Chessmaster on Game Boy is one of those rare ports that actually works—no frills, just chess. You boot it up, pick your difficulty (the AI doesn’t mess around even on "easy"), and suddenly you’re hunched over your tiny screen, second-guessing that pawn move. The controls are simple enough—d-pad to move, A to confirm—but the real magic is how it makes you think. I lost three matches in a row before realizing I should probably stop charging in with my queen like an idiot.

What’s cool is how it scales. Start against a forgiving opponent, and by the time you hit the higher levels, it feels like the game’s five moves ahead of you. No fancy animations or distractions, just pure chess—which is all you really need when you’re stuck on a bus or pretending to pay attention in class. If you’ve got a Game Boy and even a passing interest in chess, this one’s a no-brainer. Just don’t blame me when you miss your stop because you’re too busy plotting a bishop sacrifice.