Chessplosion

Chessplosion is an arcade action puzzle game that combines elements of chess and Bomberman. Players place chess piece bombs on a grid, leveraging the movement patterns of each piece to create chain reactions and defeat enemies. With multiple game modes including Adventure, Dungeon, Puzzle, Survival, and Battle, the game offers a variety of challenges, from defeating bosses to solving puzzles and competing against friends online or locally.

Chessplosion: Review

Chessplosion, released on September 21, 2021, stands as a masterclass in genre fusion, blending the cerebral depth of chess with the explosive chaos of Bomberman into a deceptively simple yet endlessly engaging arcade puzzle-action hybrid. Developed solo by C.T. Matthews from Guildford, UK, this Windows-exclusive title is a triumph of independent game design—a feature-packed, meticulously crafted experience that transcends its humble origins to deliver one of 2021’s most inventive and replayable offerings. Its genius lies in transforming the rigid patterns of chess into dynamic, real-time destruction, creating a game where strategy and reflexes collide in a symphony of pixelated explosions. This review delves into every facet of Chessplosion, examining its development, mechanics, artistry, and enduring legacy.

Development History & Context

Chessplosion emerged from the mind of solo developer C.T. Matthews, who envisioned a game that merged the strategic underpinnings of chess with the top-down action sensibilities of classics like Bomberman. Development commenced in October 2020 as a minimalist prototype for what would become the Tennis Battle mode—a concept born from Matthews’ fascination with the shared “spatial reasoning” DNA between chess and action games. What began as a niche experiment rapidly evolved, fueled by a community-driven design philosophy. Matthews iteratively expanded the scope, adding Adventure Mode, Puzzle Mode, and Survival Mode, with online multiplayer—featuring high-quality rollback netcode—integrated later to ensure smooth competitive play.

Technologically, Chessplosion was built with accessible tools: Aseprite for pixel art and Sublime Text for coding, a testament to Matthews’ resourcefulness as a solo creator. The game’s release in September 2021 occurred amid a turbulent gaming landscape, where COVID-19 delays and semiconductor shortages plagued the industry. Yet, Chessplosion’s digital-only distribution on Steam and itch.io allowed it to bypass hardware constraints, aligning with a year where indies flourished amid AAA delays. Its inclusion in events like Tiny Teams 2021 underscored its emergence as a standout indie passion project, demonstrating how focused vision could outscale budgetary limitations.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Chessplosion deliberately eschews traditional narrative, focusing instead on pure gameplay abstraction. There is no overarching plot or dialogue; instead, the game’s “story” is told through its mechanics and setting. The player assumes the role of an adorable, wide-eyed bird (variously described as a “baby chicken” or “chicken-like” character) navigating a series of chessboard-themed arenas. This avian protagonist serves as both player avatar and emotional anchor—its cute, pixelated design encouraging experimentation, as players hesitate less when “blowing up” a charming creature than a faceless avatar.

The thematic core lies in the subversion of chess’s rigidity. By turning pieces into time-delayed bombs, Chessplosion recontextualizes chess as a kinetic, destructive force. Enemies embody chess archetypes: charging Rooks, diagonal-shooting Bishops, and stomping Knights, each behaving according to their movement rules. This transforms chess from a turn-based war of attrition into a real-time ballet of spatial awareness. Boss battles amplify this theme, pitting players against oversized chess pieces with health bars and minion-spawning abilities, reframing the game as a battle against chess itself as a chaotic, living entity. The absence of narrative is not a flaw but a strength, emphasizing the universal appeal of pattern-based puzzle-solving.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Chessplosion’s brilliance resides in its core mechanic: placing chess piece-shaped bombs that detonate according to their movement patterns. A Rook explodes in straight lines, a Bishop diagonally, a Knight in an L-shaped arc, and so on. This deceptively simple premise unravels into layers of strategic depth. The Adventure Mode structures this as a world map progression (e.g., 1-1, 1-2), with players navigating arenas to defeat enemies using limited bomb placements. Success hinges on chain reactions—e.g., triggering a Bishop’s explosion to hit a Rook, causing a cascade that clears the board.

The game’s variety is staggering:
– Adventure Mode: Linear stages with optional challenges and boss fights (e.g., a multi-health “King” boss spawning allies).
– Dungeon Mode: A roguelike-inspired addition where players explore randomized dungeons, collecting money for upgrades (e.g., larger explosions or extra lives) in a quest for the “Grandblaster Crown.”
– Puzzle Mode: Over 140 curated puzzles requiring precise bomb placement to break targets with limited resources. The included Puzzle Editor empowers players to create and share custom levels, extending replayability indefinitely.
– Survival Mode: Endless waves of bomb patterns escalating from simple Queen explosions to “bullet hell” chaos.
– Battle Mode: Local/online multiplayer (2-4 players) with Free For All, Team Battles, and the signature Tennis Battle—a variant where bombs are volleyed over a central line.

