Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)One would have hoped that this version of Fritz for Nintendo DS might demonstrate at least some of the incredible playing strength of it's PC based namesake. Afterall, the Nintendo DS console has hardware comparable to that contained in some dedicated chess computers and those machines play around the 2400 ELO level. Indeed, the official advertising for Fritz DS makes mention of the historical feats of Fritz and strongly implies that Fritz himself has finally come to the rescue of Nintendo console users. Even when one actually plays against Fritz on the Nintendo DS, the quoted rating at the top level is 2320 ELO. This is an extremely high playing level and only 80 points below the rating required to achieve a human International Master title.
Unfortunately, the performance of this product on paper is completely at odds with it's performance in reality. The biggest single problem with this version of Fritz is that the level algorythms are inexcusably buggy. It is all but impossible to make Fritz think for more than around 80 seconds in the middlegame (except in extremely complicated situations), even if the playing level is set to one move in 23 hours and 59 seconds! And if the playing level is set to something like 40 moves in 2 hours, then Fritz DS will move extremely fast - within seconds infact. At the default Blitz levels - even when set to 2320 ELO, the program moves rediculously quickly and barely uses any time at all. Anyone who is knowledgable about chess computers will tell you that using a tiny fraction of the playing time available will severely weaken the playing strength of a chess program, simply because the program is unable to examine as many moves as it would otherwise be able to.
And this is the crux of Fritz's problems on the DS platform. In the endgame, things get far worse again. Even when set to make one move within a day, Fritz still moves literally within seconds when in an endgame situation with a minor piece and pawns on the board. Given the program does not appear to utilise hash tables, this makes it's endgame incredibly weak indeed. In some games against my Mephisto Miami dedicated computer (which is known itself to have a weak endgame), Miami could simply pick off Fritz's pawns almost at will. Quite simply, Fritz does not give itself anywhere near enough time to come up with a competent move. Even if it's excellent middle game tactical ability confers some advantage going into the endgame, the endgame is so poor that any advantage often rapidly evaporates.
This is why I say that Fritz DS is a missed opportunity. There is no denying that the actual playing engine behind this product is extremely competant. I would go as far as to say that if it actually used the correct amount of time as per the level settings chosen by the user, then its playing strength might well approach 2320 ELO. But because it moves extremely quickly, it's playing strength is far below this. In the endgame where it cannot think for more than a few seconds, I would estimate it only plays around 1400 ELO - pathetic for a product that is advertised to play at 2320 ELO and which has some pretty decent hardware to run on.
To add insult to injury, there are other, irritating flaws in the program. The resignation function is rediculous. In one game I set the program to resign "at the first sign of trouble". It was down a rook and two pawns for 25 moves with zero compensation, but it still did not resign. It only resigned when mate was inevitable. If that is an "early" resignation, I would hate to see a "late" one. Secondly, the drawing contempt factor is unfathomable. In the aforementioned game, when I was a rook and two pawns up and about 5 moves away from queening a pawn, I offered it a draw. It told me I must be joking and that it wanted to play on. At least Fritz was correct when he said that I must be joking.
Other problems with the game include the cumbersome menu structure as mentioned by another reviewer. None of the stylus "buttons" in the menus seem to have auto repeat functionality (i.e where you keep the stylus pressed down). This made changing the number of moves extremely cumbersome for example, since changing it from 40 to 20 meant pressing the stylus down 19 times.
I was also disappointed to discover that it is not possible to change playing levels once a game is in progress. The only way to change levels is to start a completely new game. Additionally, it is not possible to save a rated game - you can only save practice games. And even when you save a practice game in progress, if you have the playing level set to a very slow one (due to the afrementioned bugs in the level algorythms), then it will not retain that time control setting when you reload the game later. This means it is rather pointless saving a practice game where the thinking time is genuinely more than 20 seconds, since when you reload the game, it isn't going to be able to think for much more than 20 seconds, regardless of what level you had set previously.
Overall, I cannot find any reason to recommend this program. The playing strength is nowhere close to that of the advertised 2320 ELO, with the endgame in particular being absolutely pathetic beyond any redemption. The levels are so buggy that they might as well not have existed at all. There are far to many other choices on the market if you want a decent portable chess game. For the Nintendo platforms, the best chess game thus far is Chessmaster for Gameboy Advance, which of course also runs on the Gameboy Micro. At least that program has only one minor openings book bug and it plays a consistently strong and human-like game with no relative weaknesses (approximately the same playing strength as the Mephisto Amsterdam dedicated machine from the 1980s). For other platforms, given that there are numerous very strong programs that run on modern mobile phones (and which genuinely do play at master strength), I see absolutely no reason whatsoever to compromise and buy this product.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Fritz Chess
The chess game FRITZ teaches players the basics of the world's most famous board game in an entertaining way.It's a fun game that is exciting to play, easy to learn, and not at all easy to master.Fritz has a database containing more than 2000 exciting documented historical matches. Relive great moments in the history at the hands of its illustrious players, with matches that go from opponents such as Napoleon against Madame de Remusat to the strange automaton and even through classic matches of Kasparov and Fischer, or the legendary Morphy. In addition, Fritz includes a gallery of your victories. Learn and enjoy having access yourself to a personalized record of games with your friends and family!The monarchs of the kingdoms of Ebony and Ivory, Fritz "The Black King" and Elizabeth "The White Queen", hold every ten years the "Chess Masters Tournament" to which come the champions from all villages of the kingdom. You are one of those champions who will fight to secure the coveted title of Chess Master. But to succeed you must defeat your opponents, thus earning the privilege to face the very Fritz himself, the unbroken Black King, and current Chess Master. Fritz will be your faithful squire and the one who can help you when you face your terrible opponents. And you better believe this: you'll need all the help you can get when you face different enemies, each with a different challenge to throw at you. From the brutal force and stupidity of the Brute to the dirty tricks of the Merchant and coming across the Kingdom's Hero, the only champion of the kingdom who has never been defeated, they all try to make you fail in your odyssey. Vanquish them all and extend your collection of Fritz Chess Treasures!
0 comments:
Post a Comment