BARBARIAN PRINCE: Easy-to-play, hard-to-win Old School Solo Game (1981)

As the Barbarian Prince Cal Arath, amass 500 gold pieces in 70 days, needed to raise an army to claim his rightful throne in the Northlands.

“…A mixture of a sandbox hexcrawl and a choose-your-own-adventure book, though it’s not as heavily scripted as the latter. It’s also a lot more difficult than in most choose-your-own-adventure books I remember reading, since, like many sandbox campaigns, there’s no way to be sure that the ruin over the next hill isn’t inhabited by foul demons beyond your ability to defeat.”

– Grognardia retrospective on Barbarian Prince

The original Dwarfstar set is hard to find these days with all its parts – especially the metal miniature, which often ended up with the owner’s other miniatures.

Good news for those who don’t want to pay collectible prices: A free, legal download is available!

There are some great quotes at the site from contemporary reviewers. A common thread is how difficult it is to win Barbarian Prince.

Got a nice set in the shop; took some photos while it’s still around.