Play Honshougi - Naitou 9 Dan Shougi Hiden (Japan) Online

Tiny sprites, big brain moves—this NES shogi game quietly schools you with brutal efficiency thanks to input from a 9-dan master. No frills, just that sinking feeling when you spot your mistake three moves too late.

Developer: Seta Corporation

Genre: Board / Card Game

Released: 1987

File size: 24 bytes

Game Overview

Honshougi on the NES is one of those rare games that makes shogi—Japanese chess—actually feel exciting on a console. At first glance, it’s just a straightforward board game, but the AI is surprisingly sharp, thanks to input from Naitou Kunio, a legit 9-dan master. The pieces are tiny sprites, sure, but after a few moves, you stop noticing because the real tension kicks in.

What I like is that it doesn’t baby you. The default difficulty isn’t brutal, but if you get cocky, the game humbles you fast. There’s no fancy animations or distractions—just you, the board, and that moment when you realize you walked right into a trap three turns ago. If you’ve got a soft spot for old-school strategy or just want to try shogi without drowning in menus, this is the NES cart to dig up.