101 BASIC Computer Games

This document, titled "101 BASIC Computer Games" and published by Digital Equipment Corporation (with a 1975 copyright, first printing 1973), is a comprehensive collection of computer games written in the BASIC programming language.

The book is notable for being one of the first collections of games entirely in BASIC, and for providing a complete program listing, descriptive write-up, and a sample run for each game. Although titled "101 BASIC Computer Games," the preface clarifies that it contains 108 individual games, with 101 unique write-ups for different game versions.

The collection features a wide variety of game types, including:

• Logic and Guessing Games: Such as number/letter guessing (GUESS, BAGLES), logic puzzles (FIPFOP, HI-Q), and strategic board games (AWARI, GOMOKO, CHECKR, QUBIC, TICTAC).
• Simulations: Covering sports (Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Hockey, Boxing), real-world scenarios (FURS trading, KING island management, HMRABI city-state governance, STOCK market, CAN-AM auto race), and card/casino games (ACEYDU, BLKJAK, CRAPS, ROULET, SLOTS, YAHTZE).
• Educational Tools (CAI): Including arithmetic drills (CHIEF, MATHDI), physics simulations (BOUNCE, KINEMA, ROCKET), and quizzes (BUZZWD, SYNONM, WORD, LITQZ).
• Creative/Novel Programs: Like maze generation (AMAZIN), banner printing (BANNER), drawing programs (BUG, BUNNY, DIAMND, SNOOPY, UGLY, 3DPLOT), and various "war" scenarios (BATTLE, BOAT, BOMBER, GUNNER, SALVO, SPACWR).

The preface emphasizes the educational value of these games, highlighting their motivational aspect and ability to foster learning by discovery, particularly in principles of logic, mathematics, and physics.

Technical notes detail computer limitations and language specifics for running the programs, such as variations in BASIC dialects, string handling (e.g., subscripted string variables, 6-character limits on some DEC systems), and the usage of commands like RANDOMIZE and LINPUT. Most games are stated to run in "standard" BASIC.