Common Sense Media Review
By Jinny Gudmundsen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Excellent, creative game teaches chess basics.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
What's It About?
LEARN TO PLAY CHESS WITH FRITZ & CHESSTER offers a unique way to learn the basics of the game within an animated adventure. The adventure takes place in the royal world of King White. When King White and his Queen go on vacation, leaving their young son Fritz in charge, the dastardly King Black challenges Prince Fritz to a duel of Chess.
Not knowing how to play Chess, Fritz is lucky to find six fun arcade games that teach him (and the player) how to move the different chess pieces. Fritz also stops by the Intelligym for chess training with Chesster -- a rat! As players train with Chesster, they progress from being a lightweight to a heavyweight. The software culminates in a chess match between Prince Fritz and King Black.
Is It Any Good?
Chess is a great game for children because it's fun and teaches them logical reasoning. This software has an amazing amount of depth, which is presented in a progressive manner. What makes it so unusual are the unique games to help kids train. For example, to learn how the king moves, kids become sumo wrestlers striving to knock their opponents out of a circle, and they learn the bishops' moves by smashing toilets!
Powered by the world-famous Fritz engine, the software gives children many opportunities to play chess against the computer -- and they can ask for help as they play. This is children's software at its best.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the video game while playing a game of chess with actual pieces. As you play, revisit scenarios from the video game and apply what you learned to the real-world game. Which do you like better? Why?
Game Details
- Platform : Windows
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Viva-Media
- Release date : August 1, 2003
- Genre : Educational
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : August 25, 2016
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