Chess is the great thinking game of all time, it has been played in one variation or another for for centuries with the first recorded mention around 500BC. Needless to say I guess it’s an old game, but it’s still quite a fun and challenging game to play against your friends and in modern times against the computer. USBGeek sent me their USB Chess game for review, and it’s a new twist on the old favorite where you can play against human or computer, but the twist is that you actually have a chess board connected to your computer for true 3d playing!
USB Chess Game from USBGeek
Reviewed by: Kristofer Brozio AkA Dracos
Sponsor: USBGeek
Tech Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
USB Chess Game from USBGeek
Features:
-Powered by USB, no batteries required.
-Roll it up and bring it everywhere, easy storage.
-Innovative interface allows all programming and sound to be activated on your monitor.
-Play, pause and restart your game with the click of a button.
-Save and e-mail the results to your friend! You can save the whole screen as a jpg file or save the
moves as a data file.
-Learning feature (3 levels)
-When in doubt, select the hint button to help you decide on your next best move.
-Select playing against the computer or a friend and then determine how long you will allocate for
each move.
-Highest scores record
-Compatible with Windows XP
-Size: 29 x 26 x 0.3cm
-Weight: 310gm
Package Contents:
-Chess Game Board
-Chess pieces
-CD with software
-User guide
Price: US$ 40.00
http://www.usbgeek.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=0643
A Better Look at Things
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There’s not much to the packaging for the USB Chess Game from USBGeek as I received and unboxed sample for review without the cool packaging etc. It’s just in a plastic bag for general protection.
The Chess board itself is actually a rubber mat that is fairly thick and sturdy, but yet still very pliable to be rolled and taken with you. It’s hard to see from the picture but there are the corresponding letters and numbers along the edge and bottom of the board to play.
The chess pieces themselves are your standard variety, nothing special, just solid plastic pieces.
Well that’s that for looking at everything….. let’s move on, nothing else to see here…
Installation, Testing and Comparison
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The first thing you’ll have to do is install the software, easy enough, no problems there. Next up is to setup your pieces on the Chess board.
The software of course creates on icon on your desktop for to click to start the game, the first thing you see is a choice of how you want to play, Player VS Computer or Player VS Player.
If you are playing the computer you can of course choose the skill level, either Easy, Normal or Difficulty… I think ‘Difficulty’ means Hard…
The ‘Setting’ option is where you can choose a time limit if you wish:
Once you plug the USB Chess board into an available USB port you are greeted with a ‘Connected!!’ message to let you know you are ready to play Chess.
Playing against the computer is easy, that is in terms of movement, the Chess board is touch sensitive and you need to lightly push down on the piece you wish to move for it to register on screen. If you have hints/learning enabled the display will highlight the moves you can make with your chosen piece.
And of course you play until someone loses… fairly straightforward setup overall. Nothing to hard, except of course you need to know how to play Chess first off. There is sort of a learning mode, but that is what I mentioned earlier where the computer will highlight where your selected piece can move to. So it is a good way to visually understand the movements of the Chess pieces for the beginner.
Summary:
The USB Chess Game from USBGeek is actually a fairly cool little gadget, it makes playing Chess against the computer much more visually stimulating. Having the actual Chess board and pieces in front of you physically does actually help to play the game against the computer, it’s nice to have the actual 3d object there instead of the flat computer screen. All in all if you like Chess the go for it, it’s actually a great way to get children involved in a game that is centuries old by using a computer to help them understand it, and since there’s a computer involved it then becomes not a ‘board’ game, but a computer game…
DragonSteelMods gives the USB Chess Game from USBGeek a 5 out of 5 score
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Pros:
-Portable
-Makes chess against the computer true 3d
-Remake of an old favorite
Cons:
-None really
I would like to thank USBGeek for the chance to review the USB Chess Game and for their continued support of DSM.
Review #225