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 #34 (December 1980)
Space Gamer #34 (cover date December 1980) is devoted to "Miniatures" . . . which is to say, it leads the way – and the articles are fun to read, too!
The features supporting this month's theme include advanced techniques for painting fantasy miniatures, and Cardboard Heroes Designer's Notes with Denis Loubet. In addition to the regular game reviews, news, and letters, other articles include "The Challenge," a short story written by famed sci-fi author Timothy Zahn; Designer's Notes and expanded rules for the wargame Artifact by its creator, Glenn Williams; the conclusion of the two-part article on using computers to represent 3-D areas; the results of the best "totally evil/absolutely selfish/absolutely good" wish contest; and the eighth in the series "Game Design: Theory and Practice," co-written by 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 |
