I thought I would love playing Chinese Chess Master because the name of the game was similar to that of "Chinese checkers". Let it be known that Chinese chess is not at all like Chinese checkers! That said, the game of Chinese chess is not actually very hard to play. But for someone like me who had never played before, the game can be difficult.
There were some very nice features during gameplay such as being able to rewind and fast-forward moves, which allowed the time limits to become much more beneficial. It is also possible to save a game of Chinese chess that is in progress. You can also change the difficulty levels. I was very excited about the ability to be able to make the levels higher or lower, because I can see myself playing this game again once I’ve gotten used to it. Right now though, levels four and five are extremely difficult. I imagine even a true "Chinese chess master" would have a hard time during game play. Chinese Chess Master also changes the amount of time given as you switch to higher difficulty levels, which gives more time to think about your next move.
The graphics are nothing special, and the game is played without color, but considering the game was made in 1987, it is right on par with other games of its generation. These were the games I grew up on, and I love the pixilation just as much now as I did then. Chinese Chess Master's graphics are actually quite on par with the backgammon games of the same era. Of course the game cannot compare to the real thing, but then again it is hard to play the Chinese Chess in real life without other people willing to play with you.
One important feature, or lack thereof, to note is the game’s apparent lack of tutorials or hints. I had never played before, and I was forced to puzzle my way through a few rounds of the game as well as looking up several tutorials online and it took quite a few tries for me to figure out the actual objective of the game, and how to achieve that final goal.
Overall, Chinese Chess Master lives up to its name very well.
Written by:
~attackat
