RADICAL: VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL OR TRADITIONAL
CHESS: A GAME FOR 2 PLAYERS EACH OF WHOM MOVES 16 PIECES ACCORDING TO FIXED RULES ACROSS A CHECKERBOARD AND TRIES TO CHECKMATE THE OPPONENT’S KING
Radical Chess
IN THE FALL OF 1984 THE JAPANESE ARCADE GAME MANUFACTURER AFTER KINEMATIC WAS POISED TO MAKE THE LEAP INTO THE HOME VIDEO GAME MARKET WITH A NEW GAME CALLED RADICAL CHESS. THEIR PLAN WAS TO RELEASE IT AS SHAREWARE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. AS WAS BECOMING COMMON AT THE TIME, THE GAME ALLOWED PLAYERS LIMITED ACCESS TO THE GAME BEFORE ASKING THEM TO VERIFY THAT THEY HAD PURCHASED THE FULL VERSION BY ENTERING KEY PHRASES FROM THE MANUAL. UNFORTUNATELY, BEFORE THE GAME'S RELEASE THE COMPANY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER SOME COPIES OF THE GAME WERE DISCOVERED AND SHARED ONLINE VIA USENET AND BBSES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE NO MANUALS WERE EVER PRINTED AND DISTRIBUTED, NO ONE WAS EVER ABLE TO PLAY THE FULL GAME AND IT HAS SINCE FADED INTO OBSCURITY.
*none of that is true. Enjoy the game.