Books About Video Games
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The following is a list of books about video games, which range from
development Development or developing may refer to: Arts *Development (music), the process by which thematic material is reshaped * Photographic development *Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting * Development hell, when a proje ...
,
theory A theory is a systematic and rational form of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the conclusions derived from such thinking. It involves contemplative and logical reasoning, often supported by processes such as observation, experimentation, ...
,
history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...
, to
game art design Game art design is a subset of game development involving the process of creating the artistic aspects of video games. Video game art design begins in the pre-production phase of creating a video game. Video game artists are visual artists invo ...
books.


Business

; ''Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made'': () by
Jason Schreier Jason Schreier (born May 10, 1987) is an American journalist and author who primarily covers the video game industry. He worked as a news reporter for ''Kotaku'' from 2011 to 2020 and was recognized for several Investigative journalism, investig ...
; ''Business & Legal Primer for Game Development'': () by Brian Green and
S. Gregory Boyd S. Gregory Boyd (Greg Boyd) is an American author, attorney, and professor specializing in intellectual property, the game industry, and high technology media. He is currently a partner and the chairman of the Interactive Entertainment Group at Fra ...
; ''Changing the Game: How Video Games Are Transforming the Future of Business'': () by David Edery and Ethan Mollick ; ''Gamers at Work: Stories Behind the Games People Play'': () by
Morgan Ramsay Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * Morgan (2012 film), ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * Morgan (2016 film), ''Morgan'' (2016 film), a ...
; ''Innovation and Marketing in the Video Game Industry: Avoiding the Performance Trap'': () by David Wesley and Gloria Barczak ; ''Online Game Pioneers at Work'': () by Morgan Ramsay ; ''Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution'': () by Dean Takahashi. The behind-the-scenes story of Microsoft's first gaming console reported by an award-winning journalist and gaming-industry expert. ; ''Not All Fairy Tales Have Happy Endings: The rise and fall of Sierra On-Line'': () by Ken Williams. The inside story of one of the first computer game companies that for a time, dominated the industry. ; ''Total Engagement: How Games and Virtual Worlds Are Changing the Way People Work and Businesses Compete'': () by Byron Reeves and J. Leighton Read ;''The Video Games Textbook: History • Business • Technology'' : () by Dr. Brian J. Wardyga ;''We Weren't Facebook: A Scottish student led new start business revolution which didn't happen'': by Dr Malcolm A Sutherland: () : available fro
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; ''The Xbox 360 Uncloaked: The Real Story Behind Microsoft's Next-Generation Video Game Console'': () by Dean Takahashi. An insider's look at the evolution of the
Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...
and
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
's ambitious gamble to become a leading force in the multi-billion dollar video gaming industry. ; ''Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal'': () by Robbie Bach. Microsoft's former Chief Xbox Officer outlines the business framework behind the Xbox and Xbox 360 launch.


Design and theory

; ''On the Way to Fun: an Emotion based Approach to Successful Game Design'': () by Roberto Dillon ; ''8 Bits of Wisdom: Video Game Lessons for Real Life's Endbosses'': () by Andy Schindler ; ''
Andrew Rollings and Ernest Adams on Game Design The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is a nonprofit professional association whose stated mission is to "support and empower video game developers, game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers ...
'': () by Andrew Rollings and Ernest W. Adams. ; '' The Art of Computer Game Design'': () by Chris Crawford is attributed by Wolf & Perron in ''The Video Game Theory Reader'' as being the first book devoted to the theory of
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s. It was originally published in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media in 1984 ; ''The Art Of Game Design'': () by
Jesse Schell Jesse N. Schell (born June 13, 1970) is an American video game designer and author, as well as the CEO of Schell Games, and a distinguished professor of the practice of entertainment technology at CMU's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), a ...
; ''Balance of Power: International Politics As the Ultimate Global Game'': () by Chris Crawford ; ''Character Development and Storytelling for Games'': () by Lee Sheldon ; ''Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling'': () by Chris Crawford ; ''Creating Emotion in Games: The Craft and Art of Emotioneering'': () by David Freeman ; ''
Designing Virtual Worlds ''Designing Virtual Worlds'' is a book about the practice of virtual world development by Richard Bartle. It has been noted as an authoritative source regarding the history of world-based online games. College courses have been taught using it. ...
'': () by
Richard Bartle Richard Allan Bartle (born 10 January 1960) is a British writer, professor and game researcher in the massively multiplayer online game industry. He co-created ''MUD1'' (the first MUD) in 1978, and is the author of the 2003 book ''Designing Vir ...
. Definitive work on MMO/virtual world development. ; ''Developing Online Games: An Insider's Guide'': () by Jessica Mulligan and Bridgette Patrovsky ; ''Digital Gameplay: Essays on the Nexus of Game and Gamer'': () edited by Nate Garrelts. ; '' Ecrire pour le jeu'' (writing for game): () by
Emmanuel Guardiola Immanuel or Emmanuel (, "God swith us"; Koine Greek: ) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 1:22 –23) interprets this as a prophecy of ...
, 2000, Edition Dixit, Paris ; ''Expressive Processing: Digital Fictions, Computer Games, and Software Studies'': () by
Noah Wardrip-Fruin Noah Wardrip-Fruin is a professor in the Computational Media department of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is an advisor for the Expressive Intelligence Studio. He is an alumnus of the Literary Arts MFA program and Special Graduate S ...
, Assistant Professor at
University of California, Santa Cruz The University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz or UCSC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Santa Cruz, California, United States. It is one of the ten campuses in the University of C ...
. ; '' Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter'': () by
Tom Bissell Tom Bissell (born January 9, 1974) is an American journalist, critic, and writer, best known for his extensive work as a writer of video games, including ''The Vanishing of Ethan Carter'', '' Battlefield Hardline'', and '' Gears 5''. His work ha ...
; ''
Fun Inc ''Fun Inc'' is a book first published in January 2010 by Tom Chatfield, examining video games in terms of their cultural status, potentials as a medium and as a business. It addresses popular concerns such as the debate over violence in games, a ...
