The Classic Adventurer

From IFWiki

The Classic Adventurer is a series of magazines produced in the UK by Mark James Hardisty. Its focus is on classic text adventures and interactive fiction, particularly those with a British or European origin.

The publication is released as a physical print-on-demand 'bookazine' as well as in electronic form; available for free either as a high-quality PDF that matches the print version or a reduced-size format suitable for mobile devices.

The magazine mainly consists of a series of interviews with the authors and publishers of classic adventure games, as well as conversations with those making new interactive fiction today. There are also book reviews and features on games in particular genres.

As well as the many exclusive interviews with important industry figures, the publication is particularly notable for Mark's painstakingly and lovingly recreated versions of artwork from classic game inlays and advertising.

Issue 1

Published in 2018.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 1 also includes a review of Twilight Inventory and a feature on the different British home micro implementations of Colossal Caves.

Issue 2

Published in 2018.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 2 also includes a reviews of Bob Redrup's The Adventure Gamer's Manual, a feature on Gilsoft's Gold Collection, and a look at the community-produced enhanced Spectrum 128K version of The Hobbit.

Issue 3

Published in 2018.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 3 also includes a feature on Brian Howarth's adventures, a review of Nick Montfort's Twisty Little Passages, and a look at the art of Terry Greer.

Issue 4

Published in 2018.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 4 also includes a feature on 'Whodunnits' and an article on band-related text adventures such as Aural Quest.

Issue 5

Published in 2019.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 5 also includes a look at the 30th Anniversary remake of The Beast and a feature on Micro Adventurer magazine.

Issue 6

Published in 2019

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 6 also includes a look a "budget" adventure releases and a review of the documentary Get Lamp.

Issue 7

Published in 2019.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 7 also includes a feature on the Les Howarth and Jenny Tyler type-in books from Usborne.

Issue 8

Published in 2019.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 8 also includes a look at the DAAD technical manual, an in-depth feature on Melbourne House's Sherlock, and a post mortem on Mark's own attempts to make a sequel to The Big Sleeze.

Special Edition (#1)

Published in 2020.

Featuring interviews with...

The Special Edition also includes a look at the early strategy guide A Guide to Playing The Hobbit, a feature on "very British" games and a quick review of Thomas Garner's Scurvy Dogs.

Issue 9

Published in 2021.

Featuring interviews with...

Issue 9 also includes a look at the English translation of Bieno Marti's Torreoscura and a feature on John Pickford's game Ghost Town.

Special Edition (#2)

Published in 2023.

Featuring interviews with...

The issue also briefly takes a look at a new ZX Spectrum text adventure, Donum.

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