1979 edition of Dragon, Karl Merris liked the fact that the game was simple -- only four pages of rules -- and yet "This simplicity of game mechanics allows play to proceed quickly, often at breathtaking speed. Most scenarios can be played to completion in an hour or less. Yet despite its simplicity, the game is challenging and interesting." The one weakness of the game Merris noted was when the monster was given a fire-breath weapon, for which there was no defense. Despite this, Merris recommended the game: "The Creature that Ate Sheboygan is a cleverly conceived, well-produced little game. It provides excellent opportunity for you to let your most monstrous fantasies run riot. Buy it, play it and enjoy it." In the first issue of Ares Magazine, Eric Goldberg lauded The Creature that Ate Sheboygan, rating it a 9 out of 9 and saying, "Since Creature even appeals to non-gamers, no one should be without a copy.". In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames, game designer Jon Freeman called the game "inexpensive and eminently playable." He did find some ambiguities in the rules about fires, but concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Very Good", saying, "It really is as much fun as it appears, particularly if your monster is equipped with fire-breathing. Closet pyromaniacs will go wild [...] If you don't take your wargaming too seriously, this is more fun than seeing the movie." In a retrospective review in Issue 4 of Simulacrum, Brian Train noted, "This is one you will want to play once you get your hands on a copy [...] Very straightforward but worthy of repeated plays." Train concluded with the comment "I have found that usually the human player tends to win, unless the monster is allowed the 'fire-breathing' special ability, so players should play one match and then switch roles." Awards At the 1980 Origins Awards, The Creature that Ate Sheboygan won the Charles S. Roberts Award for Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Game of 1979. Other reviews White Wolf #43 (May 1994) 1981 Games 100 in Games Games & Puzzles #81 References External links The Creature That Ate Sheboygan Article List Counter Sheet Board games introduced in 1979 Greg Costikyan games Origins Award winners Science fiction board games Science fiction board wargames Sheboygan, Wisconsin Simulations Publications games Wargames introduced in 1979 Wisconsin in fiction