- Steve Jackson’s FIST returns as part of the Sound Realms catalog
- Use the touch screen to dial a number and listen to a narration of your adventure in the Castle of Mammon
- Find treasure, fight monsters, and avoid a gruesome end in this fully voiced version of CYOA audio
Audio RPG platform Sound Realms is set to tackle one of the most crucial, yet often forgotten, mobile games of all time as Steve Jackson’s FIST launches tomorrow, September 7. The choose-your-own-adventure game follows in the footsteps of the Fighting Fantasy series, letting you adventure through the mysterious and deadly Castle Mammon.
Steve Jackson, not to be confused with Other Steve Jackson (also known for his board games) co-founded Games Workshop and helped produce FIST (Fantasy Interactive Scenarios by Telephone) back in 1988 in partnership with telephone company Computerdial.
How does it work (or did it work)? Simple, you listen to audio narration and sound effects that guide you through Castle Mammon to defeat the demon prince Kaddis Ra. You are then given choices, much like in a choose-your-own-adventure book, that can lead to incredible treasure or a gruesome death.
While this used to be done by pressing a number on your phone’s keypad (or even a dial), you can now utilize FIST using its touchscreen—and without running up a hefty phone bill!
FIST letter sent
Funnily enough, I have a few elderly copies of White Dwarf (Games Workshop’s RPG magazine) from before it became a Warhammer-focused magazine. One of the constant adverts I saw when browsing through those hallowed tomes was for FIST, and I was always surprised to discover how common it was to play RPGs on your phone back then.
It’s honestly amazing how creative this was, there was even a line called The Black Claw Tavern where you could talk to other players! No word yet on whether this will return, or if the players with the highest scores in FIST will receive a gold coin for their efforts.
If you don’t feel like going back in time, take a look at our list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far) or our list of the 25 best free games for iOS and Android for some top picks.
