game.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the adventure mode to be excessive, as it requires replaying levels on higher difficulties to earn points for unlocking new content. Many express a desire for all levels to be accessible from the start, citing that the need to grind for gems becomes tedious, especially with high costs for progression later in the game. Overall, there is a consensus that reducing the costs associated with unlocking gates would significantly improve the experience.
- “Adventure mode is grindy, forcing you to replay levels on higher difficulties to get enough points to unlock all of the levels in the first place.”
- “Personally, I'd also prefer all games to be open from the start, because grinding for gems gets boring real quick.”
- “The costs in adventure mode need to be reduced massively to make it even feasible to complete the campaign without hours and hours of grinding.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some users find it offers infinite replayability akin to chess, others feel that the adventure aspect is limited, as only the first two regions remain accessible after completing the initial levels.
- “Chess, but it has even more replayability.”
- “Best strategy game with infinite replayability in the most truthful sense.”
- “This cuts the adventure portion of the game really short, as only the first two regions are playable after you beat all the first level games.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the optimization is generally praised, with users noting that while performance is already excellent, there is still some room for improvement.
- “The performance can go a bit better, though it is excellent so far.”