Really Bad Chess

Noodlecake

Contains adsIn-app purchases

About this game

Really Bad Chess is just like chess, but with totally random pieces. Try 8 Knights, 4 Bishops, and 3 pawns — why not?

As heard on NPR's Weekend Edition

5 out of 5 Stars "An essential puzzle experience for anyone even remotely interested in strategy games" - TouchArcade

Whether you play chess daily, or quit just after learning the rules, this small twist will open the door to an entire new world of chess.

------WHATS IN THE “BOX”?
The free version of Really Bad Chess lets you compete vs. an AI in Ranked, Daily, or Weekly Challenges. Improve your skills using the included Freeplay mode. A single in-app purchase unlocks Versus Mode so you can compete against your friends locally! It also removes ads, displays captured pieces, and adds soothing alternate color-palettes to choose from.

------REALLY BAD PRESS

"Makes chess fun even if you’re really bad" - The Verge

"Feels more modern than chess has ever felt" - Applenapps

"Really Bad Chess takes a really bad idea and somehow manages to make it a lot of fun." - Pocket Gamer


------A WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER
Chess is one of those games I always wished I enjoyed, but its commitment to beauty, elegance, and perfect balance always turned me away. Really Bad Chess removes these boring restrictions and flips chess on its head.

As much as random pieces change the game in some ways, I was really surprised to notice how much the game remains the same, and how powerful some pieces are — you've never truly struggled against a pawn until you've struggled against a pawn in the back row.

For chess pros, Really Bad Chess will give you a new type of challenge — the pieces & the moves are the same, but you'll have to throw out your openings and your understanding of normal patterns of play.

For novice chess players (like most of us), Really Bad Chess greatly opens up the game. Instead of starting by studying openings, in your first games you'll get to discover the joy (and challenge!) of learning how to checkmate.

I hope you have as much fun with Really Bad Chess as much as I did making it.

-zach

Ratings and reviews

Brilliant idea, fun to play, makes you really pay attention to the board. Even paid for ad-free, which is rare for me. However as others have said, it randomly crashes, especially when I'm about to win a game - incredibly frustrating! Lost my daily streak to this as well as it used up my daily attempts. Crashed again just now as I was closing on the weekly board. Love this game please debug it! Will adjust review if fixed.

The game is fun. The problem is that the game randomly goes through periods where it will randomly crash for days at a time. The crash always happens after I make a move. Almost as if the AI engine has a fatal flaw. This is especially troublesome when we only get so many tries at the daily or weekly challenges. If this bug is fixed, the game would be a solid 4/5.

Good concept, fun to play, and I like how it gets more challenging as you win. But there's no option for a draw. If the game gets down to just the 2 kings left the ai will keep going back and forth till the end of time. My only option is to surrender and lose some rank. Wish it would draw and keep my rank at the same level. Also I payed for the ad free version but it still puts up ads for other games from the same company occasionally. I don't like this

What's new

Bug fixes and performance improvements.