A single player puzzle game for Playdate, PC, Mac, iOS.
First released: April 20th, 2022
A unique chess-RPG-puzzle hybrid set inside a corrupted 90s computer. Battle an evil chess invasion across 24 handcrafted levels, purge glitched worlds and bosses, and restore the system. Minimal Bauhaus visuals and a deep drone soundtrack shape a tense, atmospheric journey.

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This is a chess-RPG-puzzle hybrid set inside a corrupted 90s computer system. Classic movement rules collide with spatial logic challenges and lightweight RPG elements as you battle through a machine overrun by rogue chess algorithms. Your goal is simple: restore order to a grid that has lost its rules.
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Across 24 carefully designed levels, the game builds new mechanics piece by piece. Each stage is a self contained logic puzzle with increasing complexity, hidden interactions and planning. Standard chess expectations break down as the system becomes more unstable, leaving you to adapt, experiment and outthink the corruption.
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The journey is split into four themed worlds. As you advance, the corruption intensifies until you reach the end game: a larger, more complex puzzle built entirely from glitching chess logic. Defeating each boss purges the instability and unlocks the end game.
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The entire experience takes place within a fictional machine inspired by Commodore Amigas, and early 90s system architecture. Every interface, transition, and animation is styled to feel like you’ve stepped into forgotten software from a lost operating system, a ghost program from the era of floppy disks and CRT screens.
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The visuals draw heavily from Bauhaus design principles: clean lines, strict geometry, selective block colors, and sharp contrast. The result is a crisp, elegant aesthetic that mixes modern minimalism with retro computer graphics.

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An evil chess program has infected the machine, rewriting rules and warping logic. To restore normality, you must defeat the corrupted structures one zone at a time.
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A brooding drone soundtrack underscores the journey, built from analog tones, soft buzzes, and ambient hum reminiscent of aging hardware. It creates a hypnotic, meditative atmosphere that reinforces the sense of navigating an unstable digital space.
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Whether you prefer keyboard inputs, controller navigation, or direct touch interaction, the game fully supports your play style. Every control scheme is designed to be minimal, responsive, and immediately understandable.
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This isn’t a standard puzzle game, a simple chess variant, or a traditional RPG. It merges elements of all three into something distinct. It rewards logical thinking, pattern recognition, and careful planning, while offering a structure and tone unlike any other puzzle title. It’s familiar, yet entirely its own.
"It's slow but quite compelling, with an unsettling atmosphere" - EDGE magazine
"Questy Chess - weird, glitchy and brilliantly malevolent." - Eurogamer
top 10 games of season 1 - The Verge
"Questy Chess is one of the coolest games, with super lo-fi aesthetics ... it's just such a delight." - IGN
Nominated for 2 awards in the Playdate Community Awards! Best Strategy Game & Best Sound Design.
| Questy Chess Credits | |
|---|---|
| Director, Graphics, Level Design, UI coding, porting | Hawken King |
| Gameplay Code | Richard Nakamatsu |
| Audio, Music | Justin DiCenzo |
| Art Direction | Dan Clarke |
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