Newsletters and Magazines

Counter

A games magazine founded by three stalwart Sumo contributors, Mike Clifford, Stuart Dagger, and Alan How, after Sumo was bought by Games Games Games magazine. As opposed to G3, Counter will continue to be a fan magazine produced for the sheer love of the hobby. This certainly frees Counter from certain editorial and even production level constraints that may allow it to explore the nooks and crannies of the board gaming hobby more freely than its more business oriented competitors. Best of luck, guys!

Subscriptions are twelve pounds per annum (35DM, $25), published quarterly.

    Counter
    c/o Alan How
    3 Lynsted Close
    Bromley

    Kent BR1 3UE
    [email protected]

Subscribers in the United States can send US dollar checks to David Kuznick. Make the cheque payable to David and we collect the money from him later. To help keep the books straight, it would also be helpful if subscribers were to e-mail Alan at [email protected] to tell him that the cheque had gone to David.

    Counter
    c/o David Kuznick
    41 Lewis Ave.
    Arlington, MA  02474

Fairplay

German language games magazine. I'm afraid I know very little about this one but I wasn't impressed enough to buy one while I was at Essen, so I guess that says something... If someone who has checked it out could drop me a line with their thoughts that would be great.

Piet Notebaert reports that Fairplay has a very sober layout with very good articles.

Subscriptions are 28 DM per year, published quarterly.

    Fairplay
    c/o Rolf Schulte
    Hiddenseestraße 6
    D-33729 Bielefeld

Games

A bi-monthly magazine that features pencil puzzles, word games, and brain teasers in addition to board game reviews. To tell the truth I find the interesting board and strategy game information to be a bit sparse but Games (in all of its incarnations) is a bit of an institution so what can you do?

Subscriptions are US$15.00 from:

        PO Box 55483
        Boulder, Colorado 80323-5483

Games, Games, Games ([email protected])

Previously known as The Small, Furry Creatures Press, the editors found that the old title conjured up images of Hollywood actors and gerbils. On the contrary, this zine covers the Eurogames and postal gaming beats. Not as polished as other gaming zines from England and a bit more sparse on information but, overall, not a bad read. G3 does an amazing job of keeping up with all the latest news from game publishers. If its up and coming you'll catch the word here first. One word of warning, though: G3 is not for art fans. Ahem.

A recent issue (104 - September 1996) contained 4 pages of news, reviews of Krahlizek (PBM), 77 (a card game), Spacelab (a board game), Post fuer den Tiger (a children's board game), Oh wie Schoen ist Panama (ditto), Hannibal (a wargame), Middle Earth--the Wizards (CCG), plus a games & puzzles column from David Pritchard, letters, RPG releases, wargames column, reports from three UK games events, an article on games for the blind and the usual bits and pieces.

Single copy costs £2 in the UK, £2.50 in Europe, or £3.00 anywhere else. Subscriptions cost £18.00/9.50 for a year/six months (10/5 issues) in the UK, £21.00/11.00 in Europe, £28.00/14.50 in Australia, NZ and Far East, £27.00/14.00 in USA, Canada and anywhere else. All prices include carriage. G3 accepts payment in pounds sterling at the quoted prices, or by Visa and Mastercard with a 5% surcharge to cover fees and other such graft.

        SFC Press
        42 Wynndale Rd
        London 
        E18 1DX
        UK
        
        Phone & fax: 0171-358 1613 (+44 171 358 1613 from outside the UK)
        E-Mail: [email protected]

The Game Report

Peter Sarrett's quarterly newsletter covers the family and beer 'n' pretzel game beat. Peter is well on his way to becoming the Mike Siggins of the West Coast. The Game Report covers many of the same topics as Sumo but with more of an American emphasis. Though that may change if Peter starts making annual pilgrimages to Just Games in London!

Recent issues featured an interview with Tom Jolly, inventor of WizWar, an analysis of the Magic craze, and innumerable game reviews.

Subscriptions are US$15.00 for four issues, or US$4.00 for a sample issue from:

        Peter Sarrett
        1920 N. 49th St.
        Seattle, WA  98103

Game Researcher's Notes

This is a newsletter of the American Game Collectors Association. The focus is on the history of game manufacturing and manufacturers particularly in the United States. If knowing that Hasbro started out as Hassenfield Brothers fascinates you then this is just the ticket.

Subscriptions available only to members. Membership runs US$25 per annum.

Game Times

This is a newsletter of the American Game Collectors Association. The focus is on the collection of antique and, well, collectable games and not on actually playing the games. Unless you consider a game with Jackie Gleason's face on it more interesting than a good round of Pente this one may not be for you.

Subscriptions available only to members. Membership runs US$25 per annum.

Gamers Alliance Report

This is a quarterly newsletter from the Gamers Alliance. I've never checked this one out but apparently it covers current games and game conventions.

Subscriptions available only to members. Membership runs US$20 per annum. Note that subscriptions are by calendar year; you receive all of the issues from the year you subscribe in - not a year of issues from the date you subscribe.

