Knowing how to play chess won’t get you very far in Once A Pawn A King. In fact, it might be better if you forgot the rulebook altogether.
Launching today in version 1.0, the new turn-based roguelike borrows the familiar pieces, movement, and tactical thinking of chess before gleefully throwing centuries of tradition out the window.
Players build a party of pawns, bishops, knights, rooks, and other classic pieces before venturing into a fractured castle in search of the missing Black King. Standing in the way is the tyrannical White King, along with randomized encounters, shifting battlefields, and enough unpredictable upgrades to ensure no two runs play the same way.
While the game wears a chess-inspired coat of paint, success has far more to do with experimentation than memorizing famous openings. Every run encourages players to discover new synergies between pieces, adapt to unexpected situations, and rethink their strategy after every defeat.
That roguelike structure is what makes the idea so appealing. Losing isn’t simply part of the challenge, it’s part of the learning process. One upgraded pawn or a newly discovered combination can completely change how the next run unfolds.
For strategy fans looking for something familiar yet refreshingly different, Once A Pawn A King proves you don’t need to know the Sicilian Defense to enjoy a great game of chess. You just need to be willing to break a few rules.