.: Why Games are the 21st Century's Most Serious Business'': () written by
Tom Chatfield Dr Tom Chatfield (born 1980) is a British author, broadcaster, and tech philosopher. Chatfield has written books on digital culture. He is also a public speaker on the subject area. Chatfield was appointed Chair of the Authors' Licensing and Col ...
. A cultural and intellectual exploration of the multiple roles played by games in the 21st century and the myths and attitudes surrounding them. ; '' Gamelife: A Memoir'': () written by
Michael Clune Michael W. Clune is an American writer and critic. His creative and critical writing has appeared in ''Harper's'', ''Salon'', ''Granta'', ''PMLA'', the New Yorker, and other publications. Biography Clune was born in Ireland and grew up in C ...
. ''Gamelife'' is part memoir of childhood in the eighties, part meditation on the imaginative world of computer games. ; ''Game Architecture and Design: A New Edition'': () by Andrew Rollings and Dave Morris. ;'' The Game Design Reader'':() by
Katie Salen Katie Salen Tekinbaş is an American game designer, animator, and educator. She is a professor at the University of California, Irvine. Previously, she taught at DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media, Parsons The New School ...
and
Eric Zimmerman Eric Zimmerman (born 1969) is an American game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a video game developer, computer game development company based in Manhattan. GameLab is known for the game ''Diner Dash''. Each year Zimmerman host ...
. ; '' Game Design: From Blue Sky to Green Light'': () by
Deborah Todd Deborah Todd is an American game designer, writer, and producer who began her career in the entertainment industry in 1991 writing cartoons for MGM/UA's new ''Pink Panther'' Saturday morning cartoon series. She is known for her pioneering ...
; '' Game Design: How to Create Video and Tabletop Games, Start to Finish'':() by
Lewis Pulsipher Lewis Errol Pulsipher (born January 22, 1951), often credited as Lew Pulsipher, is an American teacher, game designer, and author, whose subject is role-playing games, board games, card games, and video games. He was the first person in the North ...
(2012). ; ''Game Design: The Art and Business of Creating Games'': ()
Bob Bates Robert Bates (born December 11, 1953) is an American video game designer. One of the early designers of interactive fiction games, he was co-founder of Challenge, Inc., which created games in the 1980s for the pioneering company Infocom. After ...
. ; '' Game Design: Theory and Practice'': () by
Richard Rouse III Richard Rouse III is an American video game designer best known as the designer of '' The Suffering'' (2004) and the author of ''Game Design: Theory & Practice''. Career Rouse produced two Macintosh games, fantasy RPG ''Odyssey: The Legend of ...
. ; ''Game Design Foundations, Second Edition'': () by
Roger E. Pedersen Roger is a masculine given name, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic languages">Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") ...
. ; '' Game Design Workshop: Designing, Prototyping, and Playtesting Games'': () by
Tracy Fullerton Tracy Fullerton (born June 21, 1965) is an American game designer, educator and writer, best known for '' Walden, a game'' (2017). She is a Professor in the USC Interactive Media & Games Division of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Director ...
, with Steven Hoffman and Chris Swain. ; ''Game Interface Design'': () by Brent Fox. ; ''Game Work: Language, Power, and Computer Game Culture'': () by Ken S. McAllister. ; ''
Gamer Theory A gamer is someone who plays interactive games, either video games, tabletop role-playing games, skill-based card games, or any combination thereof, and who often plays for extended periods of time. Originally a hobby, gaming has evolved in ...
'': () by
McKenzie Wark McKenzie Wark (born 1961) is an Australian-born writer and scholar. Wark is known for her writings on media theory, critical theory, new media, and the Situationist International. Her best known works are '' A Hacker Manifesto'' and ''Gamer The ...
. ; '' Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds'': () by Jesper Juul. ; '' Inside Electronic Game Design'': () by Arnie Katz and Laurie Yates. ; ''
Introduction to Game Development Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to: General use * Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music * Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...
'': () by
Steve Rabin Steve Rabin is an American software engineer, college instructor, and editor/author who specializes in the field of video game artificial intelligence. He is best known as the chief editor of the ''AI Game Programming Wisdom'' series of books an ...
; ''Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design'': () by Scott Rogers. ; '' The Meaning and Culture of Grand Theft Auto: Critical Essays'': () edited by Nate Garrelts ; ''The Medium of the Video Game'': edited by Mark J. P. Wolf. ; '' More Than A Game: The Computer Game as Fictional Form'': () by Barry Atkins. ;'' Patterns in Game Design'' :() by Staffan Bjork and Jussi Holopainen ; ''Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture'': () by
T. L. Taylor T. L. Taylor (born 1967) is an American sociologist and professor. Taylor specialises in researching the culture of gaming and online communities, in particular, esports, live-streaming, and MMOGs such as ''EverQuest'' and ''World of Warcraft'' ...
. ; '' Playing to Win'': by
David Sirlin David Sirlin is an American game designer and fighting game player. He featured in and narrated much of ''Bang the Machine'', a 2002 documentary by Tamara Katepoo about a Street Fighter "exhibition tournament in Japan showing the difference betw ...
. ; '' Rules of Play : Game Design Fundamentals'': () by
Katie Salen Katie Salen Tekinbaş is an American game designer, animator, and educator. She is a professor at the University of California, Irvine. Previously, she taught at DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media, Parsons The New School ...
and
Eric Zimmerman Eric Zimmerman (born 1969) is an American game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a video game developer, computer game development company based in Manhattan. GameLab is known for the game ''Diner Dash''. Each year Zimmerman host ...
. ; ''Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games'': () by
Edward Castronova Edward "Ted" Castronova is a professor of media at Indiana University Bloomington. He is known in particular for his work on the economies of synthetic worlds. Biography Castronova obtained a BS in international affairs from Georgetown University ...
. ; ''The Business and Culture of Digital Games: Gamework and Gameplay'': () by Aphra Kerr. ; '' A Theory of Fun for Game Design'': () by
Raph Koster Raphael "Raph" Koster (born September 7, 1971) is an American entrepreneur, computer game designer, game designer, and author of ''A Theory of Fun for Game Design''. Koster is widely recognized for his work as the lead designer of ''Ultima Onlin ...
