How to Play the Mini Games on Chessmaster for the Nintendo DS

The Chessmaster game for the Nintendo DS further challenges your mind by adding some puzzle mini games that use some of the basics of chess to solve different kinds of puzzles. In total there are six different mini games to play. It starts with only the first mini game unlocked and you unlock the others after you beat a few levels of the previous mini game. For example, playing a few levels of the first mini game unlocks the second mini game and so on.

Fork My Fruit: This is the first mini game. In this game you use a chess fork move to clear the fruit from the board. You use different chess pieces and move them just as you do in a regular chess game. You must place them in positions that cause them to be attacking at least two pieces of the same kind of fruit. The fruits are then forked and removed from the board and more fruit pops onto the board.

Masterpiece: This is the second mini game and is unlocked after you beat about three levels in Fork My Fruit. In this game you move the given pieces to paint a picture. Each square the piece moves over becomes painted. Watch out, though, if you move pieces over painted squares they become unpainted. Thus this game challenges you to figure out how to get all the squares painted and not unnecessarily unpainting squares.

Breaking the Lines: This third mini game becomes unlocked after you beat a few levels in the Masterpiece game. In this game you use a knight and try to capture all the pawns on the board. Be careful how you capture the pawns, though, because your knight can be captured by the pawns if you put it in the wrong place. If your knight is captured too many times, then you lose the level. This particular mini game can really help those who have trouble thinking about how knights move get used to the pattern of this pieces movements. It is also good for learning to pay attention and not moving your piece to vulnerable squares.

Chain Reaction: This fourth mini game is unlocked after you beat a few levels in the Breaking the Lines mini game. Chain Reaction is like a chess version of three in a row. In the game you try to get rid of chess pieces by connecting at least three of the same time using their movement paths. The pieces become connected based on the way they move, such as three kings next to each other and knights connected in their L shape movements.

Pawn Charge: This fifth mini game is unlocked after playing a few levels in Chain Reaction. In this mini game you try to get the pawns across the board and capture the black pieces without getting your pawns captured. This is a great practice game for helping to improve your end game, which can come down to being able to advance your pawns across the board safely.

Minefield Chess: This final mini game is unlocked after you beat a few levels of Pawn Charge. This game is played kind of like the old Minesweeper computer game. In this game you must find the mines in the level. You will blow up if your piece is placed on a square with a mine and is not protected by another one of your pieces. Thus this game helps to teach you to not leave pieces unprotected.