Published 40 years ago this month, the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons promised “a world where the fantastic is fact and magic really works!” To outsiders, it may seem impenetrably complex or impossibly nerdy, but the tabletop role-playing game has inspired a generation of writers and filmmakers and is credited with giving birth to the modern video-game industry. And now, a birthday review.

Players Worldwide:
More than 30,000,000

How to Play

Short version
Sit down with friends and pretend you’re the heroes of a fantasy story narrated by one of the participants (“the Dungeon Master”) and mediated by a few rules and rolling dice.

Long version
Study more than 300 rule books and supplements. Spend hundreds of dollars on dice, figurines, and maps. Find friends who are willing to do the same.

The Origin Story
War-gaming fans start a club called the Castle & Crusade Society where Dave Arneson, security guard, and E. Gary Gygax, part-time cobbler, meet. Together they author the first-edition rules.

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