. ; '' Trigger Happy'': (/) by
Steven Poole Steven Poole (born 1972) is a British author, journalist, and video game theorist. He particularly concerns himself with the abuse of language and has written two books on the subject: ''Unspeak'' (2006) and ''Who Touched Base in My Thought Showe ...
. Examines
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s in terms of their
aesthetic Aesthetics (also spelled esthetics) is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and taste, which in a broad sense incorporates the philosophy of art.Slater, B. H.Aesthetics ''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy,'' , acces ...
appeal — what makes certain games more fun to play than others. It covers aspects such as the effective use of space and perspective in video games, rewards and progression through games, the design of an appealing video game character and the debate over violence in games. ; '' 21st Century Game Design'': () by Chris Bateman and Richard Boon ; ''
Understanding Digital Games Understanding is a Cognition, cognitive process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to use concepts to model that object. Understanding is a Relation (philosophy), relation betwe ...
'': (/) by Jason Rutter and Jo Bryce. ; '' Understanding Minecraft: Essays on Play, Community and Possibilities'': () edited by Nate Garrelts ; ''The Philosophy of Computer Games'': () edited by John R. Sageng et.al. ; ''The Video Game Theory Reader'': edited by Mark J.P. Wolf and Bernard Perron. ; ''The Video Game Theory Reader 2'': edited by Bernard Perron and Mark J.P. Wolf. The following are taken from Recommended Reading lists in the ''
Centennial College Centennial College may refer to: * Centennial College (Canada), a public college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada * Centennial College (Hong Kong), a private college in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong {{Disambiguation, schools ...
Seminar Series: The Video Game Industry Lecture Series'' handouts (2005): ; ''Creating the Art of the Game'': by Matthew Omernick. "A great reference to great modelling and texturing techniques." ; ''Animating Real-Time Game Characters'': (Game Development Series): by Paul Steed. "Tips and tricks on game animation from the professionals in the industry, especially for the
3D Max Autodesk 3ds Max, formerly 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max, is a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D animations, models, games and images. It is developed and produced by Autodesk Media and Entertainment. It has modeling capabi ...
icartist." ; ''Game Modeling Using Low Polygon Techniques'': by Chad Walker and Eric Walker. "... For the beginner. Learn to design, sketch and model for low-polygon content." ; ''Ultimate Game Design: Building Game Worlds'': by Tom Meigs. "An insider perspective on advanced techniques for creatiing iccompelling characters and vivid environments. Good reference for artists using
Maya Maya may refer to: Ethnic groups * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Mayan languages, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (East Africa), a p ...
." ; ''Character Development and Storytelling for Games'' (Game Development Series): by Lee Sheldon. "An excellent writers aid in creating content and writing for characters in a game setting." ; ''Gaming 101: A Contemporary History of PC and Video Games'': by George Jones. ; ''Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971–1984'': by Van Burnham. ;''
Boss Fight Books Boss Fight Books is a Los Angeles-based book publisher and its eponymous series of books about video games. Similar to the style of 33⅓, a series of books about individual record albums, each book focuses solely on one video game. The compan ...
'': A publisher that produces books exclusively about single video games, including: * ''
EarthBound ''EarthBound'', originally released in Japan as is a 1994 role-playing video game, role-playing video game developed by Ape, Inc., Ape Inc. and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as the second e ...
'': by
Ken Baumann Ken Baumann (born ) is a former American actor, writer, publisher, and book designer. He is known for playing Ben Boykewich on ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager''. He is the author of numerous novels, nonfiction stories, essays, and poem ...
* ''
Chrono Trigger is a 1995 role-playing video game by Square. It was originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as the first entry in the ''Chrono'' series. The game's development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dr ...
'': by Michael P. Williams * '' ZZT'': by
Anna Anthropy Anna Anthropy is an American video game designer, role-playing game designer, and interactive fiction author whose works include '' Mighty Jill Off'' and '' Dys4ia''. She is the game designer in residence at the DePaul University College of Co ...
* ''
Galaga is a 1981 fixed shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. In North America, it was released by Midway Manufacturing. It is the sequel to ''Galaxian'' (1979), Namco's first major video game hit in arcades. Controlling ...
'': by
Michael Kimball Michael Kimball (born February 1, 1967) is an American novelist. Life and career Michael Kimball was born February 1, 1967, in Lansing, Michigan. He studied at Michigan State University and New York University, and now lives in Baltimore, Maryla ...
* ''
Jagged Alliance 2 ''Jagged Alliance 2'' is a 1999 tactical role-playing game developed by Sir-Tech, Sir-Tech Canada for Microsoft Windows and later porting, ported to Linux by Tribsoft. It is the third entry in the Jagged Alliance (series), ''Jagged Alliance'' seri ...
'': by
Darius Kazemi Darius Kazemi (born 1983) is an American computer programmer and artist. Kazemi and Courtney Stanton are the co-founders of the technology collective Feel Train. Early life Kazemi was born on July 28, 1983. He attended Thomas Jefferson High Sch ...
* ''
Super Mario Bros. 2 ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' is a 1988 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System. After the smash hit ''Super Mario Bros.'' in 1985, Nintendo quickly released a minor adaptation of the original with adva ...
'': by
Jon Irwin Jon is a shortened form of the common given name Jonathan, derived from "YHWH has given". The name is spelled Jón in Iceland and on the Faroe Islands. In the Nordic countries, it is derived from Johannes. Notable people * Jon Aaraas (born 1986 ...
* ''
Bible Adventures ''Bible Adventures'' is a Christian video game by Wisdom Tree first released in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1995. The game was unusual in that it was never sold in video game outlets. It co ...
'': by
Gabe Durham Gabe may refer to: People Given name *Gabe Alvarez (born 1974), Mexican baseball player and coach * Gabe Brown (born 2000), American basketball player *Gabe Carimi (born 1988), American football player *Gabe Cramer (born 1994), American baseball ...
* ''
Baldur's Gate II ''Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn'' is a role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Interplay Entertainment. It is the sequel to 1998's ''Baldur's Gate'' and was released for Windows in September 2000. Following its predeces ...
