Royal Merge is a chess merge puzzle on a compact 4×4 board. Pick one piece. Move it by simplified chess rules. Match it with another of the same type and level. Pawns become Knights, then Bishops, Rooks, Queens, Kings, and higher-level Pawns. The ladder loops, and starts again at double the value.
Solo, Versus, and Computer Versus on one small board.
chef's note: Out now for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch on the App Store, Android on Google Play, and Mac as Royal Merge Plus with Royal Extras included. You can also play in your browser.
web app: Royal Merge Web is version 0.9.2. If something breaks, send a note to hello@eatchess.com.
The browser version runs in this page on a phone-sized board. Load it when you're ready.
tip: Prefer a bigger board? Open full screen.
Two App Store previews, straight from the game. Press play.
Three frames from the game. A Solo board, the New Game picker, and a Versus match mid-turn.
Royal Merge for watchOS is out now on Apple Watch. It keeps the 4×4 board, the short rules, and the one-move-at-a-time rhythm in a smaller place.
The board fills fast. A quiet setup move can matter as much as the merge it opens. The rules are short enough to fit on a coaster.
Select a piece. Legal squares light up. Pawns step one square forward and merge on a diagonal. Knights jump in their L. Bishops, Rooks, and Queens slide until something stops them. Kings step one square in any direction. That limit is the puzzle.
Two of the same type and level fuse into the next type up. Pawn, Knight, Bishop, Rook, Queen, King. Two Kings collapse into a higher-level Pawn and the ladder restarts. Back-to-back merges build a combo multiplier. A move into empty space breaks the chain, so timing matters.
King and Rook of the same level, lined up with a clear path between them, can swap places. It scores nothing. It saves runs. Use it when the board pinches and you need a piece to breathe before the next merge.
One player against the board. Play without a clock, add a Player Clock, add extra time after each move, or cap the run with a Turn Limit. Personal bests stick around.
Two players share one board on the same device. Pieces are shared, not owned. The active player scores only when they make a merge. Hand the phone over and let the other player take the next position.
Player 2 can also be a local Computer opponent at Mild, Zesty, or Spicy. It picks moves from the same board you see.
Every legal move into empty space adds a new Pawn. Pawn Spawn adds one on every second merge. Royal Reserve drops a Level 1 piece after every five good actions. Every arrival can help. Every arrival takes space.
Back-to-back merges build a multiplier. Chain a few and the next one is worth a lot more than the first. A Castle Swap or a move into empty space breaks the chain.
Versus only. If a timed Player Clock hits zero, Clock Collapse keeps 20% of that player's score, resets the clock, and leaves that player on turn. The match continues.
Solo only. Tap once for promising pieces, tap again for a recommended move. It costs part of your current score and never plays the move for you.
Official Solo runs can count toward local records, Game Center high scores, and achievements. The switch lives in Settings.
Tap Share Result and Royal Merge makes a portrait card with the final board, score, longest combo, and a few run numbers. The card is made on your device, then sent to the share menu.
Your current run, settings, and stats stay with this device. Clear local data in Settings if you want to reset them.
Royal Merge runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, and Mac. Royal Merge Plus on Mac includes Royal Extras automatically and supports keyboard play.
On mobile, start with the free chess sets and Quiet Royal theme. Add optional sets, themes, and the Royal Patron badge if you want. On Mac, Royal Merge Plus includes those extras free. Purchases do not change movement, scores, spawns, hints, timers, Castle Swap, high scores, or match results.
Royal Merge is the second dish in the Eat Chess series. Familiar chess pieces, short rules, and a board small enough to read at a glance. The kind of puzzle a clever player can chew on for a while and a kid can still pick up.
Snack Attack
Rogue Tactics
Capture
Board Together