Arcane Throne

Week 09

By Kyle (design & code, music) · Released 2026-07-19

Full chess with every real rule, played against a court of fantasy creatures. The knight is a unicorn and the rook is a tower golem, yet each piece keeps its true name and moves. Pick one of three rivals and win by checkmate. A draw leaves the throne empty.

How to play

• Pick your rival. Squire is gentle, Knight pushes back, Archmage looks five moves ahead.
• Tap one of your pieces, then tap a glowing square to move.
• Trap the enemy King. Checkmate wins the throne.
• A draw is not a win. Keep your attack alive.

Desktop: Click a piece, then click a glowing destination square. Arrow keys or WASD move a board cursor and Space confirms. Escape pauses. · Mobile: Tap a piece, then tap a glowing square. Tap the promotion banner to choose a new piece.

Why we built this

We made the hint engine prove every rival beatable by playing the whole game against it before shipping. The proof kept collapsing when it imitated a wandering human too eagerly. Teaching it to wander like a careful one was the hard part.

FAQ

• Is Arcane Throne free to play?

  Yes. It runs free in your browser with no download or signup.

• How do I play Arcane Throne on my phone?

  Open it in your phone browser and hold the phone upright. Tap a piece, then tap a glowing square.

• Is this real chess?

  Yes. Castling, en passant, promotion, and every draw rule are all in. Only the artwork is fantasy.

• Can I play as Black?

  No. You play White and move first in every game.

• What happens if the game is a draw?

  A draw counts as a loss here. The completion screen explains why and offers a rematch.

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