Chess is immediately more fun if you jettison most of the rules and replace them with weapons-grade Game Boy Advance

Rulehouse is developing a chess-inspired puzzle game that changes the rules from level to level, replacing much of traditional chess with unusual pieces and hazards. A demo covering its first act suggests the game could offer a steady stream of inventive challenges, while its humour and distinctive Game Boy Advance-inspired style give it a strong identity.

The demo starts with pawn-only races and builds to scenarios such as a prison escape under fire. New pieces include ice pawns that shatter after capturing and poison pawns that take an opposing piece down when captured; the game also calls knights “cows”. Rulehouse is aiming to launch in 2027, and a demo is available on Steam.