Indiana Jones Role Playing Games

In 1984, TSR acquired the license to produce a role playing game based on Indiana Jones. Seems like it would be a sure fire thing, right? In the mid-80s Satanic Panic was in full swing and you couldn't mention RPGs without people immediately going back to D&D. I don't have any supporting evidence that this was responsible in any way for the poor sales but it probably didn't help.

Like all of TSR's RPGs of the day, they released everything you needed to start playing in a boxed set. It included: the rules, dice, world map, a Referee screen, fold-up paper miniature figures, and character sheets for the heroes. A set of metal miniatures was also released for the game.

The rule book has a short adventure to introduce you to the game mechanics as you read each chapter. It was called the Ikons of Ikammanen and the story was actually taken from the first issue of Marvel's The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones from 1983 (more about those in coming weeks!). One of the Adventure Packs, The Fourth Nail, was also based on a couple comic issues.

I did a quick read through of the rules to refresh myself on the system as it's been decades since I've looked inside the box. I remember when I originally got it thinking that it was weird because it uses d100 for checks instead of the assorted D&D dice I was used to. Indy might have been my first introduction into an RPG that didn't use D&D stats/dice. I don't know if this or the Marvel RPG came out first that year.

The system is...okay. It's not terrible but the way skill checks are resolved feels a little clunky. It starts easy enough, you have to roll d100 under whatever skill you're using. But then your skill can be reduced by 50% or 75% and there's a success chart you have to reference. The pre-made heroes all have these modified values on their sheet so it does make it easier to figure out. Maybe it plays better than it reads but if you're playing Indy, things should be moving fast!

There were six adventure packs (pre-written game scenarios) published with the first two being Temple of Doom and Raiders. It may seem odd that Temple was the first one but it was the most recent movie at the time and it actually occurs before Raiders. 

 

The adventures came with character dossiers and you were limited to playing the suggested characters. Initially, your choices were limited to Indy, Marion, Sallah, Willie Scott, Short Round, Jock Lindsey (pilot from Raiders opening), or Wu Han (Indy's pal in Temple's opening scene). I'm guessing fights broke out over who would get to be Indy! In 1985, TSR finally released rules of creating your own original characters but the game was already heading toward its end.

 

Each of them also included some fold-up miniatures featuring characters from that adventure. They also had environmental elements to create scenes to make your game more exciting. I've put together paper minis before and while the figures are easy enough, the scenery can get troublesome with all the little tabs that have to be cut out, folded, and glued together.

If you roll in RPG circles, you might have heard the story that TSR trademarked the word Nazi. It looks like they did but what they're actually trademarking is this particular image of a Nazi. It's definitely a fun little urban legend type thing that comes up.

 

In 1994, West End Games launched their own Indy RPG using their new MasterBook system. There were several adventures and supplements released for it. Taking a page from their successful Star Wars RPG, they released source books for Raiders and Temple of Doom. These books not only included all the game info to play the movies but also expanded on what was seen on screen. 

 

I have this version, and some of the books for it, as well. I was at GenCon the year it came out and they were offering this deluxe limited edition, numbered hard cover of the new rules system which includes Indy and another setting Bloodshadows, which was like a noir supernatural setting. Me being the collector/sucker I am, went for the limited edition book instead of getting the regular Indy book.

 

West End's RPG only lasted for 3 years but it had a lot of things going for it: more complex character creation, a streamlined game system, and great material expanding the world of Indiana Jones.