Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game

The Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game is a role-playing game published by TSR in 1988. It is based on characters and settings from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.

Description
The Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game is a humor system based on the cartoon show, featuring Bullwinkle, Rocky, Boris Badenov, Natasha, Dudley Do-Right, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, etc. "How to Play the Game" (16 pages) starts with simple group storytelling, using story cards and predesigned plots, and gradually adds role-playing and character abilities. Action resolution is decided by spinners rather than dice. "Stories (16 pages) provides a number of plots based on the cartoons", while "The Guide to Frostbite Falls and Beyond" (32 pages) describes the world of Rocky and Bullwinkle, the use of the story cards, and characters' special powers. The game includes 10 character hand puppets.

Publication history
The Bullwinkle and Rocky Role-Playing Party Game was designed by David Cook and Warren Spector, and published by TSR in 1988 as a boxed set with a 32-page book, two 16-page books, 108 cards (two decks), 20 cardboard stand-ups (19 characters & 1 blank), six spinners, two cardstock sheets, 4 dice (2 moose dice & 2 flying squirrel dice) and 10 hand puppets.

Reception
In his 1991 book Heroic Worlds, Lawrence Schick thought that "The introductory-level rules are so loose, the game barely qualifies as an RPG." He commented that the hand puppets "have no bearing on play, but are nice to have".

In Issue 144 of Dragon, Jim Bambra called it "fast, manic fun, guarantee to liven up even the dullest party (and with plenty of bits and pieces to play with, too). Treat it as a board game, rather than as a serious role-playing game, and you're in for a treat. It ain't art, but it's fun."

Scott Marley, writing for Games, chose Bullwinkle and Rocky as one of the Best Games of 1988, saying "Hokey Smokes, this is one roleplaying game you've got to have! ... It comes complete with funny rules, useless hand puppets, diplomas from Wassamotta U., and a handy guide to Frostbite Falls."

In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games, game critic Rick Swan pointed out that "Over the years, game designers have made numerous attempts at child-friendly RPGs, but none have matched the success of Dave Cook's remarkable Bullwinkle and Rocky, a game that's as enjoyable for grade-schoolers as it is for adults." Swan concluded by giving the game a rating of 3 out of 4, saying, "It may be too trivial for serious-minded players, and its lack of formal structure may intimidate those used to games with rigid rules. However, as a painless introduction to role-playing, it's without peer — cleverly designed, beautifully produced and irresistably fun."

Awards
The game was a Gamers' Choice award-winner.

Other reviews and commentary

 * Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine v13 n1 (1989 01)