LnxP8f-7f

Yeah, he ain't too bad when he's not crushing you. I'm sure I'd be equally devastated were I playing the Zillions AI. I pretty much feel the same as you on all points. It's fun, it takes a bit to get going, but not nearly as long as I thought. I don't mind not having drops, as that would be a crazy game. I do find it strange that all the ranging pieces are towards the front and the stepping pieces in the rear. I suppose they either serve a more defensive function or else they come into play after both players have suffered immense attrition and only the steppers remain. I am a little saddened that there is no knight (literal translation: horse), as it, the Heavenly Horse, and the Lion are the only pieces capable of nonlinear moves in all of the shogi universe (that I'm aware of). Everything else is diagonal or orthogonal. But it's a minor loss. Overall, this is a pretty fun game.