4-nin Shougi (Japan) - MAME software

Nintendo Super Famicom cart. published 31 years ago:

4-nin Shougi © 1995 Planning Office WADA

4-nin Shougi is a digital adaptation of the four-player variant of Shogi (Japanese chess). Unlike standard two-player Shogi, which is played on a 9x9 board, this version accommodates four participants, each starting on one side of the board with a reduced set of pieces—typically including a King, a Rook, two Gold Generals, two Silver Generals, and three Pawns. The objective remains to capture the opponents' Kings, with the added strategic complexity of temporary alliances and multi-player maneuvering.

TECHNICAL
GAME ID: SHVC-AYSJ

TRIVIA
Released on July 14, 1995 (Friday) in Japan.

Visual Modes: The game offers two distinct ways to view the board. Players can choose between a traditional representation using standard Shogi kanji tiles or an "animated" mode where pieces are replaced by sprites that perform specific animations when moving or capturing.

Whimsical Opponents: The game features eight selectable characters for computer-controlled opponents, ranging from humans to unconventional beings, including a chimpanzee, a shiba inu, a cat, and even a tentacle alien.

Gameplay Flexibility: A core feature of the four-player variant is the ability for players to form temporary alliances to eliminate stronger opponents before turning on each other to claim victory, which significantly alters the pacing compared to traditional, strictly competitive Shogi.

Developer Legacy: Planning Office Wada (POW) was a studio that specialized in tabletop and strategy adaptations for 16-bit consoles, focusing on making complex traditional games more accessible to a wider audience through animations and character-driven interfaces.

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