'': by Matt Bell * ''
Metal Gear Solid is a franchise of stealth games created by Hideo Kojima. Developed and published by Konami, the first game, ''Metal Gear'', was released in 1987 for MSX home computers. The player often takes control of a special forces operative (usually S ...
'': by Ashly &
Anthony Burch Anthony Burch (born 12 January 1988) is an American writer. He is best known for his work as lead writer on ''Borderlands 2'', his role as the Dungeon Master in the actual-play comedy podcast ''Dungeons & Daddies'', and his role in '' Hey Ash, W ...
* ''
Shadow of the Colossus ''Shadow of the Colossus'' is a 2005 action-adventure game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It takes place in a fantasy setting and follows Wander, a young man who enters an isolated and abandoned r ...
'': by
Nick Suttner Nick may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nick (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Désirée Nick, German actress and writer Places * Nick, Hungary, a village * Nick, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland, a v ...
* ''
Spelunky ''Spelunky'' is a 2008 platform video game created by independent developer Derek Yu and released as source-available freeware for Microsoft Windows. It was remade for the Xbox 360 in 2012, with ports of the new version following for various ...
'': by
Derek Yu Derek Yu (born July 2, 1982) is an American independent video game designer, video game artist, and blogger.World of Warcraft ''World of Warcraft'' (''WoW'') is a 2004 massively multiplayer online role-playing (MMORPG) video game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment for Windows and Mac OS X. Set in the '' Warcraft'' fantasy universe, ''World of War ...
'': by Daniel Lisi * ''
Super Mario Bros. 3 ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' is a 1988 platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was released for home consoles in Japan on October 23, 1988, in North America on February 12, 1990, and in Europe ...
'': by
Alyse Knorr Alice is a feminine first name with roots in the French and German languages. Etymology Alice is a form of the Old French name ''Alis / Alys'' (older ''Alais''), short form of ''Adelais'', which is derived from the Old High German ''Adalhaidis'' ...
* ''
Mega Man 3 ''Mega Man 3'' (stylized as ''Mega Man III'') is a 1990 action-platform game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the third installment of the original ''Mega Man'' series and was originally released ...
'': by
Salvator Pane Salvator, original spelling of Salvador, may refer to: * Paulaner Salvator, the original doppelbock brand * ''Salvator'' (lizard), a genus of lizards * Salvator (horse) (1886–1909), an American thoroughbred racehorse * Salvator of Horta (1520 ...
* '' Soft & Cuddly'': by
Jarett Kobek Jarett is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Jarett Andretti (born 1992), an American racing driver from Charlotte, North Carolina *Jarett Cale, plays Jeremy in ''Pure Pwnage'', an Internet-distributed, mockumentary series *Jarett ...
* ''
Kingdom Hearts II ''Kingdom Hearts II'' is a 2005 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive Studios, Buena Vista Games for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to ''Kingdom Hear ...
'': by
Alexa Ray Corriea Alexa may refer to: Technology *Amazon Alexa, a virtual assistant developed by Amazon * Alexa Internet, a defunct website ranking and traffic analysis service * Alexa Fluor, a family of fluorescent dyes * Arri Alexa, a digital motion picture came ...
* ''
Katamari Damacy () is a 2004 action-puzzle video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2. The game's plot concerns a diminutive prince on a mission to rebuild stars, constellations, and the Moon, which were inadvertently destroyed by his f ...
'': by
L. E. Hall Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organism ...
* ''
Final Fantasy V is a 1992 role-playing video game developed and published by Square (video game company), Square. It is the fifth main installment of the ''Final Fantasy'' series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainmen ...
'': by Chris Kohler * ''
Shovel Knight ''Shovel Knight'' is a platform video game developed and published by Yacht Club Games. Development was crowdfunded and the game was released for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Windows in June 2014. It was ported to OS X and Linux in September 2014, ...
'': by David L. Craddock * '' Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic'': by
Alex Kane Alex Kane (born October 21, 1993) is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Major League Wrestling where he is a former MLW World Heavyweight Champion and a former MLW National Openweight Champion. Professional wrestling care ...
* ''
NBA Jam ''NBA Jam'' is a List of basketball video games, basketball video game series based on the National Basketball Association (NBA). Initially developed as arcade games by Midway Games, Midway, the game found popularity with its photorealistic digi ...
'': by
Reyan Ali Reyan is a vehicle manufacturing company is based in Tehran, Iran. It was established in 1995 to produce cars under license from Daewoo. It produced the Daewoo Cielo between 1996 and 2004 and the Daewoo Matiz from 2000 to 2004. In 2005, it became a ...
* '' Breakout: Pilgrim in the Microworld'': by David Sudnow (originally published in 1979) * '' Postal'': by Brock Wilbur &
Nathan Rabin Nathan Rabin () is an American film and music critic. Rabin was the first head writer for ''The A.V. Club'', a position he held until he left the ''Onion'' organization in 2013.
* ''
Red Dead Redemption ''Red Dead Redemption'' is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Rockstar San Diego and published by Rockstar Games. A successor to 2004's ''Red Dead Revolver'', it is the second game in the ''Red Dead'' series. ''Red Dead Redemption'' is se ...
'': by
Matt Margini Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...
* ''
Resident Evil ''Resident Evil'', known as in Japan, is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments ...
'': by
Philip J. Reed Philip J. Reed is a role-playing game game designer and Chief Operating Officer for Steve Jackson Games. Career Philip J. Reed has worked in the RPG industry since 1995 for West End Games, Privateer Press, Atlas Games, and Steve Jackson Games. ...
* '' The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask'': by
Gabe Durham Gabe may refer to: People Given name *Gabe Alvarez (born 1974), Mexican baseball player and coach * Gabe Brown (born 2000), American basketball player *Gabe Carimi (born 1988), American football player *Gabe Cramer (born 1994), American baseball ...
* ''
Silent Hill 2 is a 2001 survival horror video game developed by Team Silent, a group in Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2. The second installment in the ''Silent Hill'' series, ''Silent Hill 2'' centers on ...
'': by
Mike Drucker Mike Drucker is an American stand-up comedian, writer and producer known for his work on ''Full Frontal with Samantha Bee'' (2016), ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' (2014) and ''Bill Nye Saves the World'' (2017). Filmography Drucke ...
