Fighting Fantasy games find their way on to DS and PSP
Hack and slash without getting your fingers dirty
If you already know about the Fighting Fantasy books, then go to paragraph 4. If you don't, read on.
The creation of Games Workshop co-founders Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson during the 1980s, the books were based on a simplistic form of Dungeons & Dragons play mechanics.
They were effectively a singleplayer role-playing game, with the reader navigating through the adventure by using a pair of dice to determine the outcome of battles against enemies encountered in the text (the dice would also determine the character's stats).
At a time before videogaming had really taken off, the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks quickly became a global phenomenon, with sales of over 15 million and 26 language translations.
Hoping to rekindle such interest, Livingstone and Jackson have decided to bring the concept to Sony and Nintendo's handhelds.
"Fighting Fantasy built up a huge, worldwide fan base over the years," reasons Livingstone. "We believe that players will really enjoy the adventures in a new way on DS and PSP. Fighting Fantasy's interactive structure is ideal for bite-sized chunks of gameplay which is important for these devices."
Video game versions of the gamebooks have previously appeared on now long-forgotten systems, so there is a precedent for this. However, it is unlikely the format adopted back then will bare any relation to what we'll see on DS and PSP.
For that, and an idea of when we can expect examples of this intriguing revival – as well as who Jackson and Livingstone get to develop it – we'll have to wait until further news. Click 'Track It!' to stay informed.
