Matthew BaileyGame 65# and the penultimate game of the “Now & Then Summer Marathon 2024” is the inventively titled “Minecraft Chess Set – Overworld Heroes vs. Hostile Mobs” played by Jack(9) and Toby(6) (this was all them).
Since my semi-jokey review a few months ago, the boys have really gotten into playing chess with each other. Additionally, being in chess clubs at school has helped them become quite adept at the game.
So, when the opportunity to try out the “Minecraft Chess Set” came up, the boys were very keen for me to agree.
As usual, I won’t delve into the rules of chess here; you can check out my original semi-serious chess review linked below if you need a refresher. Instead, I’ll focus on whether the “Minecraft Chess Set” is a good one.
Firstly, the presentation of the set is excellent, making it perfect as a gift. The outer box is made of high-quality printed paper, and this standard of presentation continues throughout the entire product.
The board is composed of four acrylic pieces that slot together neatly, with “Minecraft” sliders to keep everything in place. This design not only ensures the chess set is of high quality but also makes it compact enough to fit in a reasonable-sized box. I might have preferred light green and earth brown for the chess squares, but that’s a minor quibble.
The pieces are made of what feels like vinyl resin and are generally of high quality. They aren’t too hard and have a slight flex to them, but they look visually appealing. The marble effect works well across both sets.
One issue the boys encountered was keeping track of which pieces were which. While most pieces are clearly represented—such as columns and creepers as castles, and villagers as bishops—there are a few unusual choices. For instance, the Ender Dragon and the Wither being the King and Queen, respectively, for the mob team is a bit unconventional, though I suppose there weren’t many other options.
The biggest issue is distinguishing between Steve as the King and Alex as the Queen. While the choice makes sense, the character models are quite similar, causing confusion. Jack kept mixing up which character was the King and which was the Queen. It might have been more effective to include identifying marks on the back of the pieces rather than the front, as you naturally want the pieces facing forward during play.
Despite these minor concerns, the “Minecraft Chess Set” is of extremely high quality. Priced around £50-£60, it’s a solid buy. I was really impressed and will definitely add it to the boys’ Christmas list, as we’ll need to return this one.
If your children are Minecraft fans and you’re considering a chess set, this could be a great option.
Disclaimer: A copy of “The Minecraft Chess Set” was provided by “The Noble Collection” via the “UKBG Review Circle.” Our thoughts and opinions are our own, and the price has been taken into account.
