Cartoon TTRPG 'Toon' Set to Return with New Second Edition

Steve Jackson Games has confirmed that the 80's cartoon tabletop RPG Toon will receive a new 2nd edition. The project is planned to launch through a crowdfunder on Backerkit on 17 December 2025.

Toon was first released in 1984 and became known for its slapstick approach to roleplaying. Players take on the roles of cartoon characters and experience chaotic antics that mirror classic animated shorts. Characters may be flattened by pianos or blown up by dynamite, yet they never truly perish. Instead they simply fall down and return to the action a moment later.

The upcoming edition aims to preserve the spirit of the original while updating the rules for modern audiences. The new version features simplified character creation, an expanded set of Silly Tables, and more than a dozen cartoon adventures.

Fans of the original game and newcomers interested in cartoon-style tabletop play can follow the project ahead of the crowdfunding launch in just over a week's time.

 

[overgeeked]

Over 1050 people signed up with just under a week to go.

Wow. Must have been a push somewhere. It’s jumped to 1400 in the last few hours.

 

[darjr]

Wow. Must have been a push somewhere. It’s jumped to 1400 in the last few hours.

Emails went out as well as internet adverts. Over 1600 now.

 

[overgeeked]

Just shy of 1800 now.

SJG put up a blog post. Not much new info.

Daily Illuminator: Lets Get Silly Toon Second Edition Is Coming Soon To BackerKit!

A second edition of Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game will be crowdfunded beginning on December 17! Toon, designed by Greg Costikyan and developed by Warren Spector, is a family-friendly RPG that debuted in 1984. Since then, roleplayers have come to love the zany hilarity of a game...

www.sjgames.com

Several geek media sites have articles on it now. Didn’t really see much new info in any of those either. Though a Bell of Lost Souls article suggests SJG has “big plans” for Toon without really saying why they think that.

RPG: Steve Jackson Games Has Big Plans For A 2nd Edition Of 'Toon'

Toon, the RPG of Saturday morning cartoon zaniness is getting an anvil-smashing, piano-dropping 2nd Edition next year.

www.belloflostsouls.net

 

[Olaf the Stout]

This has piqued my interest. I’ve still got the original Toon books on my shelf now.

 

[Willie the Duck]

Wow. Blast from the f'n past.

Dynamite or black powder mortar bomb?

 

[overgeeked]

Dynamite or black powder mortar bomb?

You can never go wrong with the classic stick o' TNT.

 

[CleverNickName]

Dang. 2,055 people are following it now, and the launch isn't for another five days. I'd say the odds are pretty good this will join the $1M TTRPG Crowdfunder Club.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Dang. 2,055 people are following it now, and the launch isn't for another five days. I'd say the odds are pretty good this will join the $1M TTRPG Crowdfunder Club.

Not bad for an RPG that folks treat often treat as a punchline.

Quinns Quest ran a mini-campaign of Toon as part of their "look at these crazy classic RPGs that are hard to imagine people playing" series. Other entries are Nobilis and Skyrealms of Jorune, both of which came off a lot less gameable than Toon did on the podcast.

 

[overgeeked]

Dang. 2,055 people are following it now, and the launch isn't for another five days. I'd say the odds are pretty good this will join the $1M TTRPG Crowdfunder Club.

Depends on the rewards and pricing. But that would be amazing.

Not bad for an RPG that folks treat often treat as a punchline.

Quinns Quest ran a mini-campaign of Toon as part of their "look at these crazy classic RPGs that are hard to imagine people playing" series. Other entries are Nobilis and Skyrealms of Jorune, both of which came off a lot less gameable than Toon did on the podcast.

I’m not a fan of podcasts so I haven't listened to it. How well did they do with the game?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I’m not a fan of podcasts so I haven't listened to it. How well did they do with the game?

Pretty well. It was interesting listening to Millennial English folks engage with it, since I think of Warner Brothers cartoons as being probably a bit more universal than they apparently are. But the game they played was recognizably a Looney Tunes inspired world and fun and zippy.

It didn't seem like it would sustain more of a "campaign" than three or four adventures in a row, but I don't think that's a big shock to anyone, nor what anyone was hoping for with Toon.