Chaos: The Battle of Wizards

Chaos: The Battle of Wizards was published for the ZX Spectrum in 1984 by Games Workshop and is a turn-based duel between wizards on a square grid. It was written by Julian Gollop, who a few years later created the X-COM series, and the family resemblance is audible in the turn structure and the handling of probability.

Up to eight wizards, human or computer controlled, take turns. Each receives a personal set of spells and chooses in the first round what to use: summon a creature, raise a wall, attack directly. Every spell carries a stated chance of success, so the risk is known in advance and each decision is pure calculation.

The best idea in the game is the illusion. A summoned creature can be cast as a fake — it looks identical to a real one but vanishes if somebody sees through it. Checking costs a turn, so you have to judge when an opponent is bluffing. That single rule turns dry tactics into a game about reading people.

There was nothing to admire visually on a 1984 Spectrum, and that is precisely why it still works: all of its quality sits in the rules rather than the graphics. The record notes support for one player and more, which here means taking turns at one keyboard.

The wizards' duel starts in your browser on OldGame.cz, against computer opponents if nobody else is around.