Sargon V is actually part of a large and long-running series of chess games, with each subsequent game featuring richer graphical detail and more competent AI. The name of the game has its origins in ancient empires, before the game of chess was even invented. Sargon of Akkad was the first king who actually tried to conquer the known world and create a single empire under his rule. Sargon of Assyria was another similar conqueror. With the nature of the game of chess, it is an aptly fitting name.
The Sargon games were designed by Dan and Kathe Spracklen, and were created especially for play on the personal computer. It is such an early game, that is technically known as SARGON V, since early computer operating systems did not read lower case letters. By the time this fifth installment of the game was released, however, DOS had advanced that far, and it is most often written in lower case. Another reason for the history behind its naming was that early systems would not read files whose titles were over six characters, hence SARGON instead of ALEXANDER.
Sargon V is the last game of the series that made its official video gaming debut at the 1978 West Coast Computer Faire, and the subsequent sequels followed
periodically. Sargon was so well liked, that the designers decided to sell it to the public. It was later published by Hayden Software, and the Hayden Book Company also printed a book for the game. Hayden Software eventually dissipated, and the sequel of Sargon V was actually released by Activision, but features all of the same graphical displays, interfaces and awesome computer artificial intelligence as the other games that came before it.
The chess game features a series of games of increasing difficulty for the user to tackle. This is not a tutorial, but a full fledged chess game, however, the first few games are easy enough for beginning chess players to be successful. The interface is easy to grasp, so the user will quickly be able to pick up on the available movements and options. The games, as mentioned, become more and more difficult as play continues. Ironically, this challenge is the game’s biggest downfall. It is VERY HARD. Sargon V is not a chess game for the faint of heart. It may not be able to defeat a human chess master, but it is more than enough tussle for the average chess player.
