The MicroGame line by Metagaming Concepts consisted of tabletop microgames published from 1977 to 1982.
In 1977, Metagaming Concepts designer Howard Thompson came up with a new type of small, inexpensive, and fast wargame with a limited number of counters, a small map and a short rulebook, all packaged in a ziplock bag. The games at first sold for $2.95, much cheaper than standard-sized boxed wargames of the time. [1] As game historian Shannon Appelcline noted in the 2014 book Designers & Dragons, "The games were quite cheap for the market at the time but nonetheless allowed for a good amount of enjoyment and replayability." [1] : 78–79
Metagaming Concepts first used the term "MicroGame" when they released Ogre, MicroGame #1 in 1977. [2] [3]
Steve Jackson Games (SJGames) is a game company, founded in 1980 by Steve Jackson, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games, and the gaming magazine Pyramid.
OGRE is a science fiction board wargame designed by the American game designer Steve Jackson and published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 as the first microgame in its MicroGame line. When Jackson left Metagaming to form his own company, he took the rights to OGRE with him, and all subsequent editions have been produced by Steve Jackson Games (SJG).
G.E.V. is a science fiction board wargame that simulates combat in the near future between armored hovercraft, supertanks and other futuristic weaponry.
Ares was an American science fiction wargame magazine published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI), and then TSR, Inc., between 1980 and 1984. In addition to the articles, each issue contained a small science-fiction-themed board wargame.
Metagaming Concepts, later known simply as Metagaming, was a company that published board games from 1974 to 1983. It was founded and owned by Howard Thompson, who designed the company's first game, Stellar Conquest. The company also invented Microgames and published Steve Jackson's first designs, including Ogre, G.E.V. and The Fantasy Trip.
Howard M. Thompson is an American wargame designer and founder of Metagaming Concepts. His first game was Stellar Conquest, a popular and well-designed simulation of interstellar warfare.
A microgame is a board game or wargame packaged in a small set.
WarpWar is a science fiction board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 that simulates interstellar combat. It was the fourth in Metagaming's MicroGame series.
Melee is a board wargame designed by Steve Jackson, and released in 1977 by Metagaming Concepts. In 2019, Melee was revived and re-released by Steve Jackson Games.
Wizard is a board game system of medieval fantasy magical combat published by Metagaming in 1978 that was designed to complement the previously published Melee, a system of melee combat rules. Forty years later, Wizard was revived and re-released by Steve Jackson Games.
Chitin: I is a science fiction microgame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 in which bands of intelligent insects vie for resources.
Star Empires is a 1977 board wargame published by TSR.
Annihilator & OneWorld are two board wargames released in one package by Metagaming Concepts in 1979 as the 14th addition to its MicroGame line.
Artifact is a science fiction microgame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1980 as part of its MicroGame line that simulates combat on the moon over a recovered alien artifact.
Black Hole is a science fiction board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1978 as part of its MicroGame line.
Invasion of the Air-eaters is a science fiction near-future board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1979 in which aliens invaders attempt to replace the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere with sulfur dioxide.
The Fury of the Norsemen is a two-player board game published by Metagaming Concepts in 1980.
Helltank Destroyer is a science fiction board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1982 as part of its MicroGame line that features combat between supertanks and other futuristic weapons systems. The game is a sequel to 1981's Helltank, which is itself based on Ogre.
Starleader: Assault! is a science fiction microgame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1982 that was designed to introduce the rules of combat with firearms for a forthcoming science fiction role-playing game that did not get published before Metagaming went out of business.
Sticks & Stones is a board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1978 that is set in the Neolithic Age.