KL Kevin Lewis Technology • Games • Web Apps

Royal Dash

A 2–8 player board game derived from the mechanics and theme of Chess, combined with a card-driven movement system inspired by Candyland.

Itch.io Page →

Status Playable

Published tabletop project available through Itch.io and playable online through Tabletopia.

Build Type Solo

Card and board game design project built around accessible strategy play.

Players 2–8

Designed for small matches or larger casual multiplayer sessions.

Royal Dash Preview

Project Overview

Concept: Royal Dash is a board game built around Chess-inspired movement cards. Each card represents movement based on a different Chess piece, creating a familiar but more casual movement system.

Goal: The goal was to create a playable tabletop game that combined strategic board movement with easy-to-understand card mechanics and fast multiplayer turns.

Format: The game was designed for 2–8 players, making it flexible enough for smaller matches or larger group play.

Design Process

How the design evolvedFrom a single-card draw to a five-card hand, through repeated playtesting.
Area	Details
Chess Movement	Movement cards are based on different Chess pieces Each card closely follows the movement idea of its matching piece The system keeps the Chess theme without requiring a traditional Chess match
Card-Driven Turns	The original idea used a single drawn card each turn Playtesting shifted the design toward a five-card hand Giving players multiple cards created more choice and strategy
Playtesting Changes	Rules and card mechanics evolved through repeated playtests More card types were added over time The design became more flexible and interactive as testing continued
Multiplayer Focus	The game is built around group play More players create more board interaction The final design works best as a casual strategy game with multiple players

Core Mechanics

The three core systemsWhat gives the game its strategic identity.
System	Detail
Movement Cards	Players use cards to move around the board. Each card is tied to a Chess-inspired movement pattern, giving the game its main strategic identity.
Five-Card Hand	Instead of drawing and immediately playing a single card, players hold five cards, giving them more control over their movement and decisions.
Expanding Rules	Additional cards and mechanics were added through playtesting, helping the game grow from a simple movement concept into a fuller board game system.

Sample Gameplay Images

Royal Dash event card reading DANGER, warning the player they've been ambushed and cannot play a card next round — A DANGER event card, warning the player they've been ambushed and can't play a card next round.

Royal Dash full board setup in Tabletop Simulator, showing the two-castle board, player pawns, and card decks — The full board setup in Tabletop Simulator: the two-castle board, player pawns, and card decks.

Royal Dash board close-up showing Queen movement paths and hidden tile markers — A board close-up showing Queen movement paths and hidden tile markers.

Royal Dash Bishop movement card showing its diagonal movement pattern and flavor text — A Bishop movement card showing its diagonal movement pattern and flavor text.

Project Focus

Board Game DesignCard MechanicsChess-Inspired MovementPlaytestingRule IterationMultiplayer DesignTabletop GameplayStrategy Game Systems

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