GBA LaserChess Instructions

The Playing Field

Laser Chess is played on a 9 by 9 board. The Red and Green players start on opposite sides of the board with the Green player making the first move.

Game Play and Turns

In Laser Chess, players take turns playing and make two moves per turn. The number of moves left is indicated by the colored squares to the right of the Board. Each of the following counts as one move:

- Moving a piece one square up, down, left, or right. *
- Firing the Laser piece. You can fire the laser only once per turn.
- Rotating a piece to a different angle.

* You can move pieces diagonally if their path is not blocked and if you have two moves available.

Making Moves

The controls for the game are as follows:

Which players turn it is (Green or Red), is indicated by the colored boxes to the right of the board.  The color of the boxes indicated who's turn it is, and the number of boxes indicated how many moves are remaining.

To pick up a piece, move the cursor over the piece and press the 'A' button.  To release the piece press the 'A' button again.   When a piece is picked up, a "ghost" piece is left in its place to show you its original position and orientation.  You can cancel the move at any point by pressing the 'B' button.

To Move a piece, first pick up the piece, then move the cursor to a different location and press the 'A' button again to release the piece.  If the move is not valid, you will hear an audible sound, and the piece will not be released.  Press the 'B' button to cancel.

To rotate a piece, first pick up the piece.  Then with the piece picked up, press the 'Left Trigger', or 'Right Trigger' buttons to rotate the piece.  Press the 'A' button again to release the piece in its new direction.  To cancel the rotation, press the 'B' button and the piece will be dropped and placed back to its original position.  A piece can be rotated in any direction in a move.  If the piece is rotated to a position that leaves it in the same orientation it was when you picked it up, then released with the 'A' button, a move will not be counted.

Movements and rotations can be combined assuming you have two free moves.

The Geometric Army:

All the Pieces have Dark (vulnerable) and light (reflective) surfaces. Any piece struck on a non-reflective surface (with the exception of the HyperCube) will be destroyed.
	The King is the most important piece in the game. When the King is eliminated, the other player wins the game. The King can be destroyed by a Laser Beam from any direction, and can also be captured by an opposing Block or King. However the King can capture ANY opposing piece by moving onto its square. Players can only capture one piece per turn.
	The Laser is the next most important piece in the game and serves as your primary offensive weapon. To use it, rotate it in the direction you want and fire. The Laser is vulnerable to Laser Beams, including its own, so care should be taken not to fire at any flat reflecting surfaces. Keeping you Laser alive is the key to winning the game.
	The Beam Splitter can split a Laser Beam into two beams. When a laser beam hits the splitter at its vertex (the point joining the mirrors) the beam will split into two beams traveling to the left and right of the vertex. When struck on the left or right sides, the beam will be deflected 90 degrees. The back side of the Beam Splitter is vulnerable to Laser attacks.
	The Block is both an offensive and defensive piece. The Block has one reflective side, but is vulnerable on its other three sides. Like the King, a Block can capture ANY opposing piece by moving onto that piece's square. Players can only capture one piece per turn.
	The Straight Mirror is immune to laser beams. If a laser strikes its flat surface the laser will be reflected 180 degrees. If a laser hits the mirror along its long edge the laser will pass right through it.
	The Diagonal Mirror like the Straight Mirror is immune to laser beams. Any laser striking this mirror will be deflected 90 degrees left or right depending on the position of the mirror on contact.
	The Triangular Mirror is similar to the Diagonal Mirror with the exception that it can be destroyed if struck by a laser on one of its vulnerable sides.
	The HyperCube is used to teleport ANY piece (including your own) to a random location. Although Laser Beams will pass right through it, this piece can still be captured by an opposing Block or King. Players can teleport only once per turn.
	The HyperSquare is in the middle of the board and does not belong to either player. This piece absorbs laser beams, and when a piece is placed upon it, the piece will be teleported to random location. Players can teleport only once per turn.

LaserChess Strategy:

As in the conventional game of Chess, much of the strategy in LaserChess revolves around thoughtful placement of your pieces.  However, the character of the game differs from that of Chess in many ways.  The Laser, for example, can strike at long distances and in more than one direction at once.  And the hypercube adds an extra element of uncertainty.  The best strategy for any particular game depends to a great extent on the skill and personality of your opponent.  However here are some general tips you may find helpful.

    Get your mirrors out early.  Use them to gain the fullest potential of your laser.  Try to position mirror networks on both sides of the beam splitter so you can inflict as much damage as possible.

    Take advantage of the blocks.  Since they "control" an area around them with their threat of capture, no other pieces can safely move within their range.  Make your opponent work to displace them.  Remember to rotate the reflective side of a block to the most probable direction of laser fire.  If you can prevent a laser from destroying a block, your opponent will most likely have to gang up on it with two or more of his own blocks.

    Use mirrors to protect your King.  If you surround your King with straight and diagonal mirrors, there is no way it can be hit by a laser.  Therefore your opponent will have to break through your defense with blocks.  (This is a pretty dirty trick, because when all of your opponent's blocks have been destroyed, your King is almost invulnerable.)  Defending your King with blocks is also a good strategy.

    The HyperCube should be used sparingly, since you have no idea where a relocated piece will reappear.  Most players use the hypercube as a last resort-if another piece is going to be destroyed anyway, it doesn't hurt to take a chance and relocate it with the hypercube.  Also, if your opponent's King is encircled with mirrors, you can march right in with your hypercube, followed by a block.  This tactic may displace your opponent's defense, forcing him to evacuate the King from its mirrored fortress.  Escorting the hypercube with an adjacent block prevents the opponent from attacking the hypercube with his or her King.  Your opponent's only options will be to flee or be displaced.