Battle Chess

Battle Chess takes the familiar rules of chess and gives every capture a little more personality. Originally created by Interplay, the game became known for turning ordinary chess pieces into animated characters that physically fight whenever one piece captures another. The NES version arrived in 1990, published by Data East and ported by Beam Software.

At its core, this is still traditional chess. You have the standard pieces, familiar movement rules, and the same objective of putting the opposing king in checkmate. The difference is what happens between moves. Instead of simply watching one piece disappear from the board, the capturing piece attacks its opponent in a short animated sequence. Knights charge into battle, rooks transform into formidable creatures, and other pieces have their own humorous combat scenes. The NES version features dozens of these animations, giving even a routine capture a surprising amount of character.

The game is designed for both casual players and people who already know their way around a chessboard. Its computer opponent offers multiple skill levels, while the move library provides a substantial variety of possible openings and positions. Players can also choose a more traditional 2D presentation without the battle animations if they simply want to concentrate on the chess itself.

One interesting detail of the NES adaptation is that some combat animations were toned down compared with the original computer versions. Nintendo's content guidelines led to changes in the famous Black Knight sequence, making the NES release slightly different from its earlier counterparts.

Battle Chess is a fun example of how developers tried to make a classic board game more approachable on home consoles. It does not change the fundamentals of chess, but its animated battles give every capture a memorable little moment.