Classic UK Video Games Celebrated in New Royal Mail Stamp Sets

Royal Mail’s first stamp issue of the new decade highlights landmark British video games.

The postal service packs 12 iconic titles into a collection celebrating classic UK-designed games “that put the ‘joy’ in ‘joystick.’”

Selected with the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), video game journalist Julian Rignall, and Bitmap Books creative director Sam Dyer, the dirty dozen are available to pre-order now.

“The UK has been at the forefront of the video games industry for decades,” Royal Mail spokesman Philip Parker said in a statement.

“In the 1980s and ’90s young designers grappled with coding on the new microcomputers and set the template for the industry with iconic games,” he continued. “We celebrate some of their landmark creations on stamps.”

Elite (1984)

The pioneering space-trading game, developed by Cambridge-based duo David Braben and Ian Bell, was originally published for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers. Its open-ended model and 3D graphics catapulted it into gaming history.

Dizzy (1987)

Dizzy (via Royal Mail)

One of the most successful British game franchises of its era, the series—created by the Oliver Twins and published by Codemasters— is named for its main character, an anthropomorphic egg that rolls around a fantasy world solving puzzles.

Populous (1989)

Populous (via Royal Mail)

The real-time strategy game created by Bullfrog Productions was the first civilization-building game. With more than 4 million copies sold, it is one of the best-selling PC titles of all time.

Lemmings (1991)

Lemmings (via Royal Mail)

In this puzzle-platformer from DMA Design in Scotland, players guide a group of green-haired, blue-robed creatures through obstacles to a designated exit (or, if you were like me, to their inevitable death).

Micro Machines (1991)

Micro Machines (via Royal Mail)

A ground-breaking racing game based on Micro Machine toys; developed by Codemasters, players race miniature toy vehicles on household settings like kitchen tables and desktops.

Sensible Soccer (1992)

Sensible Soccer (via Royal Mail)

Affectionately known as “Sensi,” the sports game with a very non-British name is considered the father of digital soccer titles—featuring a zoomed-out bird’s-eye-view; editable national, club, and custom teams; and user-friendly controls.

WipeOut (1995)

WipeOut (via Royal Mail)

This futuristic game—set in 2052, where players compete in an anti-gravity racing league—was developed in Liverpool by Sony’s Psygnosis studio, and features original music by Orbital and The Chemical Brothers.

Worms (1995)

Worms (via Royal Mail)

Cartoon-style warfare lets players lead a team of grubs through war with a computer or human opponent. The artillery tactical title helped Wakefield-based Team 17 become a leading international games publisher.

Tomb Raider (1996)

Tomb Raider (via Royal Mail)

The blockbusting action adventure from Core Design—featuring archaeologist Lara Croft—has sold more than 74 million copies worldwide and inspired a series of movies.

“This collection celebrates a selection of the great British video games that have helped define both the nation and global development scene over decades,” according to Jo Twist, chief executive of UKIE. “Video games are a key part of our cultural footprint.”

Described by Royal Mail as “a fun set of stamps and collectibles to get your thumbs twitching,” the souvenir stickers go on sale Jan. 21. And while you can have them delivered directly to the US, keep in mind that overseas shipping costs an additional $18.

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