Konami brings Online Chess Kingdoms to PSP

The ancient Indians were a supremely wise bunch. Not only did they invent chess, but they made it a two-player game, amazingly anticipating the day we'd want to check our mates over wi-fi.

And after a couple of thousand years wait, the day will finally arrive in November, with the launch of Konami's Online Chess Kingdoms. At last, thanks to its wi-fi connectivity, PSP grandmasters and newbies will be able to take each other on without getting – apologies in advance – board.

A bit fancier than a tatty old plastic chess kit with a missing knight, Online Chess Kingdoms is fully 3D, with animated battle sequences portraying the crucial moments when key pieces fall, queens get taken and the king is checkmated.

There's also a 2D version for more sober chess players from the former Soviet countries, and, in total contrast, a Speed Chess mode for the super-wired YouTube generation, which lets you move all the pieces on the board at once.

Online Chess Kingdoms also boasts a dubious-sounding story mode featuring five different chess sets, which represent five distinct regimes vying for tactical supremacy over their ancient foes.

These warring parties – magicians, an aquatic race, cybernetic beings, forest spirits and servants of chaos – are each represented by their own animations showing them taking and losing pieces. The mode also features hidden story elements that can be unlocked by completing various tasks.

As for the all-important multiplayer action, Online Chess Kingdoms will support both local and networked play via the internet. You can participate in a single match or enter an online tournament, with the latter tracking the ratings of the world's best players. See you at the bottom!