Battle vs. Chess

Lore & Background

Battle vs. Chess features players moving animated fantasy figurines across one of six available environments. The white pieces are from heaven and the black pieces are from hell. The game includes a tutorial, multiplayer options (on one device, over LAN or Internet), two campaign modes with 30 missions, a Battleground mode, and various mini-games. It uses the chess engine Fritz 10 to determine moves. There is no setting for a time limit, so at higher difficulty levels the computer takes a long time to think; at level 7 it can take about 15 minutes, while at level 9 (ELO 3750) it can take up to a few hours.

The game was not initially released in the United States due to a lawsuit by Interplay Entertainment for trademark infringement, citing similarity to Interplay's title Battle Chess. The case went to trial by jury in the summer of 2012. The United States District Court for the Central District of California granted a default judgment in Interplay's favor after TopWare fired its attorney and was unable to locate new counsel. On November 15, the parties settled with TopWare agreeing to pay Interplay approximately $200,000, plus interest. After the lawsuit, the game was released in North America as Check vs. Mate to avoid the Interplay trademark on a planned remake of Battle Chess, through digital distribution networks including Steam.

Reader's Guide

Battle vs. Chess occupies a niche as a chess simulation that blends traditional gameplay with fantasy-themed animated pieces and multiple environments, aiming to appeal to both chess enthusiasts and casual players. Its use of the Fritz 10 engine ensures strong computer play, though the lack of a time limit at higher levels can lead to extremely long thinking times, a design choice that may frustrate some players. The game's legal dispute with Interplay Entertainment over the name 'Battle Chess' delayed its North American release and forced a title change to Check vs. Mate, highlighting the importance of trademark protection in the gaming industry. The settlement, involving a payment of approximately $200,000 plus interest, resolved the conflict and allowed the game to reach digital distribution platforms like Steam. Reception varied, with scores such as 80% from GamingBoulevard.com, 90% from Eurogamer.de and Gameover.gr, and a Metacritic rating of 69%, indicating a mixed to positive critical response. The game's legacy includes its role in a notable trademark lawsuit and its attempt to modernize chess with visual and thematic flair.

Did You Know?

• At difficulty level 9 (ELO 3750), the computer can take up to a few hours to make a move.
• The game was released in North America as Check vs. Mate due to a trademark lawsuit with Interplay Entertainment.
• TopWare agreed to pay Interplay approximately $200,000 plus interest to settle the lawsuit.

Origins, Development & Release

Battle vs. Chess, known in its Russian-language release as Battle vs Chess: Королевские битвы, is a computer-based chess simulation that reimagines the classic board game through an animated fantasy lens. The title was developed by Targem Games and brought to market by publisher TopWare Interactive. The developers aimed the game at a broad audience across multiple ecosystems: every major seventh-generation console was targeted, alongside desktop and laptop systems running Microsoft Windows, Apple's Mac OS X, and the open-source Linux operating system. The console and computer editions hit European shelves on May 17, 2011. Unfortunately, the handheld iterations that were part of the original multi-platform plan were ultimately cancelled, narrowing the game's reach on portable hardware. In North American markets, the title would later appear under an entirely different name—Check vs. Mate—due to a trademark dispute that delayed its arrival there. This dual naming became a defining quirk of the game's commercial history.

Gameplay, Modes & the Fritz 10 Engine

At its core, Battle vs. Chess replaces the traditional wooden or plastic pieces with animated fantasy figurines that players maneuver across six distinct themed environments. The visual identity is split along a celestial divide: the white army hails from heaven, while the black forces descend from hell, giving each side a clear mythological personality. Beyond the central chess match, the game packs in a tutorial for newcomers, a full suite of multiplayer options (local on a single device, across a LAN, or over the Internet), two separate campaign modes containing thirty missions in total, a free-form Battleground mode, and an assortment of mini-games for casual play. Under the hood, the artificial intelligence is powered by the Fritz 10 chess engine. Notably, there is no adjustable time-control setting, which means that at higher difficulty tiers the computer can think for an extended period. At level seven a single move may take roughly fifteen minutes, and at the top level nine—rated at an ELO of 3750—the engine can spend several hours deliberating before committing to a move.

The Interplay Trademark Dispute

The game's journey into the United States was derailed by a trademark lawsuit filed by Interplay Entertainment, which argued that the title Battle vs. Chess was too close to their own property, Battle Chess. The dispute escalated to a jury trial in the summer of 2012. The legal proceedings took a sharp turn when TopWare dismissed its attorney and was subsequently unable to secure replacement counsel. As a result, the United States District Court for the Central District of California entered a default judgment in Interplay's favor. The parties eventually reached a settlement on November 15 of that year, in which TopWare agreed to pay Interplay approximately two hundred thousand dollars plus accrued interest. To clear the trademark obstacle and avoid any conflict with Interplay's planned remake of Battle Chess, the game was rebranded as Check vs. Mate for its North American launch. It reached players through digital distribution channels, including the Steam platform, rather than a traditional retail release.

Critical Reception & Legacy

Upon its European release, Battle vs. Chess drew a generally positive, if not universally enthusiastic, response from the gaming press. Eurogamer's German-language outlet, Eurogamer.de, awarded the title a strong 90 percent, while Greek publication Gameover.gr matched that score with its own 90 percent rating. GamingBoulevard.com landed slightly lower at 80 percent, still signaling a favorable review. On the aggregate-tracking site Metacritic, the game settled at a 69 percent score, placing it in the solidly positive but not outstanding range. The spread of scores suggests that critics appreciated the game's visual presentation, its rich mode variety, and the ambition of translating chess into an animated fantasy setting, while the Metacritic figure hints that some reviewers found the experience uneven or that the absence of a time-control option and the lengthy AI think times at higher difficulties tempered their overall impression. The handheld versions that were cancelled before launch, of course, never received any critical coverage at all.

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