Sansan

From Sega Retro

n/a

Sansan title.png

Sansan
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sansan
Developer:
Peripherals supported: Sega Mega Modem
Genre: Strategy

















Number of players: 1-2

Sansan (サンサン) is a 1994 online version of the abstract strategy board game Go made by online Go service Sansan for the Sega Mega Drive. The game allows players who have a Sega Mega Modem to connect over a 33.3kbps or ISDN line to play other members who have a Sansan ID. However, as of 2011, there are no known Mega Drive-compatible Sansan servers. A local two-player version of the game is also included for play.

Gameplay

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Two players, Black and White, take turns placing a stone (game piece) of their own color on a vacant point (intersection) of the grid on a Go board by pressing C. Black moves first. The official grid comprises 19×19 lines. Vertically and horizontally adjacent stones of the same color form a chain (also called a string) that shares its liberties (see below) in common, cannot subsequently be subdivided, and in effect becomes a single larger stone. Only stones connected to one another by the lines on the board create a chain; stones that are diagonally adjacent are not connected. Chains may be expanded by placing additional stones on adjacent intersections, and can be connected together by placing a stone on an intersection that is adjacent to two or more chains of the same color.

A vacant point adjacent to a stone is called a liberty for that stone. Stones in a chain share their liberties. A chain of stones must have at least one liberty to remain on the board. When a chain is surrounded by opposing stones so that it has no liberties, it is captured and removed from the board. Players are not allowed to make a move that returns the game to a previous position. This rule, called the ko rule (from the Japanese 劫 kō "eon"), prevents unending repetition. Instead of placing a stone, a player may pass. This usually occurs when they believe no useful moves remain. When both players pass consecutively, the game ends and is then scored.

Physical Scans