Wii Chess Anyone?

Now we'd actually expect a "Wii Chess" title to appear on something like WiiWare, but a full game?! Nintendo Europe might be losing the plot a little and perhaps cashing in on Wii's success, can there really be enough legs for people to buy another chess game? Details are thin, but Nintendo World Report had the following information:

Following the rules of a traditional game of chess, Wii Chess is a must for any fan of the original board game. Players will play on an 8x8 chequered board, with the usual 16 pieces each, and must aim to ‘checkmate’ their opponent. Wii Chess emphasises long-term strategy and requires both players to have a good understanding of their opponent’s potential movements, whether playing against the Wii console or a friend.

Featuring one of the best chess-dedicated Artificial Intelligences on the market, Wii Chess allows players the ultimate opponent in chess. The Artificial Intelligence can be adjusted from a low to high level allowing players to match their skills to their opponent. The game also allows players to record their games, which they can then watch back, or even jump into at any point and play a move differently. Effectively players can re-play a saved match, correcting an error and reversing the course of history! Alternatively, gamers can play a friend using the two-player function, or take on other Wii Chess owners using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With so many options to choose from you’ll never be stuck for an opponent!

The interactive elements of Wii Chess allow users to customise the look of the game they are playing. Whenever they wish, players can change the style of their pieces and background to create a different atmosphere. There is also a visual aid to help beginners which can be turned on or off at any point. In addition to this, the status window displays data such as the player’s name, enemy pieces captured so far and a summary of players’ moves in the game. At any point in the game, players can press the B Button, which will display an extensive menu offering the players options such as reconfiguring the game, changing options or even quitting the game.

We'll no doubt see the game released at the budget £20 mark, but that's still kind of expensive for Chess isn't it? We'll probably give this one a quick test run when it comes out, but rest assured, unless your a chess-head, it probably won't excite you one bit. C'mon Nintendo, concentrate on some better, original, titles! Wii BATTLE Chess anyone?