Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 83 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 70 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 63 | 3 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 83% | 77 | 236 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Mar 25, 2025) · 236 reviews sampled · 212 total reviews in window · weighted 107.6 up / 21.7 down · computed 18m ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (21)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Chess Ultra is a welcome arrival on the Nintendo Switch; it's a visual treat, while also soothing you with pleasant music as you engage in a tough match. There are plenty of options and variety for online and offline matches, with the former being particularly enjoyable if you're able to get into a real-time contest. With Tournament play and some well constructed Challenges on board, along with Tutorials for newcomers, it ticks most boxes. It's another checkmate for the Switch eShop.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“From top to bottom Chess Ultra is a complete package and perfect for anyone who either loves or would like to develop a greater appreciation for chess. Not merely giving you an excellent presentation for playing matches, but also providing for a multitude of ways to play by yourself or others, it really checks probably all possible boxes for you getting a good game rolling. When you then pile on the excellent tutorials and challenges that will help you improve and refine your overall game there really isn’t much more that you could ask for if you have an interest in this classic board game.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“What resonated with me the most was just how accessible it is to players of all skill levels. For newcomers, tutorials and novice level computers help to ease you into the game. And for veterans, challenge modes and difficulty up to Grandmaster will certainly be a test of your skill. While I found some set pieces to be unusable and wish there was an online option for a continuous game, these were merely minor complaints in an otherwise outstanding offering from developer Ripstone.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Chess Ultra is a great chess game and a welcome addition to the Switch's digital library of titles. Its in-depth tutorial offers a useful starting point for those new to the sport, while challenges, AI difficulties, and customizable matches ensure that established players have the tools needed to improve their game in a variety of formats. While the lack of a real-time filter for matchmaking is a bummer, Chess Ultra more than justifies its budget price tag of $12.50. Whether you are a grandmaster or a complete novice, Chess Ultra is a worthy entry into the world of virtual chess.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Obviously you'll need to either already enjoy playing Chess or have a desire to learn the game to want to play Chess Ultra in the first place, giving the game a relatively narrow appeal, but this is a beautifully designed game that Chess novices and experts alike could quite easily lose hours and hours to, and at just £10 it is incredible value for money.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Chess Ultra is one of the best chess games available at the moment, but is let down by the blurriness in the VR portion of the game that puts some strain on the eyes. Aside from this shortcoming, Chess Ultra is basically the complete package for chess fans, and for those who would like to get into chess due to featuring the in depth tutorials and guides that educate about one of the world's oldest games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A videogame based on chess requires some particular assets to stand out and Chess Ultra on the Nintendo Switch fulfills all the requests in ways that make it a very welcome addition to the system's catalog. Thanks to its impressive variety of game modes, its choice of difficulty levels that are very suitable to all sorts of players and a high quality audiovisual component, Chess Ultra is an outstanding game that should be on everyone's radar.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Chess Ultra is an almost perfect digital recreation of the classic game. It's visually appealing, provides numerous features to tailor-make your experience and relies on few gimmicks to sell Chess as a video game.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“If you're looking for the best way to digital play chess, this is exactly what you need!”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It would be hard to make a bad chess game, but it's not easy to make a beautiful one and that's what Ripstone have achieved with Ultra Chess. It's priced reasonably, plays and looks fantastic and if you are a strategy or chess-afficiando then it's a no-brainer. Unlike some of the matches you might play...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Accessible to all, Chess Ultra will undoubtedly please aficionados of the strategy game while marking the perfect entry point to those that have always wanted to learn how to play. With the chance for your Nintendo Switch to become a virtual chess board to play against someone across a table, the portable home console could also be seen as the perfect home for it.”
read full review ↗ - 87
“Chess Ultra is an ultimate chess experience for consoles. In the game you can duel against AI, play with friends online, share a controller on a couch and replay most famous plays in chess history. There is nothing more you possibly wish for.”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
- Chess Infinity | March Major Update Now LiveMar 25, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Introducing Cross-play with Epic GamesMar 23, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Coming Tomorrow: Cross-play with Epic GamesMar 22, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Scheduled Server MaintenanceMar 16, 2023
- Quality Of Life UpdateJul 14, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Update 3 Arrives Today + DLC is Coming!Sep 1, 2017
- Update 3 Arrives Today + DLC is Coming!Sep 1, 2017
- Update 2 Available Now: Style Changes and Bug FixesAug 3, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Update: Bug fixes and Tournament Rule ChangesJul 4, 2017significant · resets scoring window