Lost Worlds (gamebook)

Lost Worlds is a combat picture book game designed and trademarked by Alfred Leonardi and first published in 1983 by Nova Game Designs. It has since had many publishers, including Chessex, Emithill, Flying Buffalo and Greysea. Two players each choose a character, which is a book, remove its character sheet and hand the book to the opponent. Each player then sees the other's fighter from a first-person view in the pictures. On every turn both secretly pick an action from their sheet, reveal the numbers together and look the result up in the book they hold, which can cause wounds or restrict the next move. The first character reduced to zero hit points loses. Some characters regenerate, cast spells, fly or inflict poison and disease, and cards add magic, tactics and luck. The Leonardi move matrix has been borrowed by other publishers, and spin-off series such as Queen's Blade followed.