How to start playing gamebooks: a simple guide

Want more than just passively reading a story? Want to decide the hero's fate? Then you're in the right place. A gamebook is an interactive book where you are the main character. Your choices determine how the story develops and how it ends.

If you're hearing about gamebooks for the first time, or just don't know where to start, this guide is exactly for you. It's easier than you think!

What is a gamebook and how do you play it?

Imagine a book divided into hundreds of short, numbered paragraphs. You start reading paragraph number 1, and at the end, you usually find a choice, something like:

• Want to search the old chest? Go to paragraph 158.
• Would you rather run out of the room? Continue to paragraph 301.

You choose one of the options, turn to that paragraph, and keep reading. That's how you progress through the entire story.

Some gamebooks add simple game rules, for example for combat. They come with a character sheet where you record items, health, or special abilities, and you use dice while playing. Others are purely story-based, and the book is all you need.

3 answers to the question: Why play gamebooks?

• No preparation: Unlike "full-blown" role-playing games (like Dungeons & Dragons), you don't need a Game Master or complex setup. Just open the book and play.
• Play anytime, anywhere: You play alone, at your own pace.
• Replayability: Did your character die? No problem. Start over and try a different path. Most gamebooks have multiple endings and various ways to complete the plot.

Where to start?

For a complete beginner, we have 3 highly recommended starter gamebooks:

1. Classic dungeon: Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is an absolute legend that generations have started with. It's the most classic gamebook: you have a clear task (reach the top of a mountain full of traps and monsters), there are simple combat rules, and you collect treasure. It's a great choice if you want an iconic fantasy adventure. Plus, it's a beautiful collector's edition hardcover with a fold-out map and plenty of original illustrations.

2. Epic story: Lone Wolf: Flight from the Dark

If you're looking for more than just dungeon crawling, reach for Lone Wolf. It's the first part of a famous saga where you become the last of the Kai Lords. Right at the start, you choose special abilities (like healing, camouflage, or sixth sense) that you then use throughout the book. The story is more elaborate, and your character evolves with you in subsequent volumes.

The Mytago publishing house is releasing a new, expanded Definitive Edition, which is perfect for starting out.

3. Pure story: Call of Cthulhu

If you don't want to roll dice or track health points at all, grab a purely narrative gamebook. A great example is the Choose Cthulhu series (start with The Call of Cthulhu). You find yourself in the horror world of H. P. Lovecraft, and your main goal is to avoid going insane or dying. Your only weapon is your own judgment, and every choice leads the story in a different direction.

Your very first steps

Did we get you hooked? Great! So dive in:

1. Get a book: Check out the Mytago selection and pick a title that catches your eye.
2. Prepare your tools: For most gamebooks, you'll only need a regular pencil and an eraser (for tracking stats or items). Sometimes dice come in handy (if you don't have any, there are mobile apps for that).
3. Print the adventure sheet: You can usually find this to download on imago.cz at the end of the selected gamebook's description.
4. Open the gamebook: Read the introductory rules (usually very brief) and jump into the first paragraph.

That's all. You're in control of the rest. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, take risks, or die. Enjoy the adventure!

author Jiří Reiter