3), Eric Goldberg dismissed the 5th edition as "a pleasant puff piece", although he agreed that since 1st edition, "the production values have increased from amateur status to a nearly professional standard." However, he did not recommend it, saying, "the game will be passed over by all but the completist; there are better buys on the market now." In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames, game designer Jon Freeman commented, "Tunnels & Trolls was specifically designed to be a cheaper and simpler Dungeons & Dragons. It's both — and faster — but not better. Several new editions over the past few years have added a few suggestions and clarifications, but there are still nearly as many holes in the rules as there were in Dungeons & Dragons." Freeman specifically had issues with the lack of monster lists, treasure lists, and thief abilities, and found combat to be "unsatisfyingly gross." He also objected to the "tacky" names for spells such as Too-Bad Toxin, Dum-Dum and Upsidaisy, saying that they "lend the game an air of Ali Baba and the Three Stooges. Freeman gave this game an Overall Evaluation of only "Fair", concluding, "There are better alternatives available." Ken Rolston reviewed Tunnels & Trolls for Different Worlds magazine and stated that "T&T is a system which I believe compares favorably with the other FRP systems available, and one which I believe is worth your attention. I have enjoyed the years I have played the system, and I believe T&T represents a particularly attractive philosophy of FRP - a philosophy that deserves your consideration whether you play the T&T system or not." In the August 1992 edition of Dragon (Issue 184), Rick Swan liked several aspects of the 5th edition: "What the combat system lacks in realism, it makes up for in simplicity and speed" and "Players... will find the magic system to be exceptionally clever." Swan criticized the imprecision of the rules, calling them "a hairsplitter's delight", as well as the simplicity of the monster ratings, which meant "there’s no meaningful distinction between fighting a giant slug and a drunken swordsman." But he concluded that the simplicity of the rules was its own virtue, especially for new players. "The Tunnels & Trolls game is by no means the most sophisticated alternative to the D&D game — the AD&D game, the Avalon Hill Game Company's Runequest game, and even the new