
Zen Chess: Mate in Three is a minimalist chess puzzle game. Solve mate-in-three problems in a beautifully designed chess board.
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About
Zen Chess: Mate in Three is a minimalist chess puzzle game.
Designed for chess lovers of all levels (even if you just learned how to move the pieces);
Solve 300 puzzles carefully selected by a Chess Grandmaster (TOP 200 in the world);
Enjoy a minimalist, beautifully designed chess board and pieces;
Original soundtrack, specially composed to help you keep your focus and concentration;
Everything in the game was made with a lot of love and craftsmanship.
Can you find the three moves that will solve each puzzle? Give it a try and show yourself you are a true chess master.
Genres
Stats
All-time low is the lowest price we've recorded for this game since we started tracking it.
Languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish - Spain, Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek +17 more
Engagement
Hours played at review time, across 40 reviews with recorded playtime.
Reviews
Themes across 40 recent reviews and how positive each mention is. A keyword signal, not full sentiment analysis.
positive critical· bar length = how often the theme comes up
Reviews
Nice chess puzzle collection! I really liked many of them as a chess player. I could certainly play more of such games on Steam. It feels like winning back some dignity after seeing yet another set of utter crud we have there in plenty.
[h1]Описание:[/h1] Поставить мат за три хода, это сборник задач из разных бумажных сборников, которые выходили раньше, когда-то давно. 300 уровней, которые отбирал какой-то левый шахматист с топ200 (а может и ноль не добавили). Фигуры можно тыкать любые куда угодно, но только правильно тыкнув нужную фигуру уровень сдвинется дальше. Тут уже пошли мучения... Нужно ходить только так как задумал автор и никак иначе... Тут еще методом тыка и удачи можно кликнуть как надо, но дальше ведь еще более крутые игры идут где мат в 4-5 ходов... Вот там будет ад... Лучшая часть это мат в 2 хода... Дальше уже мура. [h1]Оценка: 4/10[/h1] [h1]Послесловие:[/h1] Если вам понравился этот обзор добро пожаловать в группу http://steamcommunity.com/groups/uojer - тут вы сможете увидеть рекомендованные мною игры, другие обзоры, а также просто пообщаться в хорошей компании.
[b]Недостатки[/b]:[list][*] Возможен только один вариант решения задачи, прописанный разработчиками. Другие верные варианты не засчитываются. Как писали в каком-то комментарии: ждём игру Mate in ten, где все фигуры стоят на стартовых позициях и нужно угадать как пойдет партия. [*] Нет защиты от невозможных ходов (побить свою фигуру или переместить ладью по диагонали? Да пожалуйста!). Такие ходы просто сбрасывают решение задачи. [*] Игра не показывает ответ компьютера на ошибочное решение, задача просто сбрасывается на стартовую позицию. Сиди и сам ищи или забивай позицию в движок, если хочешь знать почему твой вариант не верный. [/list] [b]Преимущества:[/b] Ну, это задачки. Их можно решать. [b]Вывод[/b]: Никакой образовательной функции игра не несёт. Многие задачи решаются тупым перебором вариантов. Лучше зарегистрируйтесь на Lichess и решайте задачи там, это куда полезнее и интереснее.
+ Fast and responsive + Multiple design elements + 100 chess tasks to solve Your turn is taken back if You try to go another way than game makers thought. So, You need to find the correct move to start.
1/10 with each Zen Chess it gets worse this game doesn't know how to play chess, this game knows how to unlock the next level by putting pieces in the order and place they choose. this means the game will only accept the win if you did it the way they wanted and not any other way. it wasn't that bad it mate in two, but still bugged me. it kills the game here - only 100 puzzles. 300 in the 1st and 150 in the 2nd just like the 1st you can pick up any of your piece's on the board and drop it where ever you want, the level will now reset because you didn't do the one thing they want you to do. the game in no way tells you that move cant be made this game and the others should add a setting you can turn on for beginners that shows you every possible move the piece you clicked on can make.
3수에 체크메이트를 해라! 3수에 체크메이트를 해야되는 조건부가 달려있기때문에 1~2수안에 체크메이트가 되는 상황이여도 다른 뻘 수를 둔 후에 3수에 체크메이트를 해야됨 ㅋㅋㅋ 그래서 그 뻘수를 찾아내는게 어려움.. 대체 왜 여기에 놔야하는거지? 라는 생각이 드는 판도 많았음.. 그래도 짧게 머리 쓰는 용으로는 괜찮음
Played on Steam Deck. Mate in Two was ok because you could more directly see how to set up a mate in One, but three moves introduces too much variability. I'm sure in theory it's helping you become better at seeing multiple steps ahead, but without the proper mechanics in this game such as enemy movement showing HOW they would sidestep a mate in three it just resets the stage and ends up being a lot of guessing. I fear Mate in Four or beyond: mate in 10 where the board is just fresh on both sides and you have to guess from the start...
