Analog Game Studies

Editors' Note and Table of Contents for Volume 13, Number 1 of Analog Game Studies (March 31, 2026). 

Power fantasy, or media that are described as such, has been generally attributed to harmful or anti-social behaviors, typically those associated with toxic masculinity. After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, power fantasy grew in demand with many new players giving tabletop role-playing games a chance, albeit through numerous virtual interfaces. Many of these players attributed TTRPG play with an empowering quality, one that helped support them emotionally, socially, and mentally through the 2020 lockdowns. Yet, discourses within and around the tabletop role-playing community also challenged the foundations of fantasy role-playing games, questioning game elements like “race” and creating alternative rules and entire TTRPGs in response. This article questions the extent that TTRPGs can “empower” players by looking to how discussions of racial justice in tabletop role-playing spaces trouble traditional depictions of power fantasy, exploring how the use of power fantasy in tabletop role playing games can be instruments for imagining more vibrant possible worlds.

This article demonstrates how the nonviolent victory condition of questing to achieve twenty lore in Disney’s Lorcana subverts typical CCG conventions, player expectations, and maintains alignment with Disney’s brand identity of “goodness, kindness, and innocence”. Lorcana is worth analyzing because it diverges from CCGs that require eliminating an opponent’s health. The mechanics of questing, character willpower, and challenging (the game’s version of combat) are how the game maintains Disney’s brand identity. These mechanics demonstrate how CCG language is deescalated to imply a reduced level of violence. Lorcana would be less unique if it had the typical victory condition of attacking an opponent’s health, and the game would not have the Disney feel if it were as violent as Magic the Gathering or Hearthstone.

This review examines Transformative Learning Through Play: Analogue Games as Vehicles for Educational Innovation by Sara Rye, Micael Sousa, and Carla Sousa (2025), which explores the pedagogical potential of analogue game-based learning (GBL) in addressing complex contemporary challenges. The authors argue that traditional educational models often fail to prepare learners for “wicked problems,” advocating instead for analogue games as experiential, systems oriented learning environments that cultivate critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. The book develops a theoretical foundation for analogue GBL by synthesizing perspectives from experiential learning, play theory, and motivational psychology, including Self-Determination Theory. Particular attention is given to the tactile and social affordances of analogue games, which engage learners in dialogic and embodied forms of learning. The authors also introduce practical frameworks for educational game design, including the TEGA model and the use of Game Design Documents, alongside discussions of established game design frameworks such as MDA, DDE, and the Design-Play-Experience model. While the book offers a rich synthesis of theory and practical guidance for educators, some conceptual areas, such as the ontological foundations of play and deeper exploration of dialogue in analogue gaming, could be further developed. Overall, the text provides a valuable and accessible resource for educators and scholars interested in the design and implementation of analogue game-based learning. 

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) may very well be the most important game ever created. D&D, having evolved from the niche wargame Chainmail, is widely regarded as the first tabletop role-playing game. It is unlikely that David Arneson and Gary Gygax understood the impact their game would have back in 1974, but in this “golden age of D&D” we can understand its influence on many aspects of culture including contemporary fiction, live performance, and even educational practice. My own teaching philosophy relies heavily on my 20+ years of experience as a Dungeon Master, and I count myself among the many people who have been positively impacted by D&D. The book Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons is both exploration and celebration of this truly remarkable game.