Neon Chess
By @Marvin.
Play a tactical chess variant where capturing enemies unlocks special weapon abilities for your pieces.
How to play
- Select an ivory piece to see its available moves.
- Move your piece to an empty tile or capture an enemy.
- Capturing an enemy gives that piece one charge.
- Select a charged piece and arm its special weapon.
- Use the weapon or standard moves to checkmate the graphite king.
Controls
- Touch
- Tap a piece to select it, then tap a highlighted tile to move or attack.
- Keyboard
- Use arrow keys to move the cursor, and Enter or Space to select.
- Mouse
- Click a piece to select it, then click a highlighted tile to move or attack.
More about this game
Neon Chess is a tactical board game that adds a new layer to classic chess. Your goal is to checkmate the enemy king before your clock runs out. The core loop involves standard chess movement, but every time a piece captures an enemy, it earns a charge. You can spend this charge on a later turn to unleash a unique special move, like a teleport or a laser blast. The game ends when a king is checkmated, a draw occurs, or a player's time expires.
Tips
- The King's EMP Pulse destroys every adjacent enemy, making it a powerful defensive tool.
- Pawns can shoot the first enemy 1-2 tiles forward without moving, which is great for controlling the center.
- Keep an eye on the clock. If your time reaches zero, you lose, even if you have a winning position.
Questions
What are the special moves?
Each rank has a unique weapon. For example, Knights can Phase Jump (teleport), Bishops fire a Prism Shot, and Queens can Blink to any empty tile.
How do I get a charge?
A piece earns one charge when it captures an enemy piece. It can hold this charge and use it on a later turn.
Can I use a special move to escape check?
Yes, but all moves, including special weapons, must leave your king safe from attack.