Dungeons and Dragons got a massive surge of new fans thanks to 80s nostalgia trips like Stranger Things. The 80s retro renaissance phenomenon is so fascinating, because it somehow evokes that feeling even in people born past the 80s. Blinding neon lights, game covers so badass it threatens to tear itself in two from sheer cool, and of course, the slightest hint of bad taste. Okay, more than a hint, but it had its charms.
And those charms suit these upcoming D&D-inspired adventures just fine.
Pinball Crawl Classics really does distill the 80s hype into one of the funniest niche concepts I’ve ever seen. These adventures, set under Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG rules, are based entirely on iconic pinball games from the 20th century. From the hellacious realm of Gorgar to the hilarious body horror of half-man, half-motorcycle Centaur, these classics are a perfect fit for retro TTRPG. They’re also a refreshing change of tone from typical D&D books.
I feel it worth mentioning twice, there’s an adventure here where you fight a centaur who is half motorcycle instead of half horse. That’s one of the most metal things I’ve ever heard, and should clue you into how the tone of these will go. The world of pinball machines is admittedly one I’ve only ever admired from afar. They’re quite rare where I’m from, but I’ve always found their designs so enrapturing.
The amount of effort that goes into crafting a pinball machine is nothing to sneeze at either. Turning a simple game of pinball into a themed adventure is impressive. Still, it’s even cooler of Goodman Games to turn those themed machines into full-blown tabletop adventures. The Dungeon Crawl Classics system is OSR at its most OSR, so fans of hardcore D&D will definitely love these games.
You can support Pinball Crawl Classics on Backerkit here.
The Wargamer Discord, much like an 80s arcade, is full of the raddest folks around. If all this pinball talk has you itching for solo play, the best solo RPGs guide is for you.