* ''
Final Fantasy VI also known as ''Final Fantasy III'' in its initial North American release, is a 1994 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the sixth main entry in the ''Final Fantasy'' ser ...
'': by Sebastian Deken


Gaming Compendiums

; ''Collecting Cartridges: The Price Guide for Classic Video Game Collectors'': () By Michael S. Richardson. The Atari VCS (2600), 5200, 7800, Mattel Intellivision, Coleco Colecovision and Milton Bradley Microvision. Collecting Cartridges is much more than a book, for many it’s a passion – likely the closest thing to a time machine to our childhoods and a period of time where video game consoles were a completely new concept. It’s technology that demands a fascination, not just by those of us that lived it, but by future generations who wish to enjoy part of this very unique period of time. This guide is a work of love. It came about through the lack of any other detailed price guide that was really reflective of what classic video games, in similar conditions, were selling for. The information took years to compile, but became a personal resource being referenced regularly. There was no reason that if one person found it helpful, many others might as well. The layout of this guide is extremely simple to reference. It explains, through words and pictures, how to categorize any particular game title by its condition. The game titles are then broken down by console, publisher and name. Each title generally has multiple conditions reflective of what the same game would be bought and sold for. Most important is the fact that these prices are, in no way, arbitrary. The prices are an average of each title’s actual selling price. Formulas are used to fill in the value of each game under varying conditions. Great care has also been provided to reference the author(s) of each game. These designers were the proverbial ‘rock stars’ of the day. Part of the enjoyment of collecting is getting to know each programmer and their library of work. This guide contains an appendix which provides a very thorough cross reference. Along with historical information on each console and adding a few fond memories, this guide should be a part of any classic gamer’s library. “Don’t pay too much or accept too little. If you have anything to do with classic video game systems, you need this guide. This is the most accurate way of determining a game’s value.” Published April 24, 2017. ; ; '' The 100 Greatest Console Video Games: 1977-1987'' : () by Brett Weiss. Here are the best of the early video games, shown in over 400 color photos and described in incredible detail in the entertaining and informative text. Each game's entry features production history, critical commentary, quotes from industry professionals, gameplay details, comparisons to other games, and more. Published in 2014 by Schiffer. ; ''
1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die ''1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die'' is a video game reference book first published in October 2010. It consists of a list of video games released between 1970 and 2013, arranged chronologically by release date. Each entry in the list ...
'': () is a book about 1001 video games worth playing. The main editor is Tony Mott, editor-in-chief of
Edge Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
, as well as other gaming journalists. It also includes a preface from
Peter Molyneux Peter Douglas Molyneux (; born 5 May 1959) is an English video game designer and programmer. He created the god games '' Populous'', ''Dungeon Keeper'', and '' Black & White'', as well as ''Theme Park'', the ''Fable'' series, '' Curiosity: Wh ...
. ; ''
101 Video Games To Play Before You Grow Up 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
'': () is a children's book by Ben Bertoli featuring 101 video game series worth playing as a child. It includes a synopsis of each series, interesting trivia, and a section for readers to make notes on their favorite games or levels. ; ''Hardcoregaming101.net Presents: The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures'': () compiled and edited by Kurt Kalata. Published in 2011, it catalogues over 300 graphic adventures, mostly from between 1984 and 2000, including full reviews, box pictures and
screenshot A screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is an analog or digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by a (film) camera shooting the screen or the operating system An operating sys ...
s. It also includes several developer interviews. ; ''
The Video Games Guide ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...
'': () is a book by Matt Fox first published in October 2006 by Boxtree Pan Macmillan. It is similar in format to a traditional film guide with A to Z reviews of over 1000
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s. Accompanying each review are: the year of release, the system first released on, the developer and publisher, information on sequels and conversions, and a rating between one and five stars. Each 'classic' game that receives five stars has a colour
screenshot A screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is an analog or digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by a (film) camera shooting the screen or the operating system An operating sys ...
in a glossy section in the Guide's centre, and these screenshots are arranged by date - providing a visual timeline of game
graphics Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...
. ; ''The Vid Kid's Book of Home Video Games'': () by
Rawson Stovall Rawson Law Stovall (born 1972) is an American video game designer and producer. He started out as a video game journalist, the first to be nationally syndicated in the United States. In 1982, ten-year-old Stovall's first column appeared in t ...
. Published in 1984 by
Doubleday Doubleday may refer to: * Doubleday (surname), including a list of people with the name Publishing imprints * Doubleday (publisher), imprint of Knopf Doubleday, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House * Doubleday Canada, imprint of Penguin Random ...
, it is a collection of reviews for 80 different
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s for the
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
,
Intellivision The Intellivision (a portmanteau of intelligent television) is a home video game console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. It distinguished itself from competitors with more realistic sports and strategic games. By 1981, Mattel Electronic ...
,
Atari 5200 The Atari 5200 SuperSystem or simply Atari 5200 is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. as a higher-end complement for the popular Atari Video Computer System. The VCS was renamed to Atari 2600 at the time of the 5200' ...
,
ColecoVision ColecoVision is a second-generation home video-game console developed by Coleco and launched in North America in August 1982. It was released a year later in Europe by CBS Electronics as the CBS ColecoVision. The console offered a closer expe ...
,
Odyssey 2 The Magnavox Odyssey 2 (stylized as Magnavox Odyssey2), also known as Philips Odyssey 2, is a home video game console of the second generation that was released in 1978. It was sold in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil and Peru as ...
and
Vectrex The Vectrex is a vector display-based home video game console, the only one ever designed and released for the home market, that was developed by Smith Engineering and manufactured and sold by General Consumer Electronics. It was first released ...
systems. Many of the reviews first appeared in the syndicated newspaper column ''
The Vid Kid Rawson Law Stovall (born 1972) is an American video game designer and producer. He started out as a video game journalist, the first to be nationally Print syndication, syndicated in the United States. In 1982, ten-year-old Stovall's first col ...
