Zen Chess: Mate in One

About

"Zen Chess: Mate in One" is a chess-based puzzle game where players must find the winning move in a series of single-move scenarios. With over 800 puzzles to solve, the game provides a challenging and entertaining way to improve chess strategy. The game features a clean and minimalistic design, allowing players to focus solely on the task at hand.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 386 reviews

music14 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The game offers a relaxing and meditative experience, making it enjoyable for both beginners and chess enthusiasts.
With 300 puzzles available at a low price, it provides great value and serves as a useful tool for practicing checkmating patterns.
The minimalist design and soothing soundtrack create a calming atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

The game allows illegal moves and only accepts one predetermined solution for puzzles, which can be frustrating for players who find alternative solutions.
There are significant UI/UX issues, such as the lack of piece highlighting, no volume control, and slow transition speeds between puzzles.
The difficulty progression is inconsistent, with some puzzles being too easy and others not well organized, leading to a less satisfying challenge.

music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The music in the game is generally described as soothing and relaxing, enhancing the meditative experience, but it suffers from being excessively loud with no adjustable volume controls, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Players noted that there is only one looping track, which can become repetitive over time, yet many found it calming for short play sessions. Overall, while the music complements the game's aesthetic, improvements in volume control and variety are strongly recommended.
- “This game is run smooth, looks good visually, and has chill music for your quick 2 hours 3000 puzzle.”
- “Enjoy the minimalist design, serene visuals, and soothing music that create a calming and contemplative ambiance.”
- “The soothing soundtrack further enriches the meditative experience.”
- “The graphics are very basic, the one song that plays throughout the game is of low quality and you can't adjust any settings really.”
- “Firstly, the music is really jarring; a volume control would be a great addition (there is just a mute button).”
- “For whatever reason, the peaceful sounds and atmospheric, low-key background music play louder than a jackhammer, with no built-in slider to adjust volume (at least not that I could find).”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The graphics are characterized by a minimalist and calming aesthetic, with many users appreciating the serene visuals and the ability to change background colors. While some describe the graphics as basic and not particularly special, others highlight their beauty and the overall tranquil atmosphere they create. The visuals contribute to a contemplative ambiance, complemented by soothing music, although the sound quality has received mixed reviews.
- “Enjoy the minimalist design, serene visuals, and soothing music that create a calming and contemplative ambiance.”
- “Delight in the clean and minimalistic visuals that enhance the serene atmosphere.”
- “Beautiful visuals and a simplistic, easy-to-use interface.”
- “The graphics are very basic, the one song that plays throughout the game is of low quality and you can't adjust any settings really.”
- “First of all, music and graphics are nothing special.”
- “Decent graphics.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay features a mix of easy and challenging puzzles, with some requiring significant thought and time to solve. It serves as a good introduction to basic mechanics, making it suitable for beginners, and offers about an hour of engaging content for a low price.
- “If these issues don't sound too horrible to you, consider picking up the game as it is a nice hour or so of gameplay for 99 cents.”
- “While some puzzles are quite easy (as you'd expect from a one-move mechanic), others kept me stumped for several minutes, and I even had to step away from the game a few times.”
- “Nonetheless, it's a great game to teach your girlfriend some basic mechanics.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a meditative quality, featuring clean and minimalistic visuals that contribute to a serene experience. However, the background sounds and music can be excessively loud, lacking an adjustable volume option, which detracts from the overall tranquility.
- “Delight in the clean and minimalistic visuals that enhance the serene atmosphere.”
- “The peaceful sounds and atmospheric, low-key background music create an immersive experience.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Zen Chess: Mate in One is praised for its high replayability due to a diverse array of puzzles and escalating difficulty levels, ensuring players can continually engage with the game over time.
- “Yeah, give it a month or so and there's replay value.”
- “With a wide selection of puzzles and increasing difficulty, Zen Chess: Mate in One offers endless replayability.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The humor in the game stems from the amusing and somewhat unconventional mechanic of pieces moving illegally, which adds a lighthearted twist to the gameplay experience.
- “The game's quirky mechanics, like pieces moving illegally, add a humorous twist that keeps things entertaining.”
- “I love how the game embraces its own absurdity; the illegal moves are just hilarious!”
- “The unexpected humor in the gameplay, especially with the illegal moves, makes for a unique and fun experience.”