Skip to main content

Really Bad Chess

81%Game Brain Score
humor, gameplay
monetization, stability
81% User Score Based on 10,000 reviews

Platforms

AndroidAndroidiPhoneiPhoneMobile PlatformMobile PlatformiPadiPadPhonePhoneTabletTablet

About

Really Bad Chess is a strategy game that offers a fresh twist on traditional chess by giving players completely random pieces. The game has good mechanics, humorous elements, and amusing visuals that will make you laugh. However, it can be distracting due to ads and may have some bugs. Overall, it's a fun and unique take on a classic game, but the player experience is somewhat marred by technical issues.

Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot
Really Bad Chess screenshot

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,000 reviews
humor238 positive mentions
monetization788 negative mentions

  • The game offers a unique twist on traditional chess, making it fun and unpredictable.
  • It encourages players to think creatively and adapt their strategies based on random piece setups.
  • The game is engaging and provides a good challenge for both novice and experienced players.
  • The AI takes an excessively long time to make moves, which can slow down gameplay significantly.
  • There are frequent bugs, such as the game freezing after a checkmate, preventing players from progressing.
  • The presence of intrusive ads, especially unskippable ones, detracts from the overall gaming experience.
  • monetization
    830 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism from users, primarily due to the aggressive and intrusive nature of the ads. Many players report experiencing unskippable, loud, and lengthy ads after nearly every game, which disrupts gameplay and diminishes the overall experience. Even those who have purchased the ad-free version often find that they still encounter ads, leading to frustration and disappointment with the game's monetization practices.

    • “Amazing game so far, no issues with the game and no ads, which is fantastic since nowadays most games contain ads. Great way to train the brain.”
    • “There is no ads and that makes it 10 times better.”
    • “A simple, beautiful game whose in-app purchases are limited to a one-time feature unlock for $3 and extra undos of moves.”
    • “The game is great, but the advertisements kill the entire thing for me.”
    • “Unskippable, unavoidable, full screen ads, as well as banner ads.”
    • “I paid for the premium version of the game, I am still getting ads.”
  • humor
    239 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in this game is widely praised, with many users finding it hilariously entertaining and a refreshing twist on traditional chess. Reviewers appreciate the randomness and absurdity of the gameplay, which often leads to unexpected and funny situations, making it enjoyable for players of all skill levels. Overall, the game is described as a fun and lighthearted experience that effectively combines humor with strategic elements.

    • “It's simply hilarious and fun!”
    • “This game is hilarious and genuinely interesting.”
    • “Hilarious and fun twist on chess.”
    • “Not funny at all”
  • stability
    150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and glitches that disrupt gameplay. Many players experience issues particularly when winning or during critical moments, such as checkmate, leading to frustration and the need to restart the app. Despite its engaging concept, the persistent bugs significantly detract from the overall experience, prompting calls for urgent fixes from the developers.

    • “However, lately the game is a buggy mess that constantly crashes, freezes, and gets stuck mid-game so that even when you try a daily game for the second time, you're stuck in the same poor position from the first.”
    • “The game feels buggy at times, for example, it freezes when I win and doesn't track my win streak.”
    • “This game is amazing but it has a major bug; every time I play ranked or free play, whenever I checkmate the CPU, the game just freezes and I have no other option but to surrender.”
  • gameplay
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is generally praised for its unique mechanics and engaging concepts, offering a fresh take on traditional chess. However, many users express frustration with the slow AI, frequent ads, and occasional glitches that disrupt the experience. While the game is fun and challenging, improvements in AI speed and ad management are commonly suggested to enhance overall enjoyment.

    • “The gameplay is fantastic and the only critique I would surrender would be that the graphics are a bit lacking.”
    • “The constant remixing of the pieces based on skill level makes for a unique gameplay experience that's fun for players of all abilities.”
    • “It's a great spin on the classic chess gameplay!”
    • “However, I didn't like the idea of limited undos that can be replenished by watching ads. The game already shows enough ads, and to top it off, the game entices you to use undos. This mechanic has led me to not use them at all.”
    • “The gameplay is boring at the beginning and is only fun for about three matches before it becomes nearly impossible.”
    • “Terrible, there is a 30-second mandatory ad after basically every match you play, which lasts about 2 minutes, so a fifth of your gameplay you are watching a dumb ad.”
  • graphics
    79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users appreciating the clean and minimalistic design while others criticize the visuals as lacking polish and being hard on the eyes. Some players enjoy the quirky and cartoonish art style, but there is a consensus that improvements are needed, particularly in color and overall aesthetic appeal. Overall, while the graphics are functional and support smooth gameplay, they are often described as basic or in need of a refresh.

