The Space Gamer received three Origins Award nominations for Best Professional Roleplaying Magazine (in 1981, 1985, and 1986). The Space Gamer won an Origins Award for Best Professional Roleplaying Magazine of 1982.
Space Gamer began life as a paper magazine published by Metagaming Concepts in 1975. Steve Jackson Games took over publication with issue #27 (dated March/April 1980), and ultimately published 50 issues (plus six issues of spin-off magazine Fantasy Gamer). Issue #76, September/October 1985, became Steve Jackson Games' last issue before the rights to the name went elsewhere. Space Gamer covered all aspects of hobby gaming: RPGs, wargames, card and strategy games, and more. It also featured industry news and reviews. Although Space Gamer is still a great read in its own right, today it's also a fascinating look at an earlier era of hobby gaming.
All the issues of Space Gamer that were published by Steve Jackson Games are available digitally at Warehouse 23, including a bundle of all 50 issues.
Today's featured issue from the vault:
Space Gamer #27 (March-April 1980)
Don't let the issue number fool you; this is the historic first issue of Space Gamer to be published by Steve Jackson Games. This inaugural issue, Space Gamer #27 (cover date March-April 1980), is a fascinating snapshot into the gaming hobby's past. The articles are still fun to read, too!
In addition to the game reviews, news, and letters in every issue, this installment contains a designer's introduction to the game Hot Spot, a look at how to incorporate time travel into games, advanced nuclear rules for Invasion of the Air Eaters, muskets and hobbit weapons for use in Melee or The Fantasy Trip, a look at computer algorithms for wargame programming, and the first in a series titled "Game Design: Theory and Practice," co-written by none other than Steve Jackson.
Whether you're a fan of old-school gaming or a historian of our hobby, each issue of Space Gamer is the perfect passport to the past!
See the sample!
 #27 - #36 |  #37 - #46 |  #47 - #56 |  #57 - #66 |  #67 - #76 |
