Most Recent Games

Beyond Dream and Time

The Green & Red

Breakfast Requiem

Pod Dwellers

Find Games

Search Games by Category

Search Games by Title or Author
(first ten matches are autocompleted; click Go! for more results)

AGS Award Winners

Picks of the Month

Remakes Made with AGS

Lucky Dip

All Games List

AGS Games in Production

Hints & Tips

Zugzwang

by Wretched

(Click image to zoom)

Left click image or press up key to zoom in; right click image or press down key to zoom out.
Click 'X' or press ESC to close.

Download Options for Zugzwang

Click Download Link to download the game, Mirror Link to download the game's mirror, or Report Link to report a link as broken.

Click Other Link to download any other miscellanous download type (e.g. voice pack, game trailer, etc.)

Windows version

File size: 4 MB
Downloaded: 4,489 times
Graphics: 640x480, 32-bit color

Operating System(s):

Windows

Game Genre:

Fantasy

Game Type:

Comedy

Story Type:

Original

MAGS (Monthly AGS competition entry):

✔

Release Date:

29 Oct 2005

AGS Panel Rating:

(help)

Player Rating:

Website:

Visit Game's Website

Play Length:

Short Game	Can be completed within 30 minutes
Medium Length Game	Takes at least 30 mins to finish
Full Length Game	As long as a Sierra / LucasArts classic
Non-Adventure Game	Using Adventure Game Studio for something else?!
Joke Game	You know when it fits this category ;)
Demo	Unfinished Games / Commercial Games
Training Game	Games made just to try out AGS
<Category Not Set>	Not yet categorised
	Close window

Content Advisory:

None

None

None

Language(s):

English

Public Opinion

If you've played this game, why not help out and give us your votes?

16 people have rated this game so far:

Visual:

85%

Immersion:

85%

Puzzles & Pacing:

86%

Overall Enjoyment:

86%

About this game

Ever thought learning how to play chess was a bit of an adventure? Well now it really is.

Zugzwang gradually leads the player through the basic movements of all the pieces, how to setup the board, capturing, castling, check, checkmate and stalemate, the weird nature of pawns and even the obscure en passant rule. At the same time you get to help two little Pawns, one White and one Black, to reach their ultimate ambitions. To play in a real Battle. Meet and talk to all the Pieces ,Black and White, and solve numerous chess puzzles, some serious and some just silly.

See the people who made this game and any other games they've worked on >>

Wretched

9 other games: >>

AGS Awards Nominations

Nominated, Best Gameplay 2005

Nominated, Best Programming 2005

AGS Panel Review

"Fantastic chess-based adventure game that not only teaches you how to play chess but has some light puzzle solving, too. Unfortunately the chess playing sequences are a bit stilted since the enemy pieces move only when threatened or see attacks of opportunity, which makes the lessons unnecessarily difficult (and unrealistic)."

12 people commented on this game (newest first):

quite amazing

2010-11-29 17:38:13 by Cal (gamerguy)

Very original ! I don't really like Chess game, but this game is well done and interesting. Congratulations for the mini-games.

2008-11-09 19:26:55 by Marion

There should be some kind of walkthrough. I got fed up, when I could not get passed the woodworm game. No hints I saw were of any help. Trial and Error does not work for some of us. Would have been nice to continue the adventure as I was enjoying it, being a chess player, but it was impossible for me to get passed the woodworm game.

2007-07-22 19:32:59 by Meg, Scotland (clydevalley)

I rarely comment on games in general but I thought it appropriate in this case since the game was released without much fanfare. I was pleasantly surprised by Zugzwang and recommend it to fans of chess, though people who hate chess might want to give it a miss as learning the game is a big part of this game. Also it suffers from some kludgy puzzle design but overall it's a solid, fun adventure that's even more impressive when you recognize it was made within a month.

2007-07-16 02:07:20 by ProgZmax

Zugwang is one of my top ten favourite AGs games of all time and a sadly oft-overlooked masterpiece. It combines elements of the adventure game with chess simulations. Superb for children, or anyone, who wants to learn chess, Zugwang teaches the basics of the game (and some of the more complex elements too) gradually and brilliantly. If you already play chess, you'll enjoy it. If you don't, it's a great learning experience as well as a very inventive and entertaining adventure game.

Zugwang is one of the most lovingly crafted and ingeniously concieved adventure games I have ever played. Try it, you won't regret it.

2007-01-27 14:40:18 by madmanmunt

Very well played out. Teaches as well as entertains and I have to say I love the ending LOL.

2006-03-26 11:16:55 by Chistina (chistinalove)

This would have to be one of my favourite games made on AGS. Before it I didn't know much about chess and I learnt it while having a great time. Thank-you Wretched!

2005-11-29 20:05:29 by mozza

I echo Rosies words...... "This guy is a genius"

2005-11-18 03:47:54 by jane

Another unique, challenging and rewarding MAGS game - Wretched's done it again.
Great game, the chess puzzles can be quite challenging, but even a complete beginner can get through it with some adventure-game-logic. Hell, I'd even recommend it to anyone trying to learn chess, it's thorough and better designed than I could've ever expected.

2005-11-16 15:48:05 by SimB

As I have said before, "This guy is a genius"

2005-11-01 16:37:25 by Rosie

There are 2 more comments that you can see >>>

I really liked this game... The way the puzzles were just right, and if you did a little thinking it ran smoothly. And the mini games for each piece were perfect for each section of the game. No one needs to know how to play chess to play this game, it teaches you.

2005-11-01 07:24:17 by King_Nipper

Shouldn't this be in the "Non-Adventure Games category?

2005-10-31 01:03:34 by commentator (zooomer1990)

You must be logged in to the forums to post comments.

1 Cup	Not serious entertainment
2 Cups	A reasonable game, worth a try
3 Cups	A good game, worth playing
4 Cups	A great game, well worth your time
5 Cups	An outstanding, must-play game!

⚠ Cookies ⚠

Zugzwang

Download Options for Zugzwang

Public Opinion

About this game

AGS Awards Nominations

AGS Panel Review

12 people commented on this game (newest first):