Zen Chess: Mate in Three is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam. It's a very simple Chess based puzzle game. You're presented with a chessboard with a game in play, and you must achieve Checkmate in three moves. While the chess puzzles are clever and engaging for chess fans, the delivery of this mobile app on Steam is lacklustre. Resolution is locked and the chess depiction is a very simple, web browser tier affair that offers little inspiration to PC gamers. Games don't exist in a vacuum. This paid mobile app on Steam doesn't offer anything that free mobile apps don't. If you want to play this kind of game, don't pay for this mobile app cash grab, because you can play these kinds of games free on the web or in free mobile apps.
we need chinese, we need chinese, we need chinese. we need cloud save, we need cloud save, we need cloud save. we need dpad, we need dpad, we need dpad. we need man file free, we need man file free, we need man file free. 我们需要中文,我们需要云存档,我们需要手柄支持,我们需要个人资料功能不受限。没有官中先差评了,商店页面还注明有中文。游戏没有教程,应该内置教程,帮助不会国际象棋玩家熟悉游戏。fanatical包入的本体约2元,目前就这,看以后追评。
Zen Chess: Mate in Three by Minimol Games is a tightly focused puzzle experience that strips chess down to one of its most intellectually satisfying elements: the art of forcing checkmate in exactly three moves. Rather than simulating full matches or offering a broad sandbox of possibilities, the game commits entirely to precision and constraint. Every scenario is a self-contained problem, a small tactical riddle that demands foresight, patience, and a willingness to think several moves ahead. This deliberate narrowing of scope gives the game a clear identity, making it feel less like a traditional chess program and more like a curated collection of logic puzzles rooted in chess principles. The structure is straightforward but effective. Each puzzle places the player in a fixed board position and challenges them to find the single correct sequence that leads to mate in three. There’s no room for improvisation or alternate solutions—only one path is accepted, and anything outside that path results in an immediate reset. This design encourages disciplined thinking and reinforces the importance of exact calculation, as even a slightly off move breaks the entire sequence. For players who enjoy the purity of problem-solving, this can be deeply satisfying, especially when a difficult puzzle finally clicks into place. However, that same rigidity can feel restrictive, particularly for those who value creativity in chess or who might discover valid variations that the game simply refuses to acknowledge. Visually and sonically, the game leans heavily into its “zen” identity. The presentation is minimalist, with clean board designs, simple piece models, and gentle transitions that keep distractions to a minimum. The subdued color palettes and soft ambient soundtrack create a calm, almost meditative environment that complements the slow, thoughtful pace of gameplay. This aesthetic works particularly well during extended sessions, as it reduces cognitive fatigue and helps maintain focus. At the same time, the lack of visual and audio variety means the experience can start to feel repetitive after a while, especially for players who plan to complete all of the included puzzles in one stretch. In terms of challenge, the game offers a respectable range of difficulty, though the progression isn’t always perfectly smooth. Early puzzles act as a gentle onboarding process, easing players into the logic of forced sequences. As the game advances, however, the complexity ramps up, requiring deeper visualization and a stronger grasp of tactical motifs such as sacrifices, decoys, and positional traps. Some puzzles deliver genuinely rewarding “aha” moments, where the solution feels elegant and inevitable once discovered. Others, however, can feel more opaque, relying on less intuitive sequences that may frustrate players rather than engage them. The inconsistency in difficulty can occasionally disrupt the overall flow, but it rarely undermines the core appeal. One of the more noticeable shortcomings is the lack of guidance or feedback. The game assumes a certain level of familiarity with chess and does little to teach or explain its mechanics. When a move fails, there’s no breakdown of why it doesn’t work or what the opponent’s response would be—just a reset. This approach keeps the interface clean but limits the game’s usefulness as a learning tool. Players who are still developing their understanding of chess tactics may find themselves stuck without a clear path forward, while more experienced players might wish for deeper analytical features to explore alternative lines. Ultimately, Zen Chess: Mate in Three succeeds by staying true to its concept. It doesn’t try to be everything—it offers a specific kind of mental exercise and executes it with clarity and consistency. It’s best enjoyed in short sessions, where its focused puzzles and calming presentation can shine without becoming repetitive. While it lacks the depth and flexibility of broader chess software, it carves out a niche as a relaxing yet mentally engaging experience for players who enjoy structured problem-solving. Rating: 7/10
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Trends
Concurrent players on Steam, sampled daily since tracking started.
Audience
Estimated from the language of this game's reviews — a proxy for where players are, not official Steam demographics.
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