Mike Pondsmith's Other Games

Mike Pondsmith is the Cyberpunk guy. Even before Cyberpunk 2077 came out, he was already one of the most well-known designers in the tabletop world. And for good reason. The Cyberpunk line of games were stylish, innovative, and influential. Occasionally, they were even prescient. But there’s always been more to Pondsmith than the run-and-gun of Night City.

Before he moved into video game design full-time, Pondsmith’s tabletop work from the mid-80s to mid-90s was fascinating. There were the two manga-inspired games: Mekton, the mecha battler that launched his career; and the slapstick comedy Teenagers from Outer Space. There were also some high-profile licensed adaptations, including a Dragon Ball Z RPG, now sadly lost to the mists of time and contract law. The licensed game that stood out, despite being comparatively low profile, was Dream Park, based on the series of novels by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes, which was intriguingly meta if a little underbaked. And then, there was the jewel in the crown: Castle Falkenstein, a steampunk game of high adventure that is easily one of the most unique and interesting RPGs that graced the ‘90s.

These games are almost never brought up anymore — completely crowded out by the gritty glitz and glitzy grit of Cyberpunk. But they're vital parts of the hobby’s history, ripe for critical discussion. So, leave your chrome at the door; where we're going, we won't need it.