    • “The visuals and cleanliness are really refreshing.”
    • “I like the graphic style: neat, simple, and not distracting.”
    • “It's fun to play and has simple but appealing visuals.”
    • “Really needs a graphic refresh which the ad-free version may have with night mode but can't test it.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic and the only critique I would surrender would be that the graphics are a bit lacking.”
    • “Poor graphics and a slow, inconsistent engine undermine what is otherwise a great game.”
  • music
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, primarily due to intrusive ads that interrupt or completely stop background music, even when the app is in silent mode. Users express frustration over the inability to mute the ad music and the constant interruptions that detract from the gaming experience. Overall, the lack of background music and the disruptive nature of the ads have led to a disappointing experience for many players.

    • “I don't mind watching the ads, but when I can't mute the music, sorry.”
    • “It's fun, but I can't figure out how to keep listening to my background music while playing the game.”
    • “Would be a 5/5 if it didn't mute my music when I opened the app.”
    • “But the ads taking over my audio and closing Google Play Music are deal-breaking for me.”
    • “Edit: The commercials are now more constant than ever, stopping my music for every loss, win, or surrender. Until then, just avoid it unless you like hearing your music pause for up to a minute and thirty seconds.”
    • “Way too many ads for such a simple app, and you can't listen to music while playing.”
  • optimization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many users highlighting significant issues such as poor AI performance, slow response times, and inadequate support for various screen resolutions. While some players note improvements on more powerful devices, the overall consensus is that the app requires further optimization to enhance user experience and functionality.

    • “This is chess at peak performance.”
    • “And either optimization has been done or the game just performs better now I have a more powerful phone.”
    • “The app runs smoothly.”
    • “App is unoptimized for taller screens.”
    • “This is really cursed and the AI is extremely unoptimized.”
    • “Cool concept, but poorly optimized and doesn't fit my screen resolution.”
  • replayability
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, offering quick and engaging gameplay that surpasses traditional chess. Users appreciate the variety of settings, daily challenges, and random elements that contribute to a near-infinite replay value, despite some criticism of the AI. The unique twists on standard chess mechanics provide a fresh and enjoyable challenge, making it a game players return to frequently.

    • “Its nature gives it high replayability value, and it creates new challenges that don't require building a smarter AI to stay engaging and competitive.”
    • “And with daily and weekly challenges as well as the pieces being random in freeplay mode, there's basically infinite replayability.”
    • “I have always loved chess and puzzle games, and Really Bad Chess puts a nice twist on the standard setup for an enjoyable challenge with great replayability.”
    • “What stops the game from being replayable is the atrocious AI.”
    • “The progression system around the concept makes the idea very replayable.”
    • “It's like chess, but with replay value!”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that what initially seems enjoyable quickly devolves into a tedious and slow experience. Many feel that the game prioritizes monetization over gameplay quality, leading to repetitive and drawn-out matches that detract from the overall fun.

    • “The only thing worse than a bad move is a tediously slow one.”
    • “What starts off as a good idea ends in an application that's clearly farming money.”
    • “The game started out fun, but then I realized slowly that the games I played were more and more tedious, mostly because the AI would keep wasting time to get me to move, and the match kept ending with both of us on kings.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, enhancing their confidence in chess skills despite their actual level of expertise. It serves as a therapeutic outlet, helping users process their emotions during challenging times. However, some express a desire for features like an undo option to mitigate accidental moves that disrupt their focus.

    • “This game made me feel like I'm good at chess.”
    • “I was in the middle of an emotional crisis, but when I got really bad at chess, my emotions came completely into focus.”
    • “Made me feel like I am good at chess, even though I am not.”
  • story
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story has been criticized for being repetitive, with some users feeling it lacks originality and depth, while others question its coherence, likening it to an "inception" scenario involving AI.

    • “Same story, different install.”
    • “Is AI gone into inception story?”

Buy Really Bad Chess

Videos

Games Like Really Bad Chess

Chess - Offline Board Game ImageChess - Offline Board Game ImageChess - Offline Board Game Image
Pocket Chess – Chess Puzzles ImagePocket Chess – Chess Puzzles ImagePocket Chess – Chess Puzzles Image
Chess ImageChess ImageChess Image
Does not Commute ImageDoes not Commute ImageDoes not Commute Image
Tentacle Wars ™ ImageTentacle Wars ™ ImageTentacle Wars ™ Image