| Lizards | |
| Aka: | Lizards! |
| Designer: | Jonathan Bean |
| Publisher: | Roma (Aus), Circle (NZ), Flying Buffalo (US, Madhouse (UK), The Ninth Legion (UK) |
| Genre: | Role-playing |
| Language: | English |
| Players: | 16 |
| Playing Time: | Fixed |
| Materials: | Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil |
| Media Type: | Play-by-mail or email |
Lizards (or Lizards!) is a closed-end, computer moderated, play-by-mail role-playing wargame.
Lizards was designed by Jonathan Bean,[1] and published in Australia by Roma.[2] It was also published by Circle in New Zealand and Madhouse in the United Kingdom,[2] and Guerilleros Associes in France as of 1996.[3] Flying Buffalo, Inc. published the game in the United States. This low-complexity game was closed-ended and computer moderated.[4] The game's rulebook was high-quality with a color cover—unusual for a PBM game.[2] It had humor woven throughout.[5] In 2001, The Ninth Legion in the UK was publishing the game.[4]
Lizards is a wargame involving fighting clans of lizards.[2] Players led individual clans.[2] 16 total players vied for victory on a 32×32 hex map.[2] Besides other players, the setting contained various living and nonliving lethal threats to players, from sea monsters to volcanoes.[2] Five types of lizards were available for players: (1) red lizards, or troops, (2) green lizards, or farmers, (3) black lizards, or spellcasters, (4) grey lizards, or builders, and (5) spies, which could be any color.[2]
A commentator in 1996 found the game entertaining but suffered from slow clan movement rates.[6] A reviewer in a 1996 issue of Flagship said it was "A good game", although he thought the gameplay was simple, which could appeal to some players.[5]