Gambonanza is introducing the chess format to mobile in an innovative manner

Drawn from the likes of Balatro, this offers a rapid roguelike take on the classic board game

Utilize rule-altering Gambits and strive to capture all the pieces

The traditional board game of chess has seen numerous adaptations over time. However, one of the latest that caught our attention was the vibrant roguelike Gambonanza, which made a splash at Steam Next Fest and is now open for pre-registration on mobile devices!

Gambonanza clearly showcases its influences in terms of design and visual style. There's a clear hint of Balatro present here as you progress through roguelike sessions, accumulating points that can be used to purchase upgrades and Gambits (their equivalent of Jokers) to further alter the rules.

Naturally, this is still chess, so there are notable differences in gameplay. You will be challenged to capture each piece on the board, often one that is much smaller than normal, rather than simply placing the King in Check. Additionally, intense boss battles and clever mini-games add further complexity!

Check and mate

I believe it's reasonable to emphasize that Gambonanza clearly draws a lot of inspiration from Balatro. However, this is not meant to undermine the developer, as Gambonanza does what any work inspired by another should do—offering a bold new take on the concept.

What I particularly appreciate is the fact that unlike the (still highly enjoyable) idea of Shotgun King, which only has a slight resemblance to the original, Gambonanza is attempting to reshape the format in as unconventional yet recognizable way as possible. With an anticipated release date of May 1st according to its iOS App Store listing, this one is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

If you're interested in seeing other reimaginations of real-world board games on mobile, be sure to check out our list of the best digital board games for Android! We rank everything from major titles like Monopoly Go to indie favorites we believe are worth playing!