Tales from the Loop
Core RulesBest For
Groups wanting a rules-light, nostalgia-driven RPG about kids solving sci-fi mysteries in an alternate 1980s: Stranger Things meets E.T.
Core Mechanic
Roll a d6 dice pool (attribute + skill). Each 6 is a success. Push to reroll failures but take a Condition. Kids cannot die: instead they accumulate Conditions (Upset, Scared, Exhausted, Injured, Broken) and must roleplay recovery with anchors.
The d6 pool counts 6s, with pushing for rerolls at the cost of a Condition. Kids cannot die, so stakes run through trouble rather than danger. The system stays gentle and light.
- Free to tryNothing freeNo free rules or starter
- Get it nowSold newIn print or as a legal PDF
- ✓IndexFind any rule by page number
- ✓GM guidanceA chapter on how to run the game
- ✓Examples of playRules shown in action at the table
- –Quick referenceNo cheat sheet or summary tables
- ✓Cross-referencesRules point to each other by page
4 of 5 book tools found in the core book
Highlights
Very simple rules, distinctive 1980s setting, Conditions system encourages roleplay over combat, accessible for new players and younger teens
Considerations
Trouble mechanic resolution can feel arbitrary, limited mechanical differentiation between kid characters, investigation pacing relies heavily on GM skill, sessions can stall without clear mystery structure
Rules license Year Zero Engine OGL
Similar systems
- Kids on Bikes — Everyday small-town characters facing supernatural forces they cannot defeat or fully understandCompare Tales from the Loop vs Kids on Bikes
- Vaesen — Investigate Scandinavian folklore horrors in a 19th century world where myth and industry collideCompare Tales from the Loop vs Vaesen
- Masks: A New Generation — Young superheroes finding out who they are, and who they want to becomeCompare Tales from the Loop vs Masks: A New Generation
- Magical Kitties Save the Day — You are magical kitties protecting your humans from dangers they can't even seeCompare Tales from the Loop vs Magical Kitties Save the Day
- Brindlewood Bay — Elderly mystery book club members solve murders while uncovering a dark cosmic conspiracyCompare Tales from the Loop vs Brindlewood Bay
- Tiny Taverns — Slice-of-life fantasy: run a tavern, serve drinks, and befriend a dragonCompare Tales from the Loop vs Tiny Taverns