Star Wars Chess

Star Wars Chess turns the classic game of chess into a surprisingly noisy Star Wars spectacle. Released in 1993, it keeps the familiar rules but replaces the traditional pieces with characters from the films, complete with animated combat sequences when captures occur. Watching a pawn take another piece is therefore less “quietly remove the miniature” and more “someone has apparently decided to stage a small action movie.” The game offers standard chess for serious players, while the Star Wars presentation provides plenty of entertainment between moves. The graphics and animations are very much products of their era, but that actually adds to the charm today. Star Wars Chess is not going to replace a dedicated chess program for tournament preparation, yet it has something most chess software lacks: lightsabers, blasters, and familiar faces from a galaxy far, far away. It is chess with considerably more explosions than strictly necessary.