Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster

When I was a young chess player, my training consisted of quick matches with my Dad, when he had time at night. Mostly, I was left alone with a manual that read like stereo instructions to a kid just progressing past "Dick and Jane" periodicals. Still, I tried and got a good foundation for the game. But, if you don't have such time, or still get stuck inspite of having the "instructions" with you - what then? Viva Chess created "Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster" last year and it was a huge success for the young generation of sprouting young Grand Masters (to be). This year, they have followed up that game with the sequel - amazingly called "Learn to Play Chess with Fritz and Chesster 2." The game is more original than the title. I have NO experience with the first offering in this series, but old reviews indicate it was quite ground-breaking.

One of the hardest things to do when teaching/learning chess is the thought process, itself. You can show someone the rules, or ABC's of the game, but any chess player will tell you there is a lot more to it than knowing how a Knight moves. It is downright complicated to try to teach someone to think and (more important) think beyond your next move. That is the strength of a teaching game like this. Through a series of seemingly silly, innocent sideline games, the player is actually being taught how to think - fast - in piece movement and strategy. It does so in a unique and refreshing manner. Oh, how I am envious of the tools available today.

Chesster is the fun little rodent chess guru of the series. Along with Fritz and Bianca, the chess-learning duo, you travel via horse-drawn coach to King Black's castle and engage in side-games along the route. They travel with a portable chess-set and constantly discuss method and technique. Not in a preaching, in your face way, but in a gentle "Hey, guess what??!!" kind of style. It's like holding your (young) hand and urging you to learn - rather than force it on you in a way that would make a child feel intimidated. Once you arrive in the village, your bonus game options open up vastly. There, you are left with far more options than simple tutorials, which any chess game (Chessmaster, Fritz, etc) can provide. They give you chances to play harmless, deceiving games that do not seem to make much sense at first. 

In one such game, you play a game like tennis. You are a baker that must "return" the served sliced pie using your fork as a racquet. Not just return the serve, but among the multiple pieces being thrown, must select the "CORRECT" piece, and return it standing in the exact position that will enable you to divide it into two pieces and lobby it back to two hungry pigs - feeding them both, simultaneously. Pie comes at you, swat it back and make it two pieces that feed two piggies. Got it? In reality, you are standing on a chess board. Your opposing (hungry) pigs move from across the net onto various squares of the board as each slice is thrown. If you choose the square that will return the pies in the correct diagonal, the pigs will get their food. In essence, you are learning to spot (quickly!!!) how to move a Bishop for an attack. It starts to move very fast, and you must SEE the board and positions while maneuvering your (baker) player with surgical precision. The other games teach you such logic just as effectively and as cleverly. It's quite amazing, actually. Though they progress a bit too fast for my liking, they are quite useful. I cannot imagine a very young player being able to get far with each of these challenges, but the mental workout is astounding. This isn't Blue's Clues, folks!

Of course, you can play actual chess matches if you wish. There is easy, medium and hard. I jumped right at the Hard selection first, but underestimated the skill level for that selection. I don't know why, but I thought a "kid's" version may gauge "Hard" on a different scale. Nope ... Fritz deems hard equally for kids and adults. I beat it on the first try, but it made me wake up and get serious - quick. I was not expecting it to "fight back!!"

The sounds are very nice and gentle for a child's level. The narration is nice, and the voice acting is "enthusiastic" and adds and feeling of wonder to the experience. Chess and "peppy" are not commonly related. The gameplay sounds are good, and music is a minimum, which is the way it should be in chess. 

The graphics are like watching a cartoon unravel. It is eye-catching and engaging. Teaching a child to play a game is not easy, and this isn't Chutes and Ladders, folks. But, with the cute cartoon element and hand-holding fun, the look is comfortable and inviting.

There are some annoyances, which will be elevated for a young player. There are icons on the side that (like an other game) you click on for more action, help or whatever. The problem is - some of the icons are not obvious as to their purpose. You can hover your cursor over it - still no help (with some). Without the manual or having them memorized, you are left with "guess-and-click." That was frustrating. Also, the cartoon sequences have to play themselves out, which was annoying at various points. You cannot get out of them. No Fast-Forward or Skip. Even closing the game becomes frustrating at times, as you have to sit through scores and credits. These things were absolutely annoying, but not experience-killing distractions.

Gameplay: 8.5
The cartoons ease you into a fun world of chess tutoring and "thinking." This is hard to do - and make it fun. Some of the (over 20) side-games are hard to learn at first, but very useful in their intentions. They all serve a purpose in teaching. Being able to take a break and step right into a regular chess game now and then was a good escape. 

Graphics: 9.0 
Though simple in its animation, the game is very nice to look at. It utilizes the cartooned characters to tell stories and teach lessons. They did not come off as being cutscenes or useless mini-movies. The cartoons talked in an interactive manner - as if you're right there with them, listening in on a simple conversation. Smooth and clear. The graphical requirements for the game are minimal (Pentium II), so it will work on about ANY system made in the last few years. 

Sound: 8.5
The children's voices are very nice. The environmental sounds (like during the side-games) are simple, but well done.  

Difficulty: Medium
Some of the mini-games are quite difficult to play - for long. They increase in speed or difficulty. There are simple "what do you do next" scenes, or more complex, button-smashing videogames to play. The actual chess-playing uses the Fritz gaming engine; which is the best in the world.  

Concept: 9.5 
Teaching chess is hard. Teaching how to think in chess is harder. This game succeeds in doing that. Using cartoons, friendly characters and clever mini-games, LPC2 accomplishes a very daunting challenge: Teaching young players how to think - and sometimes act fast. 

Overall: 9.0
Even if the goal is not to teach the child chess, the brain games here are recommended for developing thought-process and logic. I seriously look forward to the time when I will be able to sit down with my young daughter and share this game with her. Daddy won't mind teaching himself, but this is a great (enhancing) tool for learning the game - and learning to think, in general. They have created a game that will develop young minds and help open new doors to a oft-misunderstood game. With the help LPC2 can offer, young players can learn faster and gain better confidence if they are struggling with some of the "think-ahead" aspects of the game. I am sure it has helped me develop, and I am an adult that has been playing for .... decades.