King of the Bridge
- March 8, 2024
- Finn Schuuring
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"King of the Bridge" is a unique spin on chess, where you must defeat a troll in his twisted version of the game, with over 20 unusual rules, to cross his bridge. The game features a lengthy rulebook to decipher, and the troll will stop at nothing to cheat and taunt you. With multiple endings, speedrun mode, and numerous achievements, this is not your typical chess game.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Very fun and creative game with a unique twist on chess.
- Charming visuals and humorous dialogue enhance the overall experience.
- Great value for the price, offering multiple endings and achievements for replayability.
- The game is quite short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete.
- Some players find the AI's cheating mechanics frustrating and unbalanced.
- Limited content and lack of depth may leave players wanting more after the initial playthrough.
- humor49 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players finding it genuinely funny and charming, often leading to audible laughter during gameplay. The clever twists on traditional chess rules, combined with whimsical animations and a humorous troll character, create a delightful and memorable experience that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game's lighthearted tone and witty dialogue contribute to its appeal as a short, enjoyable puzzle game.
“The game condenses a delightful experience into a small and affordable package that made me laugh a few times with the stupidity of it all.”
“It's so smart how you can cheat in the game if the troll cheats first; the troll is funny, especially that one time where I put his king on a duck and he was not happy!”
“King of the Bridge is a charming chess experience featuring a humorous troll, a wacky rule book, and a king that doesn’t quit.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its unique mechanics, creativity, and engaging challenges, appealing to a wide audience. Players enjoy the process of mastering the rules and uncovering various strategies, with multiple endings and achievements adding to the experience. While the graphics are simple, the overall execution and humor enhance the fun, making it a worthwhile indie title despite some technical issues on certain platforms.
“Honestly one of the better games of 2024, the gameplay is creative and can be enjoyed by all kinds of people.”
“The fun comes from the gameplay of learning the rules and calling out cheating.”
“The art style is lovely and the gameplay is challenging and innovative.”
“Since you can't cheat, there's no point in calling out the computer when it cheats, so the core mechanic of the game is just gone.”
“There's no mechanic, for example, to track the troll's building suspicion.”
“Basically they never bothered to test that the game worked on Mac; it turns out the dialogue boxes don't work, and if you are on Mac, the game will just softlock at the first dialogue, right before gameplay starts.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and unique art style, often described as simple yet appealing, reminiscent of retro pixel art. While some reviewers noted that the visuals are not groundbreaking, they appreciate the aesthetics and how they complement the gameplay, which is the main focus. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's charm and originality, despite being basic in execution.
“The art style is lovely and the gameplay is challenging and innovative.”
“I also think the visuals are very charming and the goblin is funny.”
“It's a very original idea and the art style is simple but unique.”
“The graphics are very simple and basic, made with pixel art and a color scheme that reminds me of the first Game Boys with tones of green and low screen resolution, but this isn’t a deal breaker because the gameplay is what the game is all about.”
“Graphics are not very important for a game like this, but in this case they are just too crappy.”
“King of the Bridge is a short indie, low-budget chess game with simple graphics but that has a creative and original gameplay.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the multiple endings, achievements, and different gameplay modes that encourage replay, others find it limited due to its short length and lack of additional content after completion. Many users suggest that the game is enjoyable for a single playthrough but may not offer enough incentive for repeated plays beyond achievement hunting.
“Multiple endings, humor, and replayability included.”
“This is a silly fun type of game that's short enough to finish but has replayability and different endings to explore, and a pretty low price as well - definitely worth a try.”
“Even when you've beaten the game, there is plenty of replayability - different speed modes to play, trying to get all 30+ achievements, and even every normal game is different.”
“Very fun game, albeit not very replayable.”
“The only negative thing about this game is the low replay value. After beating the troll and finishing all the achievements, there's little to do. I hope the developers will add something like a game mode with random rules every match, or even some different types of enemies with their own rules. I would gladly pay for a well-crafted DLC that provides this.”
“The only thing I would say is a downside is that there isn't much replay value since there is no further path or story to complete.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often overshadowing the enjoyable moments. Many report spending excessive time on repetitive tasks and achievements, leading to a sense of burnout, particularly when trying to reach various endings or complete specific challenges. Overall, while the game has its fun elements, the grind can detract significantly from the overall experience.
“There's probably an hour or two of great fun, with the rest of my playtime being spent grinding out achievements.”
“Getting to any ending at all is a frustrating task, and is just grindy, even after unlocking all the rules.”
“The troll keeps making the same mistakes and the loop gets boring and grindy after an hour.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simple and lighthearted, revolving around a challenge to cross a bridge guarded by a troll, with multiple endings based on gameplay choices. While some players appreciate the cute sprites and humor, others criticize the lack of depth and replay value, feeling that the story is underdeveloped and not engaging enough. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some finding it fun and others deeming it a waste of time.
“Cute with fun gameplay and a simple but effective story/conflict.”
“There isn’t a very elaborate story; you’re trying to cross the bridge, and the troll is there challenging you. Depending on what you do during the chess match, you will unlock one of the four different endings the game has.”
“Sprites are cute, the story is funny, and the effects are well-made.”
“This game is terrible. What a waste of $4. It's just playing over and over again. Please do not buy this game. They could have made it more engaging, but no, this game has no storyline and no good art. I would not recommend this game. I will refund it right away; it's a giant pile of garbage. Imagine being gifted this; it's the worst game I have ever played. Delete this game!”
“There isn’t a very elaborate story. You’re trying to cross the bridge, and the troll is there challenging you. Depending on what you do during the chess match, you will unlock one of the four different endings the game has.”
“The only thing I would say is a downside is that there isn't much replay value since there is no further path or story to complete.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its effective sound design and immersive dialogue, successfully capturing the intended fantasy setting. Reviewers appreciate the blend of "puzzle chess" and "challenge chess" elements, contributing to a compelling and engaging environment.
“The dialogue and background noise give the game a nice atmosphere that reproduces the fantasy setting the developer was aiming for.”
“Overall, a really good concept with an awesome atmosphere; I really like the sound design—simple but quite effective.”
“It creates a great atmosphere of a sort of 'puzzle chess' and 'challenge chess'.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users describing it as incredible and integral to the overall experience, enhancing both gameplay and artistic elements.
“Incredible gameplay, incredible art, incredible music, incredible game. Buy it now!”
“The soundtrack is absolutely mesmerizing and perfectly complements the game's atmosphere.”
“Each track is beautifully composed, enhancing the emotional depth of the gameplay experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' strong attachment to their pieces, indicating a deep investment in the gameplay experience and a sense of personal connection to their in-game choices.
