Following the astounding reception that Ludwig’s chessboxing event received when it was streamed back on Dec. 12, 2022, it’s no surprise that chess is discovering new ways to make a splash in the modern age of gaming. Fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and upcoming titles like Mortal Kombat 1 have some head-turning competition as Checkmate Showdown’s beta launches on Steam on Aug. 25.
Checkmate Showdown answers the question that many people have likely thought of at least once: What if the pieces actually fight? Whenever a piece goes to capture an opponent, the two pieces spawn into a 2D fighting arena, with health bars and super meters to boot. Not to mention, nearby pieces can spawn as tag-assists, which you can summon mid-fight to extend combos or open up your opponent. This adds a whole new layer of strategy to the game and really makes you reconsider how you approach the game.
Of course, a fighting game isn’t complete without distinctive characters, which CheckmateShowdown beautifully executes by reimagining chess pieces as futuristic soldiers. The queen is an elegant swordswoman, the knight is a cocky brawler who attacks with his afterimage, and the rook is a stone behemoth of a grappler. This means it’s crucial to consider which pieces you want to attack with, otherwise, you might wander into a poor matchup or get overpowered by your opponent’s main.
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The game is intentionally built to appeal to newcomers to either game, but with all the complexity that will keep players coming back for more. On the Steam Page, the developers clearly said “Checkmate Showdown is created by a team of hardcore fighting game enthusiasts who understand the importance of competition in fighting games.” Not to mention, the game will absolutely feature rollback netcode, allowing for the best online experience.
This exhilarating mash-up of two iconic game genres will be live for beta from Aug. 25 to 27. Visit the Steam Page for more information on how to join the beta.
