The Return of the Stainless Steel Rat

About this board game

The Return of the Stainless Steel Rat is a 1981 paragraph game for 1–2 players, featuring Slippery Jim diGriz—the famous Stainless Steel Rat—in a deadly maze controlled by a computer programmed to kill.

Based on Harry Harrison’s character, this game places the Stainless Steel Rat in a dangerous computer-controlled environment. Its central premise is direct and memorable: the player pits the SSR against a maze designed to be deadly.

The game is described as a solitaire paragraph game, making its written, choice-based format a defining part of the experience. It is listed with a play time of approximately 60 minutes, offering a focused adventure built around the character and the lethal maze.

• Based on Harry Harrison’s famous character, Slippery Jim diGriz
• Also known as the Stainless Steel Rat, or SSR
• A paragraph game centered on a deadly maze
• A computer-controlled setting programmed to kill
• Designed for 1–2 players with a 60-minute play time

Published in Ares Magazine #10, The Return of the Stainless Steel Rat brings a well-known science-fiction character into a compact game format. The contrast between the SSR and an automated maze programmed for lethal results defines the game’s distinctive setup.

For players interested in Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat, paragraph games, or unusual science-fiction game premises, The Return of the Stainless Steel Rat offers a concise encounter with Slippery Jim diGriz and a machine-controlled threat.