'' syndicated by
Universal Press Syndicate Universal Press Syndicate (UPS), a subsidiary of Andrews McMeel Universal, was an independent press syndicate. It distributed lifestyle and opinion columns, comic strips and other content. Popular columns include Dear Abby, Ann Coulter, Roger ...
. ; '' Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games'': () by
Ken Uston Ken Uston (January 12, 1935 – September 19, 1987) was an American blackjack player, strategist and author, credited with popularizing the concept of team play at blackjack. During the early to mid-1970s he gained widespread notoriety for perfe ...
. Published in May 1982 by
Signet Signet may refer to: *Signet, Kenya, A subsidiary of the Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), specifically set up to broadcast and distribute the DTT signals * Signet ring, a ring with a seal set into it, typically by leaving an impression in sea ...
in New York, it was a 676-page
strategy guide Strategy guides are instruction books that contain hints or complete solutions to specific video games. The line between strategy guides and video game walkthroughs is somewhat blurred, with the former often containing or being written around the ...
for many
console game A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connec ...
s in existence at the time. ; ''Score! Beating the Top 16 Video Games'': () by
Ken Uston Ken Uston (January 12, 1935 – September 19, 1987) was an American blackjack player, strategist and author, credited with popularizing the concept of team play at blackjack. During the early to mid-1970s he gained widespread notoriety for perfe ...
. Published in 1982. ; ''
The Book of Games Volume 1 ''The Book of Games Volume 1'' is a game compendium by gameXplore, examining 150 video games from 2005 through 2006 covering most of the current game platforms. It covers topics such as the future of games, game heroes, from games to movies, and r ...
'': () by ''gameXplore''. This book is the first in ''The Book of Games'' series and was published in November 2006 by gameXplore. It describes 150 games from the period 2005–2006. Each game has a short description about the
gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game. The term applies to both video games and Tabletop game, tabletop games. Gameplay is the connection between the player and the game, the player's overcoming of challenges, and t ...
and challenges accompanied with nine
screenshot A screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is an analog or digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by a (film) camera shooting the screen or the operating system An operating sys ...
s. The book also has some feature articles about game topics, such as
MMORPG A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game. As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
s. ; ''
The Book of Games Volume 2 ''The Book of Games Volume 2'' is a game compendium by gameXplore, examining 100 video games from November 2006 through November 2007 covering most of the current game platforms. It covers topics such as Hardcore Gaming, LAN Events, Indie Game Dev ...
'': () by ''gameXplore''. This book is the second in ''The Book of Games'' series and was published in November 2007. It describes 100 games from the period November 2006 to November 2007. Each game has a short description about the
gameplay Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game. The term applies to both video games and Tabletop game, tabletop games. Gameplay is the connection between the player and the game, the player's overcoming of challenges, and t ...
and challenges accompanied with nine
screenshot A screenshot (also known as screen capture or screen grab) is an analog or digital image that shows the contents of a computer display. A screenshot is created by a (film) camera shooting the screen or the operating system An operating sys ...
s. It contains several feature articles and interviews with well-known game developers. ; ''Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984'': () by Brett Weiss. This thoroughly researched reference work provides a comprehensive guide to popular and obscure video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering every official United States release for programmable home
game console A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can typically be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location conne ...
s of the pre-NES era. Included are the following systems: Adventure Vision, APF MP1000, Arcadia 2001, Astrocade,
Atari 2600 The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977 as the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS), it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridg ...
,
Atari 5200 The Atari 5200 SuperSystem or simply Atari 5200 is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. as a higher-end complement for the popular Atari Video Computer System. The VCS was renamed to Atari 2600 at the time of the 5200' ...
,
Atari 7800 The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a home video game console officially released by Atari Corporation in 1986 as the successor to both the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. It can run almost all Atari 2600 cartridges, making it the ...
,
ColecoVision ColecoVision is a second-generation home video-game console developed by Coleco and launched in North America in August 1982. It was released a year later in Europe by CBS Electronics as the CBS ColecoVision. The console offered a closer expe ...
, Fairchild Channel F,
Intellivision The Intellivision (a portmanteau of intelligent television) is a home video game console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. It distinguished itself from competitors with more realistic sports and strategic games. By 1981, Mattel Electronic ...
, Microvision, Odyssey, Odyssey2, RCA Studio II, Telstar Arcade and Vectrex. ; ''Classic Home Video Games, 1985–1988'': () by Brett Weiss. Weiss follows his 2007 volume (''Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984'') with this follow-up, which covers games made for the
Atari 7800 The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a home video game console officially released by Atari Corporation in 1986 as the successor to both the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. It can run almost all Atari 2600 cartridges, making it the ...
,
Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
, and
Master System The is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series ...
, with the bulk of the text devoted to the popular
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
system. The entry for each game lists the publisher, developer, possible number of players and year of publication. Sound, graphics and levels of play are briefly described, and the author - an experienced collector and gamer - provides his well-educated opinion on the quality of play.
Arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
s and other systems for which the game was also ported to are listed. A glossary and index provide further information. For as far as it goes, this reference is professionally executed and an obvious labor of love. ; ''Classic Home Video Games, 1989–1990: A Complete Guide to Sega Genesis, Neo Geo and TurboGrafx-16 Games'': () by Brett Weiss. The third in a series about home
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s, this detailed reference work features descriptions and reviews of every official U.S.-released game for the Neo Geo,
Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Sys ...
, and TurboGrafx-16. This trio of systems ushered in the
16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two ...
era of gaming. Organized alphabetically by console brand, each chapter includes a description of the game system followed by substantive entries for every game released for that console. Video game entries include historical info, gameplay details and, typically, the author's critique. In addition, appendices list and offer brief descriptions of all the games for the
Atari Lynx The Atari Lynx is a Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth-generation handheld game console, hand-held game console released by Atari Corporation in September 1989 in North America and 1990 in Europe and Japan. It was the first handhe ...
, original
Game Boy The is a handheld game console developed by Nintendo, launched in the Japanese home market on April 21, 1989, followed by North America later that year and other territories from 1990 onwards. Following the success of the Game & Watch single-ga ...
, Neo Geo CD,
Sega CD The Sega CD, known as in most regions outside North America and Brazil, is a CD-ROM accessory and format for the Sega Genesis produced by Sega as part of the fourth generation of video game consoles. Originally released in November 1991, it ca ...
