B/X D&D Florilegium

This slim red volume emerged before us as a brilliant piece of game design that not only changed our world with it's own bright light, but looking from the vantage of 1981, I can see that this game changed THE world. This world of dark dungeons and savage encounters slowly crept out into ours, from hobby shops to basements, to computer labs and movie screens. And we're all better off for having adventured in it, even if the game isn't played quite the same anymore. (Luke Crane, creator, Burning Wheel RPG – Jun 2012)

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Basic D&D, the version released in 1981 and assembled by Tom Moldvay, is a big inspiration [for D&D Next]. It’s a complete game in 64 pages and covers the essence of D&D in a compact package. (Mike Mearls, Sr. Manager, D&D R&D – May 2012)

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The second edition [of Basic D&D] [. . .] is the best possible introduction to the D&D game. [. . .]

I think the new Basic Set rules are an improvement over the first edition. Not a big quantum jump ahead, but better in a number of minor ways. I’m proud of the original Basic Set, and I like to think I did a good job of describing a great invention, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, so that everyone could enjoy it. The nicest compliment I ever got for it was from a game-store manager who said, “That’s made a lot of people happy.” May the new edition do the same. (Dr. J. Eric Holmes, editor, Basic D&D 1e – Aug 1981)