Chess, one of the best tabletop games, has experienced a surge in popularity over the last couple of years. Fans of the game don’t have to settle for a classically inspired chessboard either, as you can pick up several themed sets. The Noble Collection has made a name for itself in this space by producing several officially licensed chess sets, including its latest release, The Batman Chess Set: The Dark Knight vs The Joker.
This chessboard and pieces are designed to capture the spirit of the Caped Crusader and his greatest nemesis, but if you aren’t a comic book fan, you can choose other chess sets instead. From The Lord of the Rings to Minecraft, Jurassic Park to Star Trek, each chess set comes with high-quality pieces and eye-catching boards. We’ve rounded them up below, so you can keep scrolling to see if anything captures your eye.
The Batman Chess Set: The Dark Knight vs The Joker
$40 (was $49)
This chessboard features a black and purple checker pattern made up of alternating Batman and Joker Symbols, and for the pieces, you can pit the Dark Knight and Batgirl against the Joker and Harley Quinn. On the side of justice, you’ll find the Batmobile and the Bat-Signal taking the part of bishops and knights, while the Joker has a suitably chaotic collection of props backing him up.
The Lord of The Rings Chess Set: Battle for Middle-Earth Chess Set
$45 (was $49)
Gondor calls for aid, and this chessboard shall answer! You can choose to command the armies of Middle-earth with pieces led by Galadriel, Aragorn, Frodo, and Gandalf the Grey, or you can unleash the evil forces of Sauron. The lord of Mordor is flanked by Gollum, the Nazgul, and Saruman on the chessboard. This set also includes two branded storage bags to keep everything.
Minecraft Chess Set
$69
Just in case you haven’t had your fill of Minecraft, you can venture into the equally blocky world of chess with this themed set. It features a wood-like frame around a playing surface resembling grass, and it comes with 32 game pieces. Each one has a different texture, made to look and feel like marbled stone, obsidian, redstone or emerald.
Jurassic Park Chess Set
$45 (was $49)
Could dinosaurs play chess? We’ll never truly know, but at least you can see just how far you’d get if you had an army of them at your disposal. The Jurassic Park chessboard looks like it came straight out of the movies, and the plastic pieces are modeld after dinosaurs like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Dilophosaurus, the Velociraptor, and more.
Harry Potter Wizard Chess Set
$44 (was $49)
Designed to emulate the Wizarding World of Harry Potter–as seen on the big screen–this chess set includes 32 game pieces with textures and finishes that resemble the lifesize pieces featured in the first film, The Philosopher’s Stone. It also comes with two Harry Potter-themed dust bags for safe storage of the pieces.
Minions Chess Set
$40 (was $59)
After conquering the big screen, the Minions from the Despicable Me movies are now looking to take over the game of kings. This cheeky chess set offers 32 oversized game pieces modeled after the minions and their iconic items, including King Bob, Agnes’ Fluffy Unicorn, and Dr. Nefario’s Fart Gun. Like several of the other chess kits on this list, you’ll also get two dust bags to safely store game pieces.
Wicked Chess Set: Shiz vs. Emerald City
$63 (was $65)
Something Wicked comes this way, as the hit book series and Broadway musical is getting a chess adaptation. The Wicked chess set features a striking design, as the pieces are feature shimmering gold and gleaming emerald colors. As for the board, it’s decked out in alternating white and green marble textured squares, a gold foiled yellow brick border, and the emblem of the Wizard’s pin in each corner.
Star Trek Tridimensional Chess Set
$129 (was $159)
For a really challenging game of chess, look no further than this Star Trek Tridimensional Chess Set. Based on the version of the game that was seen in the classic Star Trek TV series, the set has diecast metal pieces and seven translucent acrylic game boards on five levels.
Even more chess sets await
While they aren’t produced by The Noble Collection, you can find several other themed chess sets for sale. One of the more popular ones is The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Chess Set for $45, which pits Link, Zelda, and their allies against Ganondorf and his forces. The heroes of Hyrule are accompanied by supporting characters who have appeared in numerous games, including Navi, Impa, Darunia, and Link’s trusty steed Epona, and all of the pieces have a weathered, rusty finish.
From Hyrule to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Super Mario Chess Set is another fan-favorite thanks to its adorable pieces and chessboard. This one comes with 32 custom-sculpted and hand-painted figures of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Bowser Jr., and more.
You can round out the collection with an interactive Harry Potter chessboard designed to coach you with its high-tech features, and for the wizard on the movie, the Lexibook Harry Potter chess set offers a foldable board and magnetic chess pieces.
