Pure Chess®

Whether you’re a grandmaster or an absolute beginner, chess can be played at any level. Cue Pure Chess®, available to download from Nintendo eShop on Wii U.

Sticking to the classic formula, the game layers on essential ingredients for the modern age, the visuals rendered in glorious high-definition. Featuring the archetypal Staunton set, as well as Williams and Chequers variants, such is the graphical sheen, you might find yourself reaching for the board on occasion. The environments are equally magnificent, with opulent locales such as a museum, penthouse and library. And should you fancy a change of scene, luxurious new sets are available to buy and download, like the Roman military or the park animals collection, as well as new settings, such as a temple or forest.

Of course, the game is what’s important and Pure Chess® is a friend to both tenderfoots and champions. There are three tournament modes and a hundred bonus puzzles to test the grey matter, including half-played set-ups that require checkmate within a certain number of moves. Assuming you’re not the next Garry Kasparov – or Deep Blue! – you’ll be thankful for step-by-step tutorials that start with elementary steps, before progressing to intermediate and advanced game tactics.

Competing with a computer is one thing but the supreme challenge is besting a human opponent, and Pure Chess® has all the angles covered. Not only can you go head-to-head with other Wii U gamers but you can play against Nintendo 3DS users, too. Break off between turns or wait while your opponent makes a move for a ‘live’ feel. Moreover, you can play up to six games simultaneously, dipping in and out of each at your leisure – certainly, some matches will require the long game, where the inspiration for winning move might strike at the most unlikely time. You can also use off-TV play, perfect for mulling over those crucial moves without the pressure of an audience.

Elsewhere, the leaderboards keep track of tournament progress and your ELO rating, the official method for calculating your skill, relative to other players. The higher the rating, the greater your potential game but the more you risk losing, should you fall to a lower-level player.

With a set of moves co-ordinated for newcomers and aficionados alike, Pure Chess® is the one to check.

• Play chess with beautifully-rendered pieces in stunning, high-definition environments
• Go head-to-head with up to six players in real time on Wii U or Nintendo 3DS
• Learn new tactics and strategies through expansive tutorials