''Golden Heroes'' is a
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
that was originally written and published on an amateur basis in 1982.
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group (often abbreviated as GW) is a British manufacturer of miniature wargames, based in Nottingham, England. Its best-known products are ''Warhammer Age of Sigmar'' and ''Warhammer 40,000''.
Founded in 1975 by John Peake (gam ...
then published a more complete version in 1984. It was written by Simon Burley and Peter Haines and was illustrated by a group of artists who were working for ''
2000 AD'' at the time.
Description
The game was published in a box, the rules books features fake
bar code
A barcode or bar code is a method of representing data in a visual, Machine-readable data, machine-readable form. Initially, barcodes represented data by varying the widths, spacings and sizes of parallel lines. These barcodes, now commonly refe ...
s and
Comics Code
The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was formed in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America as an alternative to government regulation. The CCA allowed the comic publishers to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. T ...
approval badges.
The character generation system is a combination of random rolling and design. Players roll some random superpowers which they can the customise and develop in various ways to create a character they want to play. A character can only keep their full set of powers if they can justify them all in a plausible origins story.
The system really strives to recreate comics, with the actions occurring in "frames" and a lot of classic comics assumptions being written into the rules. Characters are "rated" after each game and are more likely to succeed in future games if they behave in ways consistent with ComicBook tropes.
Simon Burley, one of the original authors of Golden Heroes, has since revisited the genre and issued a new game - informed by the same aesthetic - called Squadron UK.
Publication history
''Golden Heroes'' was first published in an amateur - photocopied - format by the original authors in 1982. The more professional and complete version was published by
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group (often abbreviated as GW) is a British manufacturer of miniature wargames, based in Nottingham, England. Its best-known products are ''Warhammer Age of Sigmar'' and ''Warhammer 40,000''.
Founded in 1975 by John Peake (gam ...
in 1984.
Reception
Marcus L. Rowland reviewed ''Golden Heroes'' for ''
White Dwarf
A white dwarf is a stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. A white dwarf is very dense: its mass is comparable to the Sun's, while its volume is comparable to the Earth's. A white dwarf's faint luminosity comes fro ...
'' #62, giving it an overall rating of 10 out of 10, and stated that "As a late contender in the super RPG field, ''Golden Heroes'' faces severe opposition from established games. However, its quality, scope, and the fact that it is orientated towards British players are bound to make it successful, if there is a steady flow of supplements and scenarios."
Pete Tamlyn reviewed ''Golden Heroes'' for ''
Imagine
Imagine may refer to:
* Imagination
Music Albums
* ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008
* ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002
* ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012
* ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971
** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
'' magazine, and stated that "For younger players, and If you just want the Superhero game for light relief and one-off scenarios, then MSH is the best, but if you are planning to run an extended Superhero campaign then Golden Heroes wins hands down."
Tony Johnston did a retrospective review of ''Golden Heroes'' for ''Arcane'' magazine, stating that "A superb system, and one which some referees I know still use today, adapted for other games."
''Golden Heroes'' was ranked 41st in the 1996 reader poll of ''Arcane'' magazine to determine the 50 most popular roleplaying games of all time. The UK magazine's editor Paul Pettengale commented: "The gameplay reflects a refined approach to the superhero genre, and roleplaying tends to take priority over combat."
Reviews
*''
Different Worlds
''Different Worlds'' was an American role-playing games magazine published from 1979 to 1987.
Scope
''Different Worlds'' published support articles, scenarios, and variants for various role-playing games including ''Dungeons & Dragons'', ''Ru ...
'' #43
*''The V.I.P. of Gaming Magazine'' #3 (April/May, 1986)
References
{{reflist
British role-playing games
Contemporary role-playing games
Games Workshop games
Role-playing games introduced in 1982
Superhero role-playing games