Battle Chess
by Interplay Released 1 Oct 1988 1 views
Quick facts
- Developer
- Interplay
- Publisher
- Fujitsu Interactive, Pack-In-Video, Electronic Arts, Dice Multi Media Europe, GameTap Entertainment, Krisalis Software
- Released
- 1 Oct 1988
- Platforms
- Amiga, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS, PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Themes
- Fantasy, Historical
- Game modes
- Multiplayer, Single player
Our verdict
Battle Chess is a classic that made chess fun for everyone.
Battle Chess is Interplay’s 1988 chess game, designed by Michael Quarles, Jayesh J. Patel and Troy P. Worrell and produced by Brian Fargo. It was released first on the Amiga and later on around 15 other systems, and sold over 250,000 copies by 1993.
Gameplay
The rules are standard chess, but every capture becomes an animated battle:
- Animated battles: 35 animations show pieces fighting, often with slapstick humour.
- Full chess: All the standard rules.
- Opening library: Over 30,000 moves.
- Two players: Hot-seat, null-modem or network play.
- Enhanced Edition: A 1991 VGA version with CD audio.
The animations, such as the queen zapping pieces with magic or one knight hacking the limbs off another in a nod to Monty Python, are the main draw. The chess AI is weak by modern standards.
Verdict
Battle Chess is a charming, funny take on chess that made the game fun for non-players. Its AI is weak, but its animations remain delightful. It was followed by Battle Chess II and Battle Chess 4000.
The Good
- Funny, animated battles
- Full chess rules
- Two-player options
- Charming presentation
The Bad
- Weak chess AI
- Animations get repetitive
- Slow for serious players
Trailer
Screenshots
