In Four Kings One War, two armies each of black and white pieces face off on a board of 192 squares, set in a Colosseum style arena. The movement of pieces is similar to classic chess, but each player gets two moves per turn and the object is to capture two opposing kings. Each of the different pieces has its own individual mode of movement and both armies complement each other in both attack and defense to ensure endless combinations of tactical combat. With a variety of environments to choose from you can do battle deep in a native New Zealand bush where the battle arena is the size of a house and the pieces as tall as an average person, or face off in the smaller combat arena nestled beside a spectacular waterfall or in an underground abyss. Users can go to the glow worm cave to watch replays of their games, hone their skills against the AI, and watch strategy videos.
Recognizing the potential for gaming to benefit communities on many levels, the creators of Four Kings One War have also introduced a physical version of the game that can be played in senior centers, schools and detention facilities. The game has become a regular Wednesday night pastime at a retirement village in Auckland, and has also been introduced to low-security inmates at an area prison. The game’s developers recently completed a massive 5×5 meter arena for outdoor play at a local school.
“Four Kings One War is easy to learn, especially for players already familiar with chess, but it takes the possibility for innovative strategies to the next level and that is what captures people’s attention,” says Glyn Leggett, creator of the game. “In the 1,400 years that chess has been around, all the best moves have all been worked out. We see people of all ages and backgrounds become obsessed with working out creative new approaches to winning in Four Kings One War.”