        Gamers Alliance
        PO Box 197
        East Meadow, NY 11554

Games & Puzzles

After a thirteen year break, Paul Lamford, the British Backgammon Champion and an international Chess and Bridge player, attempted to revive this grand old flagship of game publications. Alack and alas, twas not meant to be. Games & Puzzles is, once again, official closed for business.

        Games & Puzzles Ltd
        8 Arbor Court
        London
        N16 0QU
        England

Games Gazette

Chris Baylis' Games Gazette covers the full spectrum of the gaming world: board games, card games, roleplaying, computer games all get coverage in each issue. Subs are £9.00 for a UK subscription of 6 issues (checks should be made out to C C Baylis).

        Chris Baylis
        67 Mynchens
        Lee Chapel North
        Basildon
        Essex
        SS15 5EG
        England

The General

Avalon Hill's house organ. Anyone got details on subscribing?

het SPEL - no longer being published

This beautiful games magazine from the Netherlands gets extra bonus points for coming with an English summary for the principal articles. While the prose is informative, often taking a scholarly tone, the real draw here is the graphics. Striking photographs of antique and modern games and puzzles are reproduced on quality paper.

The first issue contained a history of the games of World War II. It was lavishly illustrated and covered games from both the Allied and Axis countries.

I heard a rumor at Just Games that het SPEL had folded. Its well worth your time to acquire the back issues, even if this is the case. Even so a letter or phone call should preceed any checks.

FAX: 0171415973 (plus country code, etc.), Phone: 0171412181

        Het Spel
        Van Beethovenlaan 53
        2394 HB Hazerswoude
        Netherlands

Die Pöppel-Revue, Das Fachblatt für Spieler

German language gamer's fact sheet packed with reviews. Published on A5 paper this magazine is just one step up from a fanzine.

Subscriptions are 36 DM per year, published bi-monthly.

        Friedhelm Merz Verlag
        Alberichstraße 15-17
        53179 Bonn

Rail Gamer

Covering the rail game strategy beat, both crayon and tile. The magazine is exclusively devoted to variants and strategy; no reviews will be run.

        David Metheny, Editor
        P.O. Box 98242
        Brentwood, PA  15227
        U.S.A.
        
        email: [email protected]

Rail Gamer David Metheny, Editor P.O. Box 98242 Brentwood, PA 15227 U.S.A. email address: [email protected]

spielbox, Das Magazin zum Spielen

A wonderful German language magazine that covers the whole German game scene and includes a new game in the center of each issue.

Subscriptions are 53.40 DM per year, published bi-monthly.

        w. nostheide verlag
        Schützen- straße 30
        96047 Bamberg

Spielzeit

This Game Newspaper started publishing very recently. They offer + and - reviews of games.

         Alea-verlag
         Hasestr. 48
         49074 Osnabrück
         Deutschland

Sumo

Mike Siggins's Sumo's Karaoke Club is, alas, no more. You can still read Mike's writing here in The Game Cabinet, in the pages of English print magazines Games, Games, Games and Wargames Illustrated, and in various other prestigious forums.

Fans of Sumo should also check out Counter, a magazine formed by the editorial staff after the huge layoffs following the acquisition of Sumo by G3.

Also be sure to check out the back issues of this fine magazine.

Toy Shop

Joe Barone ([email protected]) recommends Toy Shop for its used and antique game ads. Apparently this is a great place to buy games and the prices are more reasonable than the Net (surprise, surprise).

Here are the details:

        Toy Shop
        700 E State St.
        Iola, WI  54990
        
        Phone:          (715) 445-2214
        Fax:            (715) 445-4087
        Subscriptions:  (715) 445-4612 x257
                        (800) 258-0929 (with credit card)
        
        Rates:          3rd class: US$23.95/12 issues
        (as of 12/93)                 44.75/24 issues
                                      65.00/36 issues
                        1st class:    60.95/12 issues
                        (no info on international/mailing rates)

World Game Review

Michael Keller's excellent review of strategy games and puzzles is a must for the thinking gamer. The publication schedule is a bit random so be sure to order the back issues. I can't emphasize enough how much I enjoyed these issues even though I'm not an avid strategy game or puzzle fan. Michael is a true enthusiast and his love of these subjects comes through in his writing.

Subscriptions run US$11 a year. Overseas subscriptions are mailed at surface rates. Air mail is US$2 extra per issue. Payments can be by cash, check drawn on U.S. bank, or by money order in U.S. dollars. ISSN 1041-0546

Back issues available for US$2.75 each (except number 6 which is US$4.00 and number 10 which is US$7.00) to subscribers. Single copies to non-subscribers are US$4.00 (except for number 6 which is US$6.00 and number 10 which is US$10.00). Issue number 6 features 95 hexomino problems and a cumulative index. Issue number 10 features an extensive review of chess variations.

All enquiries, subscriptions, and checks should be addressed to:

        Michael Keller
        World Game Review
        1747 Little Creek Drive
        Baltimore, MD 21207-5230
        e-mail : [email protected]

The Game Cabinet - [email protected] - Ken Tidwell