Batman Chess
Shall the order prevail in Gotham City?
Play Batman chess and see if Joker, Bane, or perhaps The Riddler win this time?
Take one side, let your friend take the other, and fight for (dis)order in Gotham!
Batman, a superhero of DC universe is one of the particularly long-lived comic book characters. His first appearance was in 27th issue of “Detective comics”, in 1939.
With minor hiatuses, his adventures continued for the rest of 20th century, and still go on. There are over 30 movies and serials with Batman, and there are over 40 video games featuring Batman as the main character. And it is games that we are to look at today – or rather, just one game, and not a video game, chess.
Specifically, Batman-themed chess – sure to make a great gift for your superhero-obsessed friend (or perhaps for yourself, if you are the superhero-obsessed friend).
Batman vs Joker set
The two arch-enemies, inseparably joined together in their fight – this time, with the help of their respective sidekicks; Batman and Catwoman, and Joker with Harley Quinn. Well, maybe Catwoman isn’t quite a sidekick of Batman, but hey, it’s a quite close match.
The pieces themselves have a quite good appearance and the quality is better than could usually be expected of a plastic set. But as this is a set officially approved by Warner Brothers, higher quality is to be expected! The board, however, is made out of cardboard, so it may be a little bit on the less durable side.
With all the recent blockbuster movies focused on Joker and Harley Quinn, it sure is a quite relevant set for a DC enthusiast! The layout and the board is similar to Simpsons Chess set.
plastic, 2”-4”, board – cardboard, 18.5”x18.5”
- pieces are quite durable and high quality
- relatively inexpensive
- very colourful, high-contrast set
- the board may be not very durable
Batman DC Universe Chess
Now this set, well, it is not just a Batman set, it’s a whole DC Universe set. However, Batman is the focus here, as you can see even by the board design.
The first thing that’s really striking about this set is the sheer number of different chess pieces; every single one is different. One could really have a hard time telling the figures apart, which one’s a rook, which one’s a pawn, et cetera. For that very reason, each piece is set on a pedestal symbolically representing its role.
And the Chess Board is certainly a step-up from the set above – it’s made from plastic, which is so much more durable. And look, they didn’t forget about Robin!
If you are looking for a set which can also double as a figurine collection (or the opposite) that’s certainly a set for you!
plastic, board:plastic.
- high quality pieces doubling as figurines
- both the board and the pieces fairly durable
- still quite affordable
- the pieces may be hard to tell apart
- if you want The Riddler to be the king (or for that matter, to change who plays the role of which piece), you’re going to have a very hard time remembering which piece does what.
Batman Marvel vs DC Chess Set
But, what if you like DC and Marvel? Well then here’s a chess set for you;
Who is more powerful? Spiderman or Batman? Thor or Superman? It is time to find out! Let’s settle this in an all-out battle!
Just like the chess above, each piece is different, and just as in the set above, you can tell pieces apart by the pedestals on which they stand. It is also made from plastic, and the pieces here are also incredibly detailed.
It is a perfect set for a stand-off between a Marvel Chess fan and a DC fan.
However, there are some downsides here too; since it isn’t sold as a complete set, but as individual pieces, it may be really hard to collect the entire set. And of course, it does not come with a chess boards. That makes these pieces a really interesting collectible, but it may be really hard to collect them all so as to actually be able to play chess with this set.
Pieces – plastic, board – none.
- very detailed, very varied set
- both for a DC fan and for a Marvel fan
- more of a collectible than a set
- more of a collectible than a set
- hard to purchase the entire set at once
- board has to be bought separately
Batman in Justice Leaugue Chess Set
It isn’t just Batman in these chess; it is also Superman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Latern, and Flash. Representing the forces of evil, there’s Joker, Lex Luthor, Cheetah, Sinistero and Reverse Flash.
The monochromatic colouring of this set is a nice change from the more colourfully mottled and patterned sets shown earlier.
Minimalist colouring and the general aesthetics make this set particularly fit for those with the taste for a more traditional appearance. It is also a perfectly playable set.
Pieces – resin, board – wood and plastic.
- traditional appearance
- pieces are easier to tell apart
- sold with a board
- may be a little less durable
Ultimate Batman Chess
This is the ultimate Batman chess set money can buy. If you are looking for something little to finish the décor of your bat-cave, or maybe for something special to keep displayed, there’s no much point in looking further than that. It is truly a set only for those determined to have the best, for those who accept no compromises.
The light-up board, surrounded by Gotham City’s silhouette is incredibly detailed, and is by far the best board that we’ve seen in this theme. And the pieces, made from pewter and die-cast metal, are of similarly high quality.
If you are looking for a set that wouldn’t look out of place in Bruce Wayne’s bat cave, a set that can be played and displayed, look no further.
Pieces: die-cast metal and pewter, 2 ½” - 5 ½”, board – pewter, plastic, 20”x20”
- extremely high quality
- playable and displayable
- price
Wrapping It Up
So, what do you think?
A clever way to promote the new Batman movie or too nerdy for words? I have to admit when I first saw these chess sets I was a little surprised.
But after thinking about it some more, I really like the idea.
It’s a fun way to get people excited about the movie and encourages people to learn something new (chess).
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that this chess set is unique and definitely got my attention.
This game takes the classic board game and spices it up with some of DC’s most iconic characters.
What do you think? Comments welcome!