Hidden Chinese Chess

Hidden Chinese Chess
Title screen.
Publisher	Sachen
Developer	Joy Van
Cart ID(s)	TC-002
Console	Famicom
Date	1989

Hidden Chinese Chess (暗棋 in Chinese), also known as Um Chi and Glommy Chess, is a Dark Chess game developed by Joy Van.

Gameplay

In-game match.

The game plays like a standard Dark Chess/Banqi game, which in itself is a more casual variation of Chinese Chess. It is played on half of a Chinese Chess board with pieces placed within the squares (as opposed to on the corners like in Chinese Chess) faced down. Each player takes a turn turning over a piece, with whatever color piece is uncovered being that player's team. The pieces that are uncovered move one square each in the four cardinal directions (save for cannons) to move or capture other pieces. Each player then continues to uncover pieces and try to either eliminate all the opponent's pieces or capture the very last piece.

Pieces

Each is a piece type, what color they correspond to (as the Chinese character for a piece is different for each side) along with ranking from strongest to weakest.

• General (帥 / 將): Highest ranked piece that can capture anything that isn't a soldier.
• Advisor (仕 / 士): Second strongest piece since this game uses Taiwanese rules.
• Elephant (相 / 象)
• Chariot (俥 / 車)
• Horse (傌 / 馬)
• Soldier (兵 / 卒): Lowest ranked piece, however they're the only piece that can capture Generals.
• Cannon (炮 / 砲): Can move any distance and capture almost any piece...but only if there's exactly one piece between them and their target. If there's none or two or more, it cannot attack.

Gallery

Main article: Hidden Chinese Chess/gallery

Advert taken from the back of a Sidewinder cart.

Trivia

• The packaging shows the two in-game characters being identical men in red and blue clothing, however their in-game art during a match shows the red player being a girl with braided pigtails.
• The Chinese release's manual lists the next three (in serial order) upcoming Joy Van releases, but instead of Sidewinder it curiously mentions a Journey to the West that neither Joy Van nor Sachen ever released.
• The game's glitchy, with one being a game-breaking bug common if the player does too well at a match; the computer will try to turn over the bottom-right most piece, but if it's already turned over or unselectable it will just sit there forever, requiring a reset.
• Due to a possible glitch, every time you press select at the title screen the music restarts.