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The year: 1987. The place: a local bowling alley's arcade room. The target: an oddly shaped cabinet in the far corner of the smoky, strobing game area, where three surly teenagers were hunched over the control panel, forearms twitching as they blasted their way through room after room of slimy aliens. I nervously waited my turn to play what might be the greatest arcade game of all time — Xenophobe. More »
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You might be familiar with E.E. Smith's Lensman novels, but you've probably never played the 1969 classic Lensman wargame. Out of print since the 70s, copies of the original Lensman game are so rare they're hard to find even on ebay. Now, original designer Phil Pritchard is overhauling the game for re-release, hopefully later this year. Here's why Lensman's retro charm is still shining after all these years. More »
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An ancient galactic civilization is fragmented; numerous intelligent species vie for political, commercial and military control. Meanwhile, the former galactic capital of Mecatol Rex hosts the Galactic Council. Can you create a power base strong enough to unite the galaxy and begin a new golden age? That's the task that lies before you in Fantasy Flight Games' epic classic, Twilight Imperium, now in its third edition. More »
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In 1988, Avalon Hill released Merchant of Venus, a game of intergalactic trade and exploration that was about a decade ahead of its time. Although the pun-tacular title character exists only as a legend outlined on the back of the box, Merchant of Venus maintains a loyal cult following. People have even created mods and upgrades, despite the game being long out of print. Multiple winning strategies and a great sci-fi backdrop are just two reasons why you should spend this summer prowling garage sales for a used copy. More »
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