What Gaming Books Would You Recommend?

[Rogmeister]

This question may well have been asked before but if it has, I haven't found it (possibly it was done on the old board?) so if it has, my apologies and perhaps someone could direct me to it. I was messing around at Half.com yesterday and wound up ordering 4 books, 3 of them gaming related. These included High Score, Zap! The Rise and Fall of Atari, and Arcade Fever. Now I'm wondering what other good gaming books I should be looking for...especially older ones. I don't want strategy guide books as in Awesome Super Nintendo Secrets (well, I may look for some of those, too) but mainly want books about gaming in general. I looked up Supercade but the cheapest copy I found was about $52...not sure if I want to pay that much for that unless someone will tell me it's really worth that. Among those I already own are Game Over (the original and the revised edition...how come someone other than the original author did the new chapter?), The FIrst Quarter, and two editions of Phoenix...has there been more than two? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Sniderman]

*cough* Digital Press Guide *cough*

[Rogmeister]

Well, it goes without saying I already have that. I didn't think to mention it because it wasn't on the shelf with the others that I was glancing at. I also have Video Game Bible...

[AB Positive]

well, I just finished The Ultimate History Of Video Games last night and would highly reccomend it. Also, there's a new hardback out about the originators of Doom that looks interesting.

-AG[/u]

[Achika]

Electronic Plastic is also good, if you are into books on handhelds. Think mainly older ones--Bandai, Tiger, Game & Watch, etc.

[Rogmeister]

AdamG wrote:


well, I just finished The Ultimate History Of Video Games last night and would highly reccomend it. Also, there's a new hardback out about the originators of Doom that looks interesting.

Unless I'm mistaking, that first book as a new edition to "The First Quarter" which I already have. I've heard about the book concerning the makers of Doom and may consider getting that later. I'm not that interested in handhelds, though...

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

If you want an essential companion to First Quarter, I heartily recommend Fire In The Valley: The Making Of The Personal Computer. Not terribly game-related (though it does talk about Woz and Jobs working on Breakout, and Woz getting screwed out of his fair share of the money), but a lot of it runs parallel to the development of the video game industry and it gives you some very good context to know the history of both industries. You'll be surprised at the number of names that pop up in both books. You can check out my review of Fire here (http://www.thelogbook.com/read/q0-00/fire.htm) if you're interested.

Leonard Herman's Phoenix ain't bad either.

[Rogmeister]

Thanks for the info. That book does sound interesting...and I tend to buy books on all things that interest me, not just video games (such as cats, photography, movies, etc.) so this looks like one I'll look into. I do have Leonard Herman's Phoenix book, by the way.

[zmeston]

Thanks for the info. That book does sound interesting...and I tend to buy books on all things that interest me, not just video games (such as cats, photography, movies, etc.) so this looks like one I'll look into. I do have Leonard Herman's Phoenix book, by the way.

I enjoy The Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records by Walter Day, not just to see how much I suck in comparison to other players, but because of its extensive autobiographical section about the "National Video Game Team" that featured future EGM publisher Steve Harris. But you might want to hold off until the pending second edition.

-- Z.

[Captain Wrong]

If you're interested in the rise and fall of Atari, you gotta read Zap! It cuts off at 1984, and some info has been corrected as time goes on, but it's still the definitive book on that company leading up to the crash. I only wish someone would update and release Zap part 2!

[Rogmeister]

If you'll go back, you'll see Zap! is one of the books I said I had ordered (though I guess you could be recommending it to anyone else also interested in such books) and I do have the first edition of The Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records as well...but I'll probably also get the next edition since a fair amount of time has passed since my copy was published.

[kevincure]

Supercade is tight, of course - big thick hardcover for the coffee table. Trigger Happy by Poole is an interesting, more academic look at videogames (rather than simply a history), and though there are many interesting concepts discussed, Poole is a bit shaky on his knowledge of some videogame history. Masters of Doom is good if you were into the id shooters. Achika already mentioned Electronic Plastic, which is good, though quite hard to find.

And yeah, Ultimate History is just the new version of First Quarter, as far as I know.

[rolenta]

two editions of Phoenix...has there been more than two?

There are three editions of Phoenix, the third going up to the year 2000.

Also, I'm planning a second edition of ABC To The VCS which I hope will be available at CGE.

[BenT]

Of the vg history books I own, the only one I would recommend against getting is the Video Game Bible. I'll say no more on it.

My favorite, surprisingly, would probably be Kent's Ultimate History book. While there were a few factual errors, it's a very good read and a nice overview.

[Captain Wrong]

If you'll go back, you'll see Zap! is one of the books I said I had ordered (though I guess you could be recommending it to anyone else also interested in such books)

Yeah...umm...that's what I was doing.

(Sleep deprivation sucks folks.)

[rolenta]

Electronic Plastic, which is good, though quite hard to find.

I have an extra sealed copy of Electronic Plastic if anyone is interested.

[Rogmeister]

Thanks, Leonard. I've now ordered the 3rd edition. I also have Video Game Bible so I guess I've got the good and the bad. I know some people have cited errors in that publication...I also note I've hardly heard anyone mention it since I got my copy. Wuzzap with dat?

[rolenta]

Incidentally, the current issue of the Official US Playstation Magazine (June 2003) has a list of 'required reading' on page 33. Listed are:

Supercade
Hackers
Phoenix - (they mention the 2nd edition, not the 3rd for some reason)
Ultimate History of Videogames
Masters of Doom
Game Design: Secret of the Sages
Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual Reality
Trigger Happy
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Snow Crash

The next issue of EGM (August) will also have a book list.

[chocobokick]

I don't know if this really fits in but Brian has it in the car for book emergencies.
Opening the XBox
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0761537082/qid=1054390853/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/104-5353481-2822358?v=glance&s=books

[hamburgler]

Here are some video game books that I could think of that were good:

arcade fever
High scores

[Britboy]

Want great gaming fiction? DREAM PARK by Larry Niven!