{"rewrite":{"id":"r_5327e6f9299a260381616fbb","clusterId":"c_55c409e9676290aaec5c49de","slug":"sushi-shogi-steam-page-opens-with-demo-ahead-of-march-2027-launch","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Sushi Shogi Steam Page Opens, Demo Released","summary":"Today's Special! opened the Steam store page for Sushi Shogi on September 7, 2026, with a demo now available. The PC game is planned for release in March 2027 and supports 20 languages including Japanese. Sushi Shogi is a variant of shogi where pieces are sushi, each with a price. Capturing an opponent's sushi requires paying for it out of your own funds. The game has two rule sets: Modern includes money, tries, and tea passes at 200 yen, while Classic has no money and simpler rules. Victory in Modern comes from capturing the opponent's Otoro, promoting your Otoro, reducing funds to zero, or winning a money tiebreak after three passes. Sushi pieces move differently, such as Ebi moving diagonally like a bishop and Ika moving like a rook. The game originated as a free Unityroom release by circle SurFun in August, and was exhibited at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13. Single-player includes a puzzle mode and CPU battles at three difficulties. Local and online versus play with Steam friends are planned.","whyItMatters":"The game's twist of charging real in-game currency for captures and passes introduces a financial layer that forces players to weigh board advantage against wallet management, a mechanic absent from standard shogi.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModern mode\u003c/strong\u003e adds a try rule: a sushi that reaches the deepest rank of the enemy camp is eaten by the opponent. Tea passes cost 200 yen, and funds are spent from the player\u0026#39;s own wallet.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClassic mode\u003c/strong\u003e removes money entirely, playing closer to standard shogi or chess rules, with capture of the Otoro as the sole victory condition.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePiece movements\u003c/strong\u003e: Tamago moves one square forward or backward, Aji moves one square diagonally forward or straight back, Ebi moves diagonally any distance like a bishop, and Ika moves horizontally or vertically like a rook. Otoro moves one square in any direction and acts as the king.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePiece prices\u003c/strong\u003e are set per sushi, with tamago at 250 yen and ika at 500 yen as examples.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCPU difficulties\u003c/strong\u003e are named Ume, Take, and Matsu in the Denfaminicogamer piece, while 4Gamer lists them as Easy, Normal, and Hard.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePuzzle mode\u003c/strong\u003e asks players to find a winning sequence within a set number of moves, similar to tsume-shogi.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnglish title\u003c/strong\u003e is \u0026#34;SUSHI CHESS,\u0026#34; and the rules lean toward chess in ways such as not being able to reuse captured pieces.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDevelopment split\u003c/strong\u003e: Today\u0026#39;s Special! sells the Steam version, while circle SurFun, which made the original Unityroom release on August 7, is involved in development.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Sushi Shogi's Steam page launch shows how Today's Special! is taking a Unityroom free game to a paid release. The demo is a test of whether players will pay for a mechanic that punishes capturing pieces with real money.","twitterPost":"Sushi Shogi's Steam debut turns the Unityroom free game into a paid product. The demo asks if players will buy a shogi variant where taking pieces costs you.","threadsPost":"Sushi Shogi is heading to Steam, but the move from free Unityroom game to paid release is the real shift. The mechanic, where capturing sushi costs your own funds, turns every exchange into a financial decision. The demo now on Steam lets players judge if that gimmick holds up beyond a browser session.","newsletterBlurb":"Today's Special! opened the Steam page for Sushi Shogi, a sushi-themed shogi variant where captures cost money and tea passes have a fee. A demo is live ahead of a March 2027 release.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/039/G103973/20260907002/\",\"title\":\"Taken Sushi Must Be Paid For Out of Pocket! Variable Shogi Involving 'Financial Circumstances' in Piece Captures, 'Sushi Shogi,' Steam Page Now Live. Demo Also Available\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260907-465549/\",\"title\":\"Sushi-themed shogi-like game 'Sushi Shogi' unveiled on Steam. The eater pays the bill, and running out of money also means defeat\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2609072o\",\"title\":\"Sushi Shogi Steam Store Page Launches, Demo Now Available: Pay to Take and Eat Your Opponent's Sushi\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":10578,"outputTokens":1358,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1788740062,"createdAt":"2026-09-07T00:08:47.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-09-07T00:13:20.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-07T09:10:06.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_55c409e9676290aaec5c49de","canonicalTitle":"取った寿司の代金は自腹！ 駒取りに“懐事情”が絡む変則将棋「寿司将棋」，Steamページ公開。体験版も公開中","representativeArticleId":"a_806fa2b42dfda5c67d9425ad","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Sushi Shogi\"],\"studios\":[\"Today's Special!\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"written","firstSeenAt":"2026-09-06T23:30:34.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-09-07T08:50:32.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-07T09:10:06.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/039/G103973/20260907002/","title":"取った寿司の代金は自腹！ 駒取りに“懐事情”が絡む変則将棋「寿司将棋」，Steamページ公開。体験版も公開中"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2609072o","title":"寿司をベチンと叩きつけて将棋をするゲーム『寿司将棋』Steamストアページが公開、体験版も配信開始。お金を支払い相手の寿司を取って食べよう"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/20260907-465549/","title":"寿司を取って食べる将棋風ゲーム『寿司将棋』Steamにてお披露目。食べた側がお会計、所持金がなくなっても負け"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Sushi Shogi"],"studios":["Today's Special!"],"people":[],"type":"announcement","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Today's Special! opened the Steam store page for Sushi Shogi on September 7, 2026.","Sushi Shogi is scheduled for release on PC via Steam in March 2027.","The game supports 20 languages including Japanese.","A demo for Sushi Shogi is available on the Steam store page.","Sushi Shogi originated as a browser game released on Unityroom by circle SurFun in August 2026."]}