
1979Richard Hamblen
Mainly playthroughs. Magic Realm is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 7 reviews, 16 how-to-play guides, 39 recorded sessions, 1 unboxings, and 6 other videos.
From BoardGameGeek
From the 2nd edition rulebook intro for MAGIC REALM: MAGIC REALM is a game of fantasy adventuring, set in a land filled with monsters, fabulous treasures, great warriors, and magicians. The scene is set in the ruins of a mighty kingdom, now inhabited by sparse groups of natives and swarms of monsters. Beneath it all are the rich remnants of a magical civilization, scattered and lost across the map. To this scene come the adventurers, seekers of riches and fame, to make a name for themselves in this promising field. Swordsman and Dwarf, Magician and Sorceror, the humans and the half-humans come seeking to loot the legendary riches of a lost civilization. Now you can play the part of one of these adventurers, stepping into an unknown Realm of magic and monsters, battles and treasures. As a player, you will take on the role of one of the sixteen major characters who are represented in detail in the game. You will control where he goes, what he tries to do, how he handles himself in combat, and much more. In the course of the game, you will run into deadly monsters, tribes of humans ranging from old friends to sworn enemies, and treasures that will enhance your abilities in many ways. MAGIC REALM is a complex game designed to recapture the suspense and desperate struggles of fantasy literature. The game creates a small but complete fantasy world, where each game is a new adventure with a new map where everything lies hidden at new locations. The game includes many more playing pieces than are actually used in a single playing. The additional pieces are set up and can appear, depending on the directions in which the characters explore, but many of the treasure troves, treasures, and spells will still be set up, unfound, when the game ends, and many of the monsters and natives might never be met. The result is an extremely unpredictable game full of surprises, a game that plays very differently each time it is played. The complete game system includes hiking, hiding and searching, fatigue, wounds, rest, trade, hiring natives, and combat between characters, monsters, and natives using a variety of weapons on horseback and afoot, as well as many magical effects. Between exploring a new land where the mountains, caves, valleys, and woods change every game, and not knowing what you will find in each place, you will find each game a new and unpredictable adventure, filled with surprises. You will find this like no other board game you have ever played. Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 9 See also the list of articles about Magic Realm in The General.
Magic Realm has 69 videos from 19 creators: 7 reviews, 16 how-to-play guides, 39 playthroughs, 1 unboxing and 6 other videos. They date from 2011 to October 2026.
To learn the rules, start with "Magic Realm : sull ruleset 1/6 (the Basics)" by JeanMichelGrosjeu, which runs 44 min. For a quicker teach, "Episode 3: BirdSong and Sunrise" by Doc Hogan runs 17 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Magic Realm InPlay Video Overview" by Scott Nicholson. 7 creators have reviewed it. To see it played, watch "Magic Realm Captain Play 1 Week 1" by quan7umjack, one of 39 playthroughs.
If you like it, try Gunslinger, Victory in the Pacific, The Arab-Israeli Wars: Tank Battles in the Mideast and Merchant of Venus (Second Edition), also by Richard Hamblen.
8 of 19
1977Richard Hamblen
2 players300 minMedium weight
1977Seth Carus, Richard Hamblen, Randall C. Reed, Russell Vane
2 players240 minHeavy weight
2012Richard Hamblen, Robert A. Kouba
1 - 4 players120 - 240 minHeavy weight
From BoardGameGeek:
From the 2nd edition rulebook intro for MAGIC REALM: MAGIC REALM is a game of fantasy adventuring, set in a land filled with monsters, fabulous treasures, great warriors, and magicians. The scene is set in the ruins of a mighty kingdom, now inhabited by sparse groups of natives and swarms of monsters. Beneath it all are the rich remnants of a magical civilization, scattered and lost across the map. To this scene come the adventurers, seekers of riches and fame, to make a name for themselves in this promising field. Swordsman and Dwarf, Magician and Sorceror, the humans and the half-humans come seeking to loot the legendary riches of a lost civilization. Now you can play the part of one of these adventurers, stepping into an unknown Realm of magic and monsters, battles and treasures. As a player, you will take on the role of one of the sixteen major characters who are represented in detail in the game. You will control where he goes, what he tries to do, how he handles himself in combat, and much more. In the course of the game, you will run into deadly monsters, tribes of humans ranging from old friends to sworn enemies, and treasures that will enhance your abilities in many ways. MAGIC REALM is a complex game designed to recapture the suspense and desperate struggles of fantasy literature. The game creates a small but complete fantasy world, where each game is a new adventure with a new map where everything lies hidden at new locations. The game includes many more playing pieces than are actually used in a single playing. The additional pieces are set up and can appear, depending on the directions in which the characters explore, but many of the treasure troves, treasures, and spells will still be set up, unfound, when the game ends, and many of the monsters and natives might never be met. The result is an extremely unpredictable game full of surprises, a game that plays very differently each time it is played. The complete game system includes hiking, hiding and searching, fatigue, wounds, rest, trade, hiring natives, and combat between characters, monsters, and natives using a variety of weapons on horseback and afoot, as well as many magical effects. Between exploring a new land where the mountains, caves, valleys, and woods change every game, and not knowing what you will find in each place, you will find each game a new and unpredictable adventure, filled with surprises. You will find this like no other board game you have ever played. Avalon Hill Complexity rating - 9 See also the list of articles about Magic Realm in The General.
Designer
Richard Hamblen
Artists
George Goebel, Richard Hamblen, Kim Gromoll, Randall C. Reed, Chris White (I)
Publisher
The Avalon Hill Game Co
Categories
Mechanics