Chess Cubed (2018)

Developer: Default Software LLC
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation, Sports, Strategy, Early Access
Rating: 3.3 of 5, 9 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 2.1 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A fast-paced modern chess experience with unlimited movement and online competition, designed to feel fresh and accessible rather than deeply cerebral.

fast-pacedstrategiccompetitivemoderncasualmultiplayer3dadaptive

What players say

Players are split on Chess Cubed. Some praise its creative mix of chess and Rubik's Cube mechanics, while others say the game was abandoned after release with no AI, no single-player, and empty lobbies. The energy-based movement and face rotation system draw mixed reactions, with some calling it a fresh puzzle and others finding it unrecognizable as chess.

Screenshots

More games like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.