,
Sega 32X The 32X is an add-on for the Sega Genesis video game console. Codenamed "Project Mars", it was designed to expand the power of the Genesis and serve as a transitional console into the 32-bit era until the release of the Sega Saturn. The 32X ...
, and TurboGrafx-CD. ; ''The Complete NES: The Ultimate NES Collector's Book'': () by Jeffrey Wittenhagen. The first release in the "Complete" series, the book contains original cover artwork by
Joe Simko Joe Simko is a New York City based illustrator who is contributing as a current lead artist/writer to Topps’ Garbage Pail Kids and Wacky Packages trading cards. He is the producer and co-director of the Garbage Pail Kids documentary film, 30 Yea ...
and details all 678 Nintendo-licensed
NES The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
games. The book gives a short history of the Nintendo and
Famicom The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on 15 July 1983 as the and was later released as the redesigned NES in several test markets in the ...
systems and box art and a screenshot from each game with an area for collectors to mark for box, cartridge, and manual.


History

; ''The Legend of Argus: The Complete History of Rygar'':() by Brian Riggsbee (2021). A comprehensive look at the history of the games, characters, and world of Rygar. ; ''Creating Q*bert and Other Classic Video Arcade Games'': () by Warren Davis. A memoir about the making of a variety of games that Davis worked on in the 1980s and 1990s, including Q*bert, Us Vs Them, Terminator 2, Revolution X and more. ;''Videogame University'':() by George Litvinoff (2019). ; ''A Brief History of Video Games: From Atari to Xbox One'': () by Richard Stanton (2015). ''A Brief History of Video Games covers a lot of games and a lot of stories spanning many decades. (Polygon)'' ; ''The Golden Age of Video Games: the Birth of a Multibillion Dollar Industry'': () by Roberto Dillon ; ''Classic Video Games: The Golden Age, 1971–1984'': () by
Brian Eddy Brian R. Eddy is an American game designer and programmer, best known for designing '' Attack From Mars'' pinball for Midway and programming ''FunHouse'' and, with Larry DeMar, '' The Machine: Bride of Pin*Bot''. While at Williams Electronics / ...
(2012). ; ''
Console Wars In the video game industry, a console war describes the competition between two or more video game console manufacturers in trying to achieve better consumer sales through more advanced console technology, an improved selection of video games, a ...
: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation'': () by Blake Harris. ; ''
The Ultimate Guide To Classic Game Consoles ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' ...
'': () by Kevin Baker (2013). ; ''Des Pixels à Hollywood. Cinéma et jeu vidéo, une histoire économique et culturelle'': () by Alexis Blanchet (2009). ; '' The First Quarter: A 25-Year History of Video Games'': () by
Steven L. Kent Steven L. Kent (born August 28, 1960) is an American writer, known for both video game journalism and military science fiction novels. He is the son of woodworker Ron Kent. Career In 1993, Steven started work as a freelance journalist, writ ...
. A book portraying the first 25 years of the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
. ; ''The Ultimate History of Video Games'': () by
Steven L. Kent Steven L. Kent (born August 28, 1960) is an American writer, known for both video game journalism and military science fiction novels. He is the son of woodworker Ron Kent. Career In 1993, Steven started work as a freelance journalist, writ ...
. The updated version of the previous book. This time the author takes the history further into the 1990s, reaching the beginning of the millennium. ;''The Video Games Textbook: History • Business • Technology:'' () by Dr. Brian J. Wardyga ;''
From Sun Tzu to Xbox ''From Sun Tzu to Xbox: War and Video Games'' is a book of video game history written by the journalist and film critic Ed Halter, published in 2006. Description The book describes the evolution of video games from military-related technologie ...
: War and Video Games'': () by
Ed Halter Ed Halter is a film programmer, writer, and founder of Light Industry, a microcinema in Brooklyn, New York. He currently teaches at Bard College, where he is Critic in Residence. Criticism His writing has been featured in '' Artforum'', '' Th ...
. ; '' Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children'': () by
David Sheff David Sheff (born December 23, 1955) is an American author. He is best known for his interviews with artists, scientists, and pop culture figures, as well as his non-fiction books. Much of his writing, including his memoir ''Beautiful Boy: A Fat ...
. An insider view over
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
's roots and domination over the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
until the 1990s. ; ''Game Over: the Maturing of Mario'': () by
David Sheff David Sheff (born December 23, 1955) is an American author. He is best known for his interviews with artists, scientists, and pop culture figures, as well as his non-fiction books. Much of his writing, including his memoir ''Beautiful Boy: A Fat ...
. This updated second version of the previous book, takes the
Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto. It develops, publishes, and releases both video games and video game consoles. The history of Nintendo began when craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
history of the video game industry until the second half of the 1990s. ; '' Gaming Wonderland'': () by Francesco Fraulo. An insider look at the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
from 1999 to 2004. ; ''Gears of War: Retrospective - The First 10 Years'': () by Arthur Gies. This book tells the story of a franchise that changed the trajectory of
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...
,
Epic Games Epic Games, Inc. is an American Video game developer, video game and software development, software developer and video game publisher, publisher based in Cary, North Carolina. The company was founded by Tim Sweeney (game developer), Tim Sween ...
, and an entire console generation, according to its author, ''
Polygon In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain. The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon ...
'' co-founder Arthur Gies. It explains how a game can go from an idea to a billion-dollar franchise from the people who made it happen. ; '' Halcyon Days: Interviews with Classic Computer and Video Game Programmers'': by James Hague (1997). Made freely available on the web in 2002. ; '' High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games'': Published in April 2002 by McGraw-Hill Osborne Media and written by Rusel Demaria and
Johnny Lee Wilson The Johnny Lee Wilson case refers to the murder of 79-year-old Pauline Martz of Aurora, Missouri in 1986 that resulted in the wrongful imprisonment of a 20-year-old man named Johnny Lee Wilson. He had confessed to the murder days after it occurred ...
