Archon: The Light and the Dark Explained (Simply)

You ever wonder what would happen if the holographic monster chess from Star Wars was actually a real game you could play on your couch? That’s basically the vibe of Archon: The Light and the Dark. Released back in 1983, it wasn’t just another board game clone. It was one of the first five titles ever published by Electronic Arts, and honestly, it changed the way people thought about "strategy."

Most games back then were either pure brain-teasers like Chess or frantic arcade shooters. Archon said, "Why not both?" It’s a game where you can have the perfect strategic mind, trap your opponent's piece, and then still lose because you’re bad at aiming a fireball in a real-time arena.

Why Archon: The Light and the Dark Still Matters

If you look at the DNA of modern games like League of Legends or even Super Smash Bros., you can see faint traces of what Free Fall Associates was doing forty years ago. The team—Anne Westfall, Jon Freeman, and Paul Reiche III—created a system where "stats" weren't just numbers on a page. They were lived experiences.

👉 See also: GTA 5 Bravado Buffalo: Why This Muscle Car Still Dominates Your Garage

The setup looks familiar: a 9x9 grid, two sides (Light and Dark), and a bunch of fantasy icons. But that's where the "Chess" comparison ends. In Chess, if a Knight lands on a Pawn, the Pawn is gone. In Archon, landing on a square is just an invitation to a fight. You’re transported to a combat arena where your health, weapon speed, and movement style suddenly matter more than your position on the board.

The Board That Breathes

One of the coolest features—and something people often forget—is the "cycle." The board isn't static. There are squares that are permanently light, squares that are permanently dark, and squares that "oscillate." They literally change colors every turn.

• Light pieces are stronger and have more health on light squares.
• Dark pieces dominate on dark squares.
• Oscillating squares can turn a position of power into a death trap in just a few moves.

I've seen players get cocky because they have a Dragon on a dark square, only to have the board shift to light just as a Valkyrie swoops in. It's brutal.

The Cast: Not All Pieces Are Created Equal

Unlike Chess, the sides aren't symmetrical. The Light side has things like the Unicorn, which is fast and shoots quick projectiles, and the Golem, which is a slow-moving tank that hits like a freight train. The Dark side counters with the Manticore, the Basilisk, and the terrifying Dragon.

There’s also the Shapeshifter. This piece is a nightmare to play against because it becomes whatever it’s fighting. If you attack it with your strongest unit, it becomes your strongest unit. The trick? Attack it with something weak but fast.

Then you have the "leaders": the Wizard for Light and the Sorceress for Dark. They aren't just powerful fighters; they can cast spells.

1. Teleport: Move a piece anywhere.
2. Heal: Fix up a wounded hero.
3. Revive: Bring back the dead (usually your Dragon or Phoenix).
4. Imprison: Freeze an enemy in place.
5. Summon Elemental: Create a temporary fighter for one battle.

Once your leader dies, your magic is gone. It's a huge shift in the game's momentum.

💡 You might also like: Is the Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Slim Bundle Still the Smartest Buy?

Winning Isn't Just About Killing

While most people play Archon as a "wipe out the other guy" simulator, there's a second way to win. There are five Power Points on the board. One is in the center, and the others are at the mid-points of the edges. If you manage to occupy all five at once, you win instantly.

It sounds easy, but the Power Points are usually the site of the bloodiest battles. They heal your pieces and protect them from spells, so everyone wants a piece of that real estate.

Strategy Tips for Modern Players

If you’re dusting off an old Commodore 64 or using an emulator to try this out, here is the real talk on how to actually win:

• Don't ignore the Knight/Goblin: They seem like trash because they only have a short-range sword/club. But they attack fast. If you can corner a ranged unit, you can "stunlock" them before they can fire a shot.
• Watch the clock: Check the color of the square before you move. Attacking a Dark piece on a dark square is basically suicide unless you have a massive skill advantage in the arena.
• Save your Revive: Don't bring back a piece just because you miss it. Wait until your heavy hitter (Phoenix or Dragon) is gone.
• Arena obstacles: Use the trees and rocks in the combat arena. They block projectiles. If you're playing a melee unit against a ranged one, you have to "weave" through the cover to get close.

Archon: The Light and the Dark remains a masterpiece of game design because it balances two completely different genres without feeling clunky. It's a game of "what ifs." What if your Pawn could fight back? What if the board itself was against you?

Actionable Next Steps

To get the most out of your Archon experience today:

• Find the NES version if you want better graphics and smoother combat, but stick to the C64 or Atari 8-bit versions if you want the most authentic, balanced gameplay.
• Play against a human. The AI is decent for 1983, but the real magic of Archon is the "couch-co-op" tension when you barely survive a fight with one pixel of health left.
• Study the manual. There are specific movement ranges (Ground, Flying, Teleport) that aren't always obvious just by looking at the icons.