Big Shot Checkers

Game Description: This game plays like regular checkers, but with a huge twist: the Big Shot!

How to Play Big Shot Checkers:

• In Big Shot Checkers you will play a game of checkers against the computer.
• This game is played using your left mouse button.
• Click the 'Start' button to begin.
• Next, click the 'Play' button.
• Choose a character for your Big Shot: Choose either Mac, the character that looks like a child (you get the blue pieces), or choose Bloo, the character that looks like a blue ghost (you get the red pieces).
• Select a difficulty from: Normal, Hard, or Big Shot.
• Click the 'Play Now!' button.
• Your pieces are always at the bottom, and you always get the first move. After that, play alternates between you and the computer.
• Click on the piece you want to move and Big Shot Checkers will light up the squares showing you all of the possible moves you can make. (Should you change your mind, click on the same piece again. Then, click on a different piece to move). To complete your turn, click on one of the lit up squares.
• Pieces can only move on the pink colored squares.
• Regular pieces can only move forward.
• If you, or the computer, are able to jump over an opponent's piece and capture it, you've got to do it immediately. Of course, if you have more than one piece that can capture an opponent's piece you may choose which move you want to make. Big Shot Checkers will use a sparkling effect to show any piece of yours, or the computer's, that can jump over an opponent's piece.
• If your, or your opponent's, Big Shot is captured the piece that the Big Shot is riding on will be lost; but the Big Shot itself will always remain in the game. It will immediately reappear on the board on a new piece that is farthest back (either the home row, or if all pieces have already advanced beyond the home row, then the farthest row back possible).
• Get a piece to the king's row, and it becomes a king.
• A king can move forward or backward.
• Your Big Shot can always move forward or backward.
• Your Big Shot can also move to another of your pieces, that is next to it, without moving the piece it is already riding on. If you, or the computer, do swap places with the Big Shot this ends that turn and the opponent gets the next turn.
• There is a clock. And yes, if you look closely you will see that it actually does move... but very slowly. While writing my review, after about 10 minutes had elapsed, all of a sudden the clock started flashing and ticking loudly. I was curious, so I wanted to see what would happen next if I ignored this warning. Just as I suspected, when the clock runs out completely... you lose!

There are Three Ways to Win:

1. Capture all of your opponent's pieces.
2. Block in your opponent so they have no moves left.
3. Get your Big Shot to the King's row.

Big Shot Checkers Game Options:

• The music may be turned on or off by clicking the musical note icon located at the lower left corner.

Big Shot Checkers Playing Tips:

• The computer seems almost oblivious to the fact that once your Big Shot gets to the king's row it will lose, and really does nothing to prevent it. I would suggest, to make the game a bit more competitive, that you do not try to get your Big Shot to the king's row but just play it straight up as a regular checker's game. (You will find that the game is still rather easy to win). If you decide to take my advice, of course, you will still need to prevent the computer from getting it's Big Shot to your home row.
• Be careful. There is one very tricky way that you can lose. Suppose the computer has only two pieces remaining. One of the pieces is a king that is still on your home row (that is, the computer's king row) and the other piece, of course, is the computer's Big Shot piece. If you would capture the computer's Big Shot piece, the Big Shot would have no other place to go except on top of the remaining piece (it's king) and you would lose immediately! Why? Because, remember. One of the ways to win is to get your Big Shot to the King's row which is exactly what would take place in this scenerio. How do I know this? You guessed it. It happened to me!

Richard's Rating: 2 out of 5.

Pro: Big Shot Checkers has delightful sounds and graphics!

Con: The game is very easy to win.