Read early computer game magazines as design evidence

An early computer game magazine captures the questions its readers were asking. Reviews, listings and advertisements show how a game was explained when personal computers and their audiences differed substantially.

The November/December 1981 CGW issue is a focused subject for this reading exercise. Compare the vocabulary used for graphics, input and challenge, and distinguish the magazine’s editorial judgment from an advertiser’s promise.

Take one short description and identify the design problem behind it: unclear commands, long waits, limited screen space or a difficult first turn. Then consider how a modern small game would solve that same problem.