#20: Battle Chess (Interplay, Amiga, 1988/1989)

There is a unique animation for each combination of one piece taking another. Now, these animations certainly have some level of entertainment value, though how much is certainly up for debate. But they also serve to considerably slow down the process of actually playing a game of chess. Simply put, if all you are after is a computer simulation of chess, there were many far better options available for purchase. So we must take it as read that the chief appeal of Battle Chess is in its animations. Which means that the win condition for the player necessarily changes from putting his opponent in checkmate to unlocking each and every animation the game has to offer.