Reviews
Contemporary critical reception from the British gaming press — Zzap!64, Your Sinclair, ACE, CU Amiga, CRASH — plus retrospective assessment from The Digital Antiquarian.
Critical Context
Magnetic Scrolls consistently attracted the highest scores in the British gaming press across their entire catalogue. The studio's games were unusual in being reviewed seriously — not just rated against other text adventures but held to the standard of the form's best work, including Infocom's American titles.
The key publications were Zzap!64 (C64-focused, covering the early Magnetic Scrolls titles on C64), Your Sinclair (Spectrum coverage), ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment, multi-format), and CU Amiga (Amiga versions, relevant from the mid-1980s onward). CRASH covered the Spectrum ports; Amiga Power, launching in 1991, caught the late Magnetic Scrolls era in retrospect.
Note on scores: Period scores are cited from archive sources where available. Primary verification from magazine scans is recommended before treating any score as definitive. Zzap!64 scored out of 100% with a Gold Medal for scores typically at 90%+. Your Sinclair and ACE used percentage scales. CU Amiga used a star system in most periods.
The Pawn (1985)
The Pawn
Zzap!64 documented as awarding The Pawn a high score. Exact score and issue to be confirmed from archive scan. The game's parser depth and illustration quality were specifically praised.
The Pawn
ACE multi-format coverage. ACE used a 1000-point scale in some periods; score and issue to be confirmed from archive scan.
The Pawn
CRASH Spectrum review. Score to be confirmed from the Crashonline archive.
The Guild of Thieves (1987)
The Guild of Thieves
Zzap!64 Gold Medal level — documented as one of the highest scores awarded to a text adventure. Exact percentage and issue to be confirmed from archive scan. Gold Medal threshold typically 90%+.
The Guild of Thieves
Your Sinclair called The Guild of Thieves the best text adventure available at time of review. Exact score to be confirmed from archive scan.
The Guild of Thieves
ACE multi-format. Score and issue number to be confirmed from archive scan.
Jinxter (1987)
Jinxter
Your Sinclair Spectrum review. Score to be confirmed from archive.
Jinxter
C64 review. Score to be confirmed from archive scan.
Jinxter
Multi-format. Score to be confirmed.
Corruption (1988)
Corruption
C64 review. Score to be confirmed from archive scan.
Corruption
Spectrum review. Score to be confirmed.
Corruption
Amiga version review. Score to be confirmed from CU Amiga archive.
Wonderland (1990)
Wonderland
The definitive Amiga version, showcasing Magnetic Windows in full. Score to be confirmed from CU Amiga archive.
Wonderland
Multi-format. Score to be confirmed.
Retrospective Assessment - The Digital Antiquarian
Jimmy Maher's The Digital Antiquarian (filfre.net) has devoted multiple articles to Magnetic Scrolls titles, situating them within the broader history of interactive fiction and assessing their achievement against contemporary Infocom work.
The Digital Antiquarian is widely regarded as the most authoritative history of computer games written in English — exhaustively researched, critically serious, and invaluable for contextualising the Magnetic Scrolls catalogue within the arc of the form. Search the site for individual game titles or "Magnetic Scrolls" for the full coverage.
Archive Sources
- Zzap!64 (Archive.org) - C64-focused; Gold Medal for The Pawn and The Guild of Thieves
- Your Sinclair (Archive.org) - Spectrum coverage
- ACE (Archive.org) - Advanced Computer Entertainment, multi-format
- CU Amiga (Archive.org) - Amiga versions
- CRASH (Crashonline) - Spectrum reviews
- Amiga Power (Archive.org) - issues 1–74, 1991–1996
- Hall of Light - Amiga review score aggregator