. The first edition is mostly center on the US
video game history The history of video games began in the 1950s and 1960s as computer science, computer scientists began designing simple games and simulation video game, simulations on minicomputers and mainframe computer, mainframes. ''Spacewar!'' was develop ...
, while the second edition, published in December 2003, features a brief history on Japanese and UK
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
companies. It details the history of video games, beginning with a page about the earliest
computer processor Cryptominer, In computing and computer science, a processor or processing unit is an electrical component (circuit (computer science), digital circuit) that performs operations on an external data source, usually Memory (computing), memory or som ...
s to the current days. This book goes into detail about what was happening to companies like Atari, Inc. back before, during and after the Video Game Crash of 1983–1984. ; ''
Joystick Nation A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...
'': () by
J.C. Herz JC may refer to: Transportation *JC International Airlines, Cambodia *Japan Air Commuter (IATA code: JC) * JAL Express (1998–2014; IATA: JC), Japan * Rocky Mountain Airways (1965–1991; IATA: JC), United States *, symbol for Main Line and Rap ...
. A book about the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
general history, going until circa 1997. ; ''
Masters of Doom ''Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture'' is a 2003 book by David Kushner about video game company id Software and its influence on popular culture, focusing on co-founders John Carmack and John Romero. The ...
'': () by
David Kushner David Kushner or Dave Kushner may be: * David Kushner (writer) * David Kushner (singer-songwriter) *Dave Kushner Dave Kushner (born November 16, 1966) is an American musician best known as the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock supergroup Vel ...
. The book regards the story of John Carmack and John Romero, portraying how both changed the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
, specially in the computer field. It also explains the concept behind video games like Dangerous Dave, Commander Keen series,
Wolfenstein 3D ''Wolfenstein 3D'' is a 1992 first-person shooter game developed by id Software and published by Apogee Software and FormGen for DOS. It was inspired by the 1981 Muse Software video game '' Castle Wolfenstein'', and is the third installment ...
,
Doom Doom is another name for damnation. Doom may also refer to: People * Doom (professional wrestling), the tag team of Ron Simmons and Butch Reed * Daniel Doom (1934–2020), Belgian cyclist * Debbie Doom (born 1963), American softball pitche ...
and Quake series. ; '' Minecraft: The Unlikely Tale of Markus "Notch" Persson and the Game that Changed Everything'': by Daniel Goldberg and Linus Larsson. A book about the story of ''
Minecraft ''Minecraft'' is a 2011 sandbox game developed and published by the Swedish video game developer Mojang Studios. Originally created by Markus Persson, Markus "Notch" Persson using the Java (programming language), Java programming language, the ...
'' and its creator,
Markus Persson Markus Alexej Persson ( , ; born 1 June 1979), known by the pseudonym Notch, is a Swedish video game programmer and Video game designer, designer. He is the creator of ''Minecraft'', which is the List of best-selling video games, best-selling ...
. ; ''
My Tiny Life "A Rape in Cyberspace, or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a Society" is an article written by freelance journalist Julian Dibbell and first published in ''The Village Voice'' ...
'': () by
Julian Dibbell Julian Dibbell (; born February 23, 1963) is an American author and technology journalist with a focus on social systems within online communities.Leonard, Andrew (January 22, 1999)The unbearable realness of virtual being. Salon.com Life and c ...
. A narrative history of
LambdaMOO ''LambdaMOO'' is an online community of the variety called a MOO. It is the oldest MOO today. ''LambdaMOO'' was founded in 1990 by Pavel Curtis at Xerox PARC. Now hosted in the state of Washington, it is operated and administered entirely on ...
. ; ''Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution'': by Dean Takahashi. ; '' Phoenix IV: The History of the Videogame Industry'': () by Leonard Herman (2016). Phoenix was the first comprehensive book on
video game history The history of video games began in the 1950s and 1960s as computer science, computer scientists began designing simple games and simulation video game, simulations on minicomputers and mainframe computer, mainframes. ''Spacewar!'' was develop ...
when it was originally published in 1994. A second edition was published in 1997, a third in 2001 and a fourth edition in late 2016. ; '' Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture'': ()
T. L. Taylor T. L. Taylor (born 1967) is an American sociologist and professor. Taylor specialises in researching the culture of gaming and online communities, in particular, esports, live-streaming, and MMOGs such as ''EverQuest'' and ''World of Warcraft'' ...
(2006). ; '' Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life'': () by Chris Kohler. ; '' Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System'': () by Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost (2009). ; '' Replay: The History of Video Games'': () by Tristan Donovan (2010). A general view over the history of the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
, including the US, Japanese and European markets. ; '' Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution'': () by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby. The book is a narrative of how the
video game industry The video game industry is the tertiary industry, tertiary and quaternary industry, quaternary sectors of the entertainment industry that specialize in the video game development, development, marketing, distribution (marketing), distribution, ...
came to be. It gives almost a biographer's point of view, portraying the life of some popular authors and how their ambitions or life events are reflected in their productions. ; ''Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971–1984'': by Van Burnham. ; ''The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to PlayStation and Beyond'': () edited by
Mark J.P. Wolf Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...
. This is the first comprehensive academic history of
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
s. ; ''The Video Game Theory Reader'': () edited by Mark J.P. Wolf and Bernard Perron. ; '' Videogames: In the Beginning'': () by
Ralph Baer Ralph Henry Baer (born Rudolf Heinrich Baer; March 8, 1922 – December 6, 2014) was a German-born American inventor, game developer, and engineer. Baer's Jewish family fled Germany just before World War II and Baer served the American war ...
. ; ''Vintage Games: An Insider Look at the History of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the Most Influential Games of All Time'': () by Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton.


Artwork collections, Artbooks and "making of" books


See also

*
Lists of video games A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
* List of video game consoles *
List of video game franchises This is a list of video game franchises, organized alphabetically. All entries include multiple video games, not counting ports or altered re-releases. 0–9 *''1080° Snowboarding'' *''1942'' *''3D Ultra Minigolf'' *'' 3-D Ultra Pinball'' *'' ...


References


External links


Non-fiction books about video games
The Video Game Library. {{DEFAULTSORT:Video games Bibliographies of games and sports
Books A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, mo ...