Belgian indie developer Cabbage Club has released the playable demo for Just Chessing Around, giving players their first chance to experience its unique blend of classic chess strategy and roguelike progression. Available now on Steam, the demo also joins the Six One Indie Demo Showcase, making it an ideal time to see how this unconventional take on chess plays.
Rather than following the traditional rules of the board game, Just Chessing Around transforms each match into a roguelike journey through a medieval world. Players travel across a series of increasingly difficult chessboards with the ultimate objective of defeating the Dark King. As the adventure unfolds, new enemy types—including powerful mages and other specialized units—add fresh tactical challenges that go well beyond standard chess encounters.
The game also introduces dynamic environments that fundamentally alter how battles play out. Hazards such as water can reshape the battlefield, while quicksand forces players to keep their pieces moving to avoid becoming trapped. Every board presents new obstacles that require players to rethink familiar chess strategies and adapt to ever-changing conditions.
Drawing inspiration from roguelike classics like The Binding of Isaac, Just Chessing Around encourages experimentation instead of lengthy tutorials. Players are expected to discover mechanics, strategies, and synergies naturally through repeated runs, rewarding curiosity and creative problem-solving.
In addition to classic chess pieces like bishops and knights, the demo introduces original units, including the mysterious Jerry, with even more custom pieces planned for the full release. Throughout each run, players can collect buffs and items that create powerful combinations, allowing armies to become increasingly formidable. Consumable tools such as fire bombs provide additional tactical options for overcoming difficult encounters.
Boss battles add another layer of strategy by placing players against opponents capable of using the same mechanics available to them. Minibosses can strengthen their own armies with buffs, utilize items, and even manipulate movement in unexpected ways, ensuring every major encounter feels unique.
The battlefield itself becomes an active threat thanks to environmental hazards including spike traps, tornadoes, lightning strikes, slime, and more. Even individual chess pieces display personality through animated reactions to their surroundings, bringing the game’s medieval world to life as they struggle through hazards like quicksand.
With its combination of roguelike progression, environmental hazards, and inventive twists on traditional chess mechanics, Just Chessing Around offers a fresh strategy experience for both chess enthusiasts and roguelike fans. The demo is available now on Steam.