Play Igo Shinan '93 (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Igo Shinan '93 is one of those rare NES games that feels like stumbling into a quiet dojo. No explosions, no power-ups—just you, a grid, and the slow, satisfying dance of black and white stones. The AI starts off gentle, almost like it’s testing the waters with you, but don’t get too comfortable. After a few matches, it starts pulling moves that make you sit back and mutter, "Wait, how did I just lose that corner?"

The tutorials are surprisingly decent for a '90s game—they don’t just dump rules on you. Instead, they walk through actual scenarios, like how to rescue a group of stones or when to sacrifice one for a bigger advantage. I still remember the first time I pulled off a successful "ladder" capture after failing miserably at it for weeks. Felt like a tiny victory.

Visually, it’s barebones (it’s an NES Go game, after all), but there’s something oddly calming about the simplicity. The sound effects are just soft clicks and chimes, like someone tapping a stone on a wooden board. If you’ve ever wanted to learn Go but found modern apps overwhelming, this might be the low-pressure way in. Just don’t blame me when you lose three hours to "one more game."