The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World
by Steven L. Kent
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Book Summary Information
Author: Steven L. KentEdition: Paperback
Published: 2001-09-06
ISBN: 0761536434
Number of pages: 624
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Book Reviews of The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World
Book Review: Enjoyable book, but...
Summary: 4 Stars
Having been playing games since 1989, when I was four years old, I feel like video game history is a part of my own personal history. I picked this book up to satisfy my nostalgic needs, but I do have a few problems with it that left me wanting more. First off, I want to say that this book is a quick and easy read, and it is incredibly informative about the history of console and arcade games, ranging from the origins of company histories, to the Atari, all the way to the Playstation 2. I learned a lot of interesting little tidbits of information packed away in video game history that I've never even heard working at a game store for the last year.
Now on to my problems with the book...the biggest one is that I've been more into computer games than consoles since Doom came out in 1993, and this book is severely lacking in any PC Gaming storyline. The book does talk about DOOM revolutionizing the 3d graphics in computer games, and details a little bit about "Doom clones" such as Duke 3D and Quake, then says nothing about PC games for the rest of the book. What the heck! As if Age of Empires, Warcraft, Diablo, Everquest, Ultima Online, or any other '90s computer game wasn't as important as the countless Mario and Sonic sequels!
Another problem with the book: It's seven years old! A lot has happened since then. Update, please!
All in all, this book is a must-have for anyone that grew up on Mario and Sonic. The book focuses more on the successes and failures of the companies involved (Atari, Activision, Nintendo, Sega, etc.) than the evolution of gameplay, but not so much that it loses the average sitting-in-front-of-the-TV gamer. I just wish out of 624 pages the author could've dedicated more to PC games, and that an update would come out soon.
Summary of The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World
Inside the Games You Grew Up with but Never ForgotWith all the whiz, bang, pop, and shimmer of a glowing arcade. The Ultimate History of Video Games reveals everything you ever wanted to know and more about the unforgettable games that changed the world, the visionaries who made them, and the fanatics who played them. From the arcade to television and from the PC to the handheld device, video games have entraced kids at heart for nearly 30 years. And author and gaming historian Steven L. Kent has been there to record the craze from the very beginning.
This engrossing book tells the incredible tale of how this backroom novelty transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Through meticulous research and personal interviews with hundreds of industry luminaries, you'll read firsthand accounts of how yesterday's games like Space Invaders, Centipede, and Pac-Man helped create an arcade culture that defined a generation, and how today's empires like Sony, Nintendo, and Electronic Arts have galvanized a multibillion-dollar industry and a new generation of games. Inside, you'll discover:
?The video game that saved Nintendo from bankruptcy
?The serendipitous story of Pac-Man's design
?The misstep that helped topple Atari's $2 billion-a-year empire
?The coin shortage caused by Space Invaders
?The fascinating reasons behind the rise, fall, and rebirth of Sega
?And much more!
Entertaining, addictive, and as mesmerizing as the games it chronicles, this book is a must-have for anyone who's ever touched a joystick.
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