Play Chessmaster (E) Online

Chessmaster (E) on GBA is exactly what it says - a solid chess game with no surprises. The first thing you notice is how clean the board looks on the small screen, though some of the more decorative chess sets can get a bit hard to read.

I spent most of my time in the tutorial mode at first. The AI explains moves in a straightforward way, no fluff, which I appreciated. The recorded games from famous matches are a nice touch if you want to study how real grandmasters think.

What surprised me was how the different AI opponents actually feel distinct. Some play aggressively right from the opening, while others wait for you to make a mistake. After a few matches, you start recognizing their patterns.

It's still just chess at the end of the day, but if you want a portable version with decent depth, Chessmaster (E) does the job.