What if you don't have a friend next by to play with? Playing yourself isn't half the fun. And what if you want to learn how to play and don't have the time for a taking a full chess course? Good chess games can have cool AIs that help beginners learn. Good chess games have online modes that quinda beat playing email chess (though that's fine too).

Also, FWIW, the game is probably outsourced to some random developer and simply published by Nintendo (like so many Nintendo games are), so likely no dev time is being "wasted" on this as you put it.

Honestly, I don't understand what's to hate about this. If it's not your cup of tee, just ignore it. It's not like it's being touted as the Next Big Thing (TM). PS3 was announced to have 250 games coming at the GC. Are all of those going to be as good as Lair? Oh... wait.

I coach my HS chess team, so I'd love this. Sure I could just keep playing on my computer, but I can't stay in the office forever. I just hope it's smarter than the one in Clubhouse Games, which is just pitiful.

If you don't have a single friend or know a single other person, then, well....

I don't think that needs any explaining.

That's not what he said. And I'm pretty sure you know that; you just don't have anything intelligent to say in response. You're so reflexively, predictably anti-Nintendo it's almost amusing. Almost. 

it's gotta be more than just chess... right? like chess, checkers, chinese chess, go... etc all in one package. well, here's hoping.

i mean, if it's like $20 it's got a market. i think most would prefer chess software on the PC a lot more, but Wii Chess does have a market.

i wonder if they'll have an online rating system? that would be a little bit worth it. and then like if you have a Mii profile, you can put your Wii Chess rating in there.

speaking of which, why aren't there more online games that uses a Elo-esque rating system? programmers are so lazy.

Every console and computer in history has chess games, so why not the Wii?

Actually I have so many friends, that I rarely have the time to spend the best part of an hour playing chess one-on-one with any of them, instead opting for more all-inclusive activities. But I actually do play often enough in this little bar that I know of that has boards for the take (with those that know how to play, which aren't exactly the majority - I play checkers with the others).

But, as someone already pointed out, you already knew exactly what I meant. So if you don't wanna play online chess, then please don't - you won't be missed. Some of us actually do. Geez...

 Sorry, but it won't cost less than 50$...

It'll cost from 599 to 799 Swedish crowns in Swedish net store during the release day. The average is something about 625 crowns.

1 US dollar = 6,35 Swedish crowns (no more or less than 0,15 difference)

In $, the game costs about 90$ in Sweden, but since the US dollar has been very weak in the last months and because of higher taxes in Sweden, the came will cost about 50-60$ in US

Not so much to do anything about it; NTSC games don't work on PAL TV:s

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I just turned on my XBOX 360 so I could give you guys the name of the 360 chess game I downloaded a month ago, and got the Red Ring of Death!! Nooooooo! Oh well. Looks like I suddenly have time to finish Red Steel and Metroid Prime 3. :(