Controls are direct and responsive (keyboard, gamepad, or PlayStation controller), with a UI showing the selected piece above the player’s head. An Assist Mode allows tweaking health, lives, game speed, or even skipping stages, catering to all skill levels. Critically, the AI enemies mirror player tactics, creating unpredictable, high-stakes scenarios. While some reviews note that spamming bombs and retreating can trivialize levels, the escalating complexity—especially in boss fights and Puzzle Mode—ensures consistent challenge.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Chessplosion’s world is a fantasy realm distilled into chessboards, with Adventure Mode’s color palettes shifting between worlds to signify progress. Levels unfold in a fixed/flip-screen perspective, emphasizing spatial clarity amid explosions. The art direction is a triumph of pixel art: contrasting, vibrant colors define each piece (e.g., crimson Rooks, azure Bishops), while the bird protagonist’s animations—wobbling walks and comical falls—inject personality into the chaos. Environments are minimalist yet expressive, with backgrounds subtly hinting at a “war of the chessboard” through fractured columns and crumbling pawns.

Sound design complements the visuals effectively. An upbeat, lo-fi electronic soundtrack loops through stages, blending arcade energy with puzzle-game serenity. While described as “nothing special” in one review, it serves as a functional backdrop, and players can disable it if desired. Sound effects are punchy and informative—explosions crackle with satisfying weight, and piece impacts provide tactile feedback. Accessibility features like color-blind friendly visuals and configurable controls ensure the experience remains inclusive, reinforcing the game’s ethos of approachable depth.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Chessplosion garnered immediate acclaim, particularly in niche gaming circles. The Gameplay (Benelux) review awarded it a perfect 5/5, calling it a “knappe mix van schaken en Bomberman” and praising its “uren knalplezier” (hours of explosive fun). Player reviews echoed this sentiment, with a 5.0/5 average based on ratings (though limited in number). Its Steam page features quotes from luminaries like Ed Boon (Mortal Kombat creator), who tweeted, “I haven’t played this yet, but it looks interesting AF!!”

Commercially, Chessplosion priced at $11.99—a point justified by its sheer volume of content. It was an official selection at Tiny Teams 2021 and praised by outlets like Kotaku (“This is Chess II. It’s official”) and Rock Paper Shotgun (“CT Matthews has absolutely packed the game full of splodey goodness”). However, its impact was largely confined to the indie scene, overshadowed by 2021’s AAA behemoths like Resident Evil Village and Halo Infinite.

Post-launch, Chessplosion’s legacy grew through sustained support. The addition of Dungeon Mode and the Puzzle Editor in 2022 transformed it from a polished title into a living platform. The Puzzle Editor’s community-driven levels ensured longevity, with players sharing creations on platforms like Steam Workshop. While its multiplayer scene remained niche, the rollback netcode was lauded as a benchmark for indie online play. Chessplosion’s influence is evident in modern puzzle-action hybrids, proving that a single innovative mechanic can spawn entire subgenres. It stands as a testament to solo developer prowess, inspiring a new wave of genre-mixing experiments.

Conclusion

Chessplosion is a rare achievement—a game that honors its inspirations while forging an entirely new identity. Its fusion of chess and Bomberman is not merely a gimmick but a fully realized system, demanding both strategic foresight and split-second reflexes. C.T. Matthews’ solo effort belies its scope: with five distinct modes, a roguelike dungeon crawler, and a robust editor, it offers more content than many AAA titles. The pixel art and sound design, while simple, are polished to perfection, creating an atmosphere that is both adorable and intense.

Flaws exist—occasional AI exploits and a reliance on spam tactics in early Adventure levels—but these are minor blemishes on an otherwise sterling design. Chessplosion’s true genius lies in its accessibility: the Assist Mode and gentle learning curve welcome newcomers, while the Puzzle Mode and editor satisfy hardcore strategists. In an industry saturated with sequels and reboots, Chessplosion feels refreshingly original—a labor of love that redefines what a single developer can accomplish.

Verdict: Chessplosion is an essential indie landmark, a masterclass in minimalist design with maximum impact. It earns a 9.5/10—not just for its innovative mechanics, but for its heart, its depth, and its unwavering commitment to pure, unadulterated fun. As John Walker of Kotaku quipped, it’s “Chess II,” and in a world of formulaic games, that’s the highest praise of all. For fans of chess, Bomberman, or puzzle-action hybrids, Chessplosion isn’t just recommended—it’s indispensable.