Computer Gamer


Colossus Chess 4.0

Publisher: CDS
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer Gamer #18

Colossus Chess 4.0

Spectrum chess addicts looking for a challenge need look no further, as here is a game with loads of features and a strong game.

Most people will have heard of the various versions of Colossus Chess and their success when playing other chess programs. Indeed, the back of the comprehensive instruction manual lists the programs that it has taken on and beaten. Now it's your turn.

The game can be played on either a two or three dimensional board with joystick or cursor keys moving the pieces. The squares are numbered and lettered as in standard notation so you can use them as well.

Colossus Chess 4

Should you lose a valuable piece of make a move you later regret, you can rewind the game back to a position where you were winning.

The computer opponent is not only a very strong player, it is also extremely smug as it has the cheek to suggest moves for you to play and then gleefully announces that it will get checkmate in four moves. You can, however, clip its wings a little by restricting the time it has to think and even stop it using its first choice move, leaving it to choose another one.

Finally, the package also contains a problem solver for those irritating 'white to play and win' problems and in a forthcoming microdrive version will have 34 sample games.