Checkers Reborn as an Online Strategy War GameThe new online game Quadradius blends the simplicity of the classic board game checkers and the complexity of today's video strategic games such as BattleBots. As they move their game pieces on the squares of the board, the Quadradius players can use various weapons to kill their opponent's pieces, dig tunnels and plant bombs at the enemy's side of the board and execute other war-like operations on the virtual chessboard.
The two game designers Jimmi Heiserman and Brad Kayal, both of Boston, who created the new online video game Quadradius, took the militarist essence of the classic checkers game to an extent. Instead of simply hopping from one square to another as in the original board game, Quadradius players enjoy additional power orbs, allowing them to kill the opponent's pieces and take over its squares in a super-heroic matter.
On top of the belligerent twist of the checkers game, Quadradius can use skills borrowed from other popular online games. While aiming to cross the board, they are required to make strategic decisions like the average backgammon player, bluff to deceive their opponents and even gamble as if they were playing poker.
When taking care of the game visuals, Brad Kayal, Quadradius art director, didn't feel any obligation to stay loyal to the original black and white squares of the classic checkers game. The futuristic looks of the online game brings to mind high tech robotic version of pen and paper battleships.
Checkers is, of course, not the first classic game that underwent revival and renovation as an online game. Chess and backgammon have been resurrected online a long time ago, yet no one was brave enough to twist the 5,000 years old backgammon game and take it to the farther, unknown future.
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