Shotgun King has you clearing the board (literally) in this chess-based roguelike

• Take on the forces of the other side in Shotgun King
• Balance classic chess rules with a 12 gauge twist
• Use roguelike upgrades to enhance your run

Fittingly for a tabletop classic that's defined culture for generations, chess has had a myriad of different versions. There's the original Viking one, modern reinterpretations with pop-culture characters in place of the pieces, and even shotguns! Wait, what? Yes, Shotgun King takes clearing the board to its literal extreme!

Shotgun King is set to arrive this February on iOS after previously releasing for the Epic Games Store on mobile. It sees you taking on the role of the shotgun-armed King piece, making moves across the chessboard and eliminating the other pieces with the help of your handy 12-gauge.

Now, if this sounds like a goofy, if serviceable concept, hold your horses. Because this isn't a Survivors clone. You'll actually have to abide by the rules of chess to avoid being put in check, and carefully plan your moves with each being used to either reload, advance or shoot.

Hail to the king

I initially thought I knew what Shotgun King had to offer. But I admit, the fact that it offers a relatively faithful interpretation of the rules did surprise me. Of course, there are some allowances for the roguelike format, such as fantastical upgrades. But at its core, Shotgun King is all about the game of chess with a new buckshot twist.

The only thing that still surprises me then is that we previously had it offered for free on mobile. I've already got it installed thanks to its listing on the Epic Games Store, but the fact that a mainstream storefront release is also being offered is intriguing. It certainly suggests that Epic is still struggling to gain a comfortable foothold.

It's certainly not the most recent major indie to make a move to mobile. That honour, I believe, goes to the recently reviewed Cult of the Lamb.