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The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World Review
With 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. User Submitted The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World ReviewsSeptember 24, 2008 For Historians and Businessmen, Not Gamers TUHOVG is a long and intriguing book that covers the earliest interactive computer experiments and progresses pseudo-chronologically through each major movement up to the start of the new millennium. The account provided for the early years of gaming is particularly detailed and well crafted while the details on gaming history post-80's lacks the same luster. Kent's "History" is more a history of the business decisions and financial climates under which the gaming industry thrived and suffered and much less an account of the particular games, game designers, and technological breakthroughs that marked the milestones in the progression of the art form. Ultimately, Kent provides the reader with a wealth of research and interviews, warranting the 4-star rating given by this reviewer. While Kent steers clear of pandering to the hardcore gamer crowd in this volume, he also proves to lack deep or unique insights into the nature of the Video Game form. September 15, 2008 ultimate history review great reading I would have given this 5 stars but there were hardly any pics of any of the retro game machines ,and I think more could have been written about atari I mean it was the company that started it all. It kind of seemed geared more to nