I’ve always loved playing chess. My dad taught me at a young age and I loved playing with him regularly using an old, beat-up plastic chess set. We even had a family friend Larry out in Long Island who’d play with me every time we visited. There’s just something about the game, you know? Maybe it’s the planning six moves ahead part that I really like.
I actually remember going with my dad to Manhattan when I was a kid. He took me to see his office and then a variety of other fun shops in the area, including a gaming store, a magic shop and yes, a chess shop! It was a real tiny store if I remember but filled wall to wall with custom chess sets. Any theme you could think of was represented, with some of the chess sets probably costing thousands of dollars based on the materials they were made from.
I’m happy to see both my boys have followed the family tradition. Yes, they both were even members of their school chess club for a few years. (Oddly enough, in elementary school, chess club is considered cool.) Any chance to buy our kids something that doesn’t need batteries and encourages thinking is a plus in our books. So Allie and I bought Jason a Super Mario Chess set a few years ago. To say he loved it would be an understated understatement.
Put out by the fine folks over at USAopoly (who have a great board game giveaway going on right now), it’s your standard chess set made up of “good” and “bad” Mario characters. Here’s how the two sides break down:
Mario’s Heroes
- Mario as King
- Luigi as Queen
- Princess Peach™ & Daisy as Bishops
- Yoshi as Knights
- Toad as Rooks
- Coin as Pawns
Bowser’s Troops
- Bowser as King
- Bowser Jr. as Queen
- Magikoopa as Bishops
- Birdo as Knights
- Goomba as Rooks
- Green Shell as Pawns
The figures themselves are actually really well made. They’re a heavy plastic and finely detailed. Seriously, they’re loads better than most of the regular old Mario figures you can buy at the local toy store! They also have the chess piece’s name printed on the bottom of the figure so you don’t have to worry about forgetting that Yoshi’s one of the knights.
I had Jason and Ryan test the game out so I can show all of you guys what the set really looks like.
Ryan still wants to know why Luigi is the “Queen” on Mario’s team.
Of course, if you’re game is over, the fun doesn’t have to end. In fact, with my kids, that’s when the fun really begins as they play all sorts of “games” with the figures. Today it was apparently the 75th Million Annual Hunger Games, starring Mario and Bowser.
It’s really a fantastic chess set and if you’ve got a chess fan in the family, this would make the perfect Christmas gift.
Thanks to my new friends over at USAopoly (these guys are buddies with zombies, so you definitely want to play nice!), Mommy’s Busy, Go Ask Daddy is giving away a Super Mario Chess set to one of my lucky readers!
Win Super Mario Chess
(MSRP: $49.95)
Giveaway ends on December 30, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. The 1 winner will be chosen at random and announced on this site. Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (including District of Columbia), who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. The 1 Winner will be notified by email and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I can earn a small commission on your sales. If you do, thank you very much! Read more on my disclosure page.
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Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector?s Edition looks pretty cool!
Yahtzee Super Mario by USAOPOLY looks like a lot of fun.
I also like The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
i would love the monopoly nintendo version (or Big Bang Theory). My family is just a bunch of nerds. Thank you
I love the Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector?s Edition!
The Walking Dead game would go over big for the teens in my house!
I would love to get The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game (my kids would love the Monopoly Nintendo though!)
The Monopoly Nintendo looks the coolest to me.
Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks fun!
I really like the monopoly nightmare before christmas collector’s edition.
Marvel monopoly for us!
I think the USAOPOLY – Donkey Kong Jenga Collector’s Edition Game looks cool.
monopoly nintendo looks like a lot of fun to me
Monopoly Nintendo
Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks awesome!
the walking dead for sure!
Monopoly Nintendo looks coolest.
My family would love to play The Walking Dead Risk Comic Edition Board Game
I would really like to have the Monopoly Nintendo game.
I would love to get the USAopoly Scooby Doo Monopoly Board Game- Collectors Edition!
Clue: The Big Bang Theory by USAopoly
marvel monopoly!!!
I think the Marvel Comics Collectors Edition looks really cool. Thank you for the super giveaway opportunity. Keep up the terrific blogging.
I like the tapple board game!!
Clue The Big Bang Theory Edition, got the original for my son for Christmas and was actually looking at this one for the adults!
Definitely the Walking Dead Risk game! lol
In addition to the Mario chess, I think my family would enjoy Marvel monopoly! Thanks for the cool giveaway, these fun edition chess games will make it easier to teach my son how to play.
Monopoly Nintendo.I have always liked Ninendo.
Nintendo monopoly please!
The Marvel Comics Monopoly looks cool.
Monopoly Nintendo Looks Awesome to play!
I like the Beatles monopoly!!!
I like the Super Mario Yatzee game.
Super Mario Yatzee looks fun.
USAOPOLY – Spider-Man Monopoly Game Collector’s Edition
The Walking Dead Risk Comic Edition Board Game.I love risk and walking dead so it’s a win win for me! 🙂
I would LOVE to have the Nightmare Before Christmas Trivial Pursuit!
I like Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector?s Edition
I would love the Super Mario Yahtzee, we love that game as well!
clue the big bang theory
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
I like the Monopoly Nintendo!!
Super Mario Memory
I like the Monopoly Nintendo
oh my goodness i would LOVE the Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
Jenga Donkey Kong looks fun!
I like Walking Dead Risk.
Nintendo Monopoly looks cool!
I like the Monopoly Nintendo game.
I like Jenga Donkey Kong
Yahtzee Super Mario looks like it would be a super fun game for my family to play together.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I really like the Yahtzee Super Mario. My kids love Yahtzee and Super Mario so I think they would love this!
I like the Walking Dead game
My boys would love the Walking Dead Monopoly game.
I like their monopoly nintendo game
Walking dead monopoly would be a hit in my home
Yahtzee Super Mario looks fun!
My husband would love to have the Walking dead edition of Monopoly but I think I would like the Nintendo version of it.
The Walking Dead Risk Comic Edition Board Game
I would love the Marvel Monopoly for my fiance, but the Big Bang Theory Clue looks the best to me =)
I love the Clue: The Big Bang Theory! Clue is a great game by itself… but with big bang theory it has to be great!
OMG the Clue: The Big Bang Theory would be great. i love that show!!!!
Walking Dead Risk
I like the spider man monolopy
Clue The Big Bang Theory 🙂
The Godfather.
Telestrations is insanely fun!
We have all sorts of Monopoly games here, but we don’t have the walking dead monopoly survival edition
I like the spider man monolopy
I like: Clue: The Big Bang Theory
Super Mario Chess is the most appealing as it combines two things I love.
The walking dead monopoly survival edition
The Walking Dead game looks awesome 🙂
super mario memory!
The mario yatzee looks cool.
Walking Dead game ….my older kids would love that one.
I would love to have any of the walking dead edition games,love them.
I’d want the USAOPOLY – Spider-Man Monopoly Game Collector’s Edition
Yahtzee Super Mario
The monopoly nintendo.
Clue: The Big Bang Theory
Defintaly the adventure time monopoly game!!
I like The Walking Dead Monopoly game the best!
The Walking Dead Risk game!
My three kids would love to play Monopoly Nintendo on our family game night!
The nightmare before Christmas monopoly!!!!
That is the cutest pic ever with them playing in their costumes!
Monopoly The Godfather Edition Board Game.
Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition and Monopoly Nintendo by USAOPOLY, Inc look great to me
Monopoly The Godfather Edition Board Game
I like the Walking Dead monopoly set! Probably more for the adults.
walking dead!!
super mario memory
This game looks so awesome! Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition
Clue: The Big Bang Theory! We’re huge fans of the show.
World of Warcraft Monopoly
Doctor Who Yahtzee
I think Monopoly – Shrek Collector’s Edition is pretty cool. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
Adventure Time monopoly
I think the Super Mario Yahtzee looks fun, my family loves Yahtzee!
Monoply Nintendo 🙂
I think Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks really cool.
The Walking Dead Risk game looks cool.
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition game for us.
Yahtzee Super Mario
Clue The big Bang Theory
It is a tip tap between The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game and Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition.
Godfather Monopoly!
Monopoly Marvel Comics Collectors Edition looks like fun.
Monopoly Nintendo
Walking dead
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
the Wizard of Oz game of life looks like a lot of fun!
Tapple looks really fun.
I really think the Nintendo version of Monopoly is cool!
The Godfather Monopoly looks like fun!
The Mario chess set looks pretty awesome to me!
Monopoly Nintendo Sounds good
I like Tapple!
Our teens would love the-The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game.
My favorite is the Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector’s Edition.
Walking dead by far.
The Clue Big Bang Theory game looks fun
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
I would like Jenga Donkey Kong!
monopoly ninetendo looks like fun
The The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game looks cool.
I love the USA Nintendo Monopoly.
Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks really cool to me.
The Walking Dead Monopoly.
My boyfriend would love the Marvel Comics Monopoly.
Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly
Jenga Donkey Kong – It’s actually on my Amazon Wish List
I think Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks like the most fun.
The The Walking Dead Risk Comic Edition Board Game. I am huge fan of the walking dead!
Big Bang Theory Clue looks awesome!
The Alice in Wonderland Yahtzee is one that I would like to have.
The Monopoly: Dr. Who Edition 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition game would make a perfect gift for my middle daughter. Several of her close friends are big Dr. Who fans, too, so she’d have plenty of people to play it with, too.
Oooohhh Walking Dead Monopoly!!! I love Monopoly with various themes 🙂
We already own several games on the list, but I’d love to add Yahtzee Super Mario to our collection!
Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition sounds like it would be fun!
I like Clue: The Big Bang Theory.
Mario memory looks fun for the little ones!
I love the USA Nintendo Monopoly
Mario yahtzee
Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition
I’d go with Monopoly – Nintendo. I’m a big fan of Nintendo products
do they have a breaking bad one? that’d be cool
So hard to choose… I would have to say Donkey Kong Jenga.
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game looks the coolest!
I like the USA Nintendo Monopoly.
Super mario memory looks like a fun one for my family!
The Walking Dead Risk game.
Monopoly Nintendo! Brings back so many memories of childhood!
Marvel Monopoly fits perfect for me
The walking dead game seems sooo awesome! I want one of those too! HA!
MONOPOLY Nintendo Collector’s Edition – a combination of Monopoly and Nintendo characters – just looks amazing!
the walking dead monolpoly looks awesome!!! we are huge walking dead fans in this house
So funny, I was actually just looking at this Super Mario chess set online the other day. My boyfriend asked for a chess set for Christmas and I couldn’t decide on a fun one like this or more serious classic wooden version. I went with the classic set, so this would be so fun to give him, too!
I think Yahtzee Super Mario looks like a great choice for our family!
That Marvels one
Disney cranium looks fun
I like the The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game !
The walking dead
My oldest son would like the walking dead one, but I would love the spider man edition for my youngest son!
Definitely The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game!
Usaopoly Simpsons Monopoly is the coolest!
Nintendo Monopoly
The Big Bang Theory Clue
Nintendo monopoly!!! These are so cool!
I like the Disney Cranium the best. In fact I just bought it for the kids’ Christmas present.
Monopoly: Dr. Who Edition 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
My family would love the Marvel Monopoly.
monopoly nintendo
definitely the Nintendo version!
I would love the Yahtzee Super Mario game
Super mario memory looks super fun!!
I love the Hello Kitty Yahtzee and Monopoly!
I like the USAopoly Nintendo Monopoly.
The The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game looks like the coolest game to me from USAopoly.
Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly would be awesome.
Oooh, my son would love this, but I’d love Clue: The Big Bang Theory !
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
I like the The Walking Dead Risk Comic Edition Board Game.
The Monopoly: World of Warcraft Collector’s Edition of course 😀
nintendo monopoly!
Nintendo Monopoly of course
I like the Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector’s Edition!
The Walking Dead Risk looks coolest to me! 🙂
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game
I like the Monopoly: World of Warcraft Collector’s Edition
Monopoly The Godfather Edition Board Game looks so neat 🙂
Nintendo monopoly!!
Monopoly Nintendo looks like an awesome game my grandsons would love.
I love the Hello Kitty Yahtzee and Monopoly!
Clue: The Big Bang Theory!
My family already has Clue: The Big Bang Theory and we love it!
I like the Cranium Disney game.
Nintendo Monopoly
Clue: The Big Bang Theory looks fun to me.
I like the The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game.
I like the Monopoly The Nightmare Before Christmas Collector’s Edition.
Monopoly: Adventure Time Collector’s Edition by USAopoly [Toys & Games]
Walking Dead Monopoly game
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game since I love the walking dead.
Can’t go wrong with Clue, actually bought that this for Christmas so we could play with out daughter since I use to love it as a kid.
Nice!
We are Walking Dead fans in this house so it would have to be The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game.
I like the Donkey Kong Jenga.
Oh, we have that one too! It’s so much fun!
the game that looks the coolest is Monopoly Hello Kitty by USAOPOLY, Inc
i like the Monopoly Nintendo. 2 of my boys love anything ninendo. they really love mario and luigi
I like Clue Big Bang Series
The walking dead monopoly looks cool!
i think hubby would love the walking dead one, i keep looking for ways to get him involved in playing with us!
we love walking dead. that is awesome
The Walking Dead Risk looks cool
Visited the site and I like Monopoly: Marvel Comics Collector?s Edition
Brave Monopoly. And I LOVE their costumes – the flower is fantastic!!
Donkey Kong Jenga looks pretty neat.
I think my son would go crazy over the Nightmare Before Christmas edition of Monopoly.
Walking Dead Monopoly game, huge fan of the show!
My 16 year old would flip over The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game, but I can’t forget the younger Cranium Disney. By the way, when I use to homeschool my oldest I bought a book and learned to play chess and taught him. He has surpassed me and LOVES the game, I can no longer beat him 🙁 haha Would love to win this. Oh and I love those costumes
USAopoly Nintendo Monopoly
The Walking Dead Monopoly Survival Edition Game – for us adults 🙂
We love love love Telestrations in our house
Ooooh I want The Walking Dead Risk!