Tencent just released its all-new game called Chess Rush, a full-blown 3D auto battler game with over 50 various heroes that features Turbo mode that allows players to finish the game within 10+ minutes. A game best for mobile and on-the-go players which is available on both iOS and Android devices.
Auto Battler game is a new and growing genre in the world of gaming. A very peculiar game category where player is tasked to form a team of heroes, and watch the heroes automatically battle every round, dubbed as âAuto Battler.â Introducing this phenomenal kind of game genre offers a lot of new opportunities to new players. It is an addicting strategy game that attracts players for both mobile and PC.
Chess Rush is a tactical game that pits 8 players in a free-for-all battle. Each round, players equip heroes from the random pool, where they can unleash them on the chessboard in an intense 1v1 combat. Pairing a similar type of heroes will also activate a skill bonus. Obtaining the same number of heroes will allow the heroes to evolve their level and appearance which makes the lineup even stronger. There are also several intermission round where there will be a neutral NPC monster that will drop loots which you can use to equip with the heroes. The goal is to be the only player that remains.
The game is published by Tencent, one of the biggest gaming companies and well-known for their biggest hit PUBG mobile. The company is also popular for their mobile games that doesn’t include Pay 2 Win (P2W) features. Chess Rush is surprisingly one of those games which allows players to play competitively and could be one of the esports game in the future. It even states in their game description, âMoney cannot buy victory. Only strategy matters. Enjoy the fun of the classic auto battler mode.â
Gameplay
Chess Rush is about thinking and strategy, the fight happens automatically and the player is just the brain behind the team lineup taking strategic decisions to win the battle.
Every start of the match has a specific flow, players start off with a few Mana Crystals and 100 health for classic mode, and 60 health for turbo mode. The Mana Crystal can be used to pick their initial heroes from 5 random pools. The first 2 rounds start with neutral NPC monsters, a warm-up round in which you can decide which heroes are good for your line up.
In the third round, the Player vs Player (PVP) round starts. From here, youâll be facing other players in a 1V1 battle. All of the combat is simulated and it will depend on your heroes line-up and formation to win the match. If you lose the round, youâll be losing health points.
Every round, players can also choose to level up their character instead of picking heroes. Consuming the Mana Crystal for experience will allow players to level up their characters which will unlock extra slots of heroes that you can place in the battlefield. This gives you more options of heroes to defeat the opponents. The maximum character level is 10. It means players can place up to 10 characters. The pool of random heroes can also be refreshed by spending 2 Mana Crystal.
After several PVP rounds, there will be an intermission round where neutral NPC monsters will become your opponents instead of players. Defeating them will drop some useful equipment for your heroes. The equipment can change the tide of the match when equipped with the right heroes. Chess Rush also has a helper recommendation list where you can identify which heroes are best for the equipment.
When you acquire the same heroes 3 times, players can level up their heroes to its next level which changes its appearance and increases its attributes making it stronger than before. The more level up heroes you have, the more advantaged youâre from the rest of the players.
The players will be removed from the match when the health reaches 0. When only two players remain, both players will be in a special battle where youâll be able to see other opponents formation and heroes in the battlefield in real-time. The winner becomes the Champion.
Strategy Game
While other people will probably argue that it is an Random Number Generator (RNG) game, the victory still depends on the player’s technique and decision. There are a sizable number of strategic decisions built on this game, not just the heroes youâre getting. Like team composition, efficient use of Diamonds that you can use to prioritize line-up, build, or by earning exp to level up the character for an extra hero slot. The strategic placement of the hero is also one of the edges that a player can use to get victorious.
The game also has Co-op mode where you can play along with your friends to defeat the opponents.
Heroes
With a variety of heroes to choose from, the 50+ heroes include common, rare and legendary. These heroes also have different class and species , namely humans, monsters, and robots, which can be paired with other heroes to get additional bonus attributes or skills.
The heroes can level up to a maximum level of 3, each level has a different appearance and attributes. Below are the example heroes of Cyborg from level 1 to 3; Bionic Ninja, Steel Fist, Miss Supersonic and Groundsmasher.
10+ Minutes Gameplay, Best for Mobile
Chess Rush comes with a 10+ minute gameplay using the Turbo mode. It allows players to complete the full match in only 10+ minutes making it more fun and engaging. Best fit for players who have a limited spare time for playing a competitive game without the need to pause or quit the match.
Turbo modes feature quick preparation and lesser max health for characters. From the original 100 health in classic mode, Turbo sets max health of each player to 60, making it faster to end compared to the classic.
Graphic Quality
Chess Rush is a mobile game, but the quality of the graphics is closely the same with the PC games. It has an option for Ultra Quality and 60 fps that maximizes the graphical settings of the game for high-end mobile devices. The graphics work perfectly, from hero animation, icons and even small details.
In terms of UI, it is very straightforward. There are no unnecessary elements that may confuse the player while playing the game, especially for the first timer. Chess Rush is designed to be played in mobile, with big buttons, and simplistic designs. However, the UI also works perfectly for PC when played via emulators.
The board and heroes are visually appealing, especially in the battle. You can customize the board on the battlefield by purchasing the available board; Blusterleaf Steppe for 1m Gold and Mini Cannonpolis for 2,600 Vouchers. To purchase the board, you need Gold and Vouchers. 60 Vouchers are at $1.00.
In-App Purchase
The game itself is free to play. Cosmetics and skin options are just around the corner, but none of those in-app purchases will give any players advantage/edge to the game.
The in-app purchase we can only find in the game are the vouchers, where you can use it to buy Gold, skin items and Account EXP. Below are the list of in-app purchase.
- PHP 53.00 – 60 Vouchers
- PHP 150.00 – 180 + 5 Vouchers
- PHP 260.00 – 300 + 10 Vouchers
- PHP 510.00 – 600 + 30 Vouchers
- PHP 1,050.00 – 1200 + 80 Vouchers
- PHP 2,550.00 – 3000 + 280 Vouchers
- PHP 5,100.00 – 6000 + 600 Vouchers
Items that only requires Vouchers are the following:
- Mini Cannonpolis (Board)
- Greedy Dragon (Character)
- Hairy Lunar (Character)
- Heavy Gold Chest
- EXP Card
So far, all of the items that can be bought using Vouchers are for skins and account level only that didn’t affect attributes in the battlefield.
Specification
Chess Rush is not a heavy game app in terms of file size. When installed in a mobile, the game size is only reaches 458 MB. Installing and downloading the game to low specs phone are very much compatible specially with its built-in low settings and ultra settings for high-end mobiles.
Using emulators, we manage to run the game at 60 fps and in Ultra mode.
Conclusion
Chess Rush is a visually pleasing and overall fun and addicting game. It is suited for both serious and casual gamers. Pack with various heroes that you can use to create your own strategy to ultimately own the game. Chess Rush is best for mobile. With their 10+ minute triumph game, players with limited spare time can enjoy the game.
At first, it features a sharp learning curve to learn and overcome the game. But with their built-in interactive Tutorial, learning the game is much easier for everyone.
Download Chess Rush today from the Apple App Store and Google Play store.