[colordrops]

It has less pieces and is a faster game than chess, which makes it a more "casual" game than western chess, which could be what makes it fun.

[dragonwriter]

> It has less pieces and is a faster game than chess

Xianqi has sixteen pieces on a side just like chess; Shogi has 20 on a side.

[colordrops]

Well would you look at that, you are right. The different layout fooled me, with the pawn row being smaller. It even has the same number of different types.

[joemi]

Actually, Xiangqi has 7 types and western Chess only has 6, unless I'm counting wrong.