I was looking for a practical, presentable and affordable chess set that would appeal to both myself and kids, namely my niece and nephew. I do play chess a lot, but I'm also a Super Mario fan. I bought this chess set for personal and casual use but with my niece and nephew in mind since they've recently taken an interest in chess. My existing chess set is not really suitable for kids though as it's too large, heavy and expensive. Thankfully, this Super Mario-themed chess set is free of such inconveniences, and because it features iconic characters as opposed to generic shapes for pieces, it holds my niece and nephew's interest much longer than a classic chess set ever could. The tin box that holds the chess board and pieces is a real delight for collectors such as myself, and the inclusion of a "window" in which you can see the main characters is a nice touch. I do have one minor complaint though: The pieces themselves are packed in two flimsy, yet bizarrely stubborn plastic containers and both containers include hollows in which the pieces sit rather snugly--in fact, too snugly... Supposedly those hollows are designed to keep the pieces from coming loose while the chess set is displayed upright in the tin box; however, they fit so tightly that removing or replacing them feels like something of an endurance test. I mean, when it comes to unpacking a (seemingly) portable chess set, I don't expect to spend several minutes (yes, literally minutes) removing pieces from two finicky containers in order to set them up on a board. At least they are somewhat easier to replace, but not by much and overall I'm left with the feeling that this chess set is less travel-friendly than it looks. It's kind of annoying that just to transport the thing to some place or legitimately display it inside the tin box I have to initially get into a scrap with the packaging. To be honest, it's such a hassle that when it comes to short-distance travelling, I'd rather simply ditch those plastic containers, put the pieces directly in the tin box and hold it flat during the journey. The pieces themselves though do feel very solid and are quite tough. Unlike the typical quality of wooden pieces from cheaper chess sets, these pieces have some weight and don't threaten to topple over if you so much as look at them thanks to their wide bases. On the collector enthusiast side of things, the pieces are pleasingly faithful to the characters they represent too. I critically examined each piece in detail and was pleased to see that even the most intricate of character details had been faithfully reproduced such as earrings, broaches, spikes, eyelashes and fingers. The chess board is perhaps the only weak link in an otherwise well designed product. It is of a decent size and rigid enough; but being made of card rather than wood, I do worry that it might get micro-dented by heavily dragged pieces--not that it has yet. Still, as a precaution, I'd feel inclined to urge young kids to not drag pieces but rather, lift and drop them on the board (as one should anyway) since I want this chess set to look good for display too. TL;DR Pros: > Authentically accurate and durable pieces > Box design and presentation > Great for display out of the box Cons: > Cardboard material for chess board raises minor concerns of long term durability > Stubborn plastic packaging makes setup and repacking a hassle Verdict: An excellent product, great value for money and ideal for kids learning to play chess. For Mario fans, collectors and kids I cannot recommend this chess set highly enough.
