Mini Arcade Chess Set

Disclaimer: One of you pointed out to me that the numbering and lettering aren’t completely correct. I’ll fix this as soon as possible.

🕹️ Mini Arcade Chess

Bring your favorite arcade icons to the battlefield with Mini Arcade Chess, a custom-designed 3D printable chess set where every piece is inspired by retro classics like Pac-Man, Tetris, and Pinball.

This project is ideal for enthusiasts of all skill levels — no supports needed, no rafts, and minimal assembly. Just print, snap, (sometimes glue), and play.

🎮 What’s Included

• A full chess set with:
  • Pawns as arcade joysticks
  • Rooks as classic Pac-Man ghosts (they move in straight lines only — just like in the game!)
  • Knights as L-shaped Tetris blocks (since they only move in L-shapes!)
  • Bishops as pinball flippers
  • King as Pac-Man (with a crown)
  • Queen as Ms. Pac-Man (with a bow)
• One-piece arcade-style chessboard — no tile assembly needed

🖨️ Printing Info

• Supports: Not required
• Material: PLA recommended
• Multicolor: Some parts require multicolor printing to capture essential details (notably the ghosts and flippers). You can print them in a single color, but they’ll lose character. The chess-board requires multicolor printing. If you're interested in a version without multicolor printing, let me know!
• Prime Tower: Due to the large chessboard, the Prime Towers on all plates may look a bit elongated. This is intentional. Sadly, Bambu Studio doesn't let me change settings for Prime Towers per plate.

🧠 Assembly Instructions

All parts are designed for easy snap-fit assembly, though printer tolerances vary. Here’s a breakdown of how to build your set:

🧰 What You’ll Need

• ✂️ Craft knife or flush cutters (for brims and trimming)
• 🪵 Small piece of sandpaper (optional, for fine tuning)
• 🧪 Super glue or plastic adhesive (for crowns, bows, and some loose fits)
• 🧘 Patience — especially with small parts!

🧩 General Notes

• The chessboard is a single piece — no assembly needed.
• All pieces consist of two parts:
  • A character piece
  • A labeled base
    • P for Pawns - a joystick
    • N for Knights - an L-shaped Tetris block
    • B for Bishops - a pinball flipper
    • R for Rooks - a Pac-Man ghost
    • K for the King - Pac-Man himself!
    • Q for the Queen - Ms. Pac-Man
• Some details require a dab of glue.
• Certain parts may have brims or support nubs that need to be trimmed.
• Slight sanding may be helpful if the fit is tight.
• Be careful — the sticks on the bases can crack under too much pressure.

♟️ 16 Pawns – Arcade Joysticks

• 2 parts: joystick ball + “P” base
• Assembly:
  • Trim the brim from the ball.
  • Press-fit the ball onto the base.

🏰 4 Rooks – Pac-Man Ghosts

• 2 parts: ghost + “R” base
• Assembly:
  • Press-fit the ghost onto the base.

🐴 4 Knights – Tetris Blocks

• 2 parts: L-shaped Tetris block + “N” base
• Assembly:
  • Press-fit the Tetris block onto the base.

🎯 4 Bishops – Pinball Flippers

• 2 parts: flipper + “B” base
• Assembly:
  • Press-fit the flipper onto the base

👑 2 Kings – Pac-Man

• 3 parts: Pac-Man + crown + “K” base
• Assembly:
  1. Press-fit Pac-Man onto the base first.
  2. Then glue the crown onto his head. Doing it in this order helps you apply pressure without damaging the base.

👸 2 Queens – Mrs. Pac-Man

• 3 parts: Ms. Pac-Man + bow + “Q” base
• Assembly:
  1. Press-fit Ms. Pac-Man onto the base.
  2. Trim the post of the bow — only a short peg is needed. Be careful! The bow is very delicate.
  3. Glue the bow on top of her head, at a slight angle.

⚙️ Final Notes

• Time required: ~60 minutes once parts are printed
• Tolerances may vary based on your printer and filament
• Optimized for zero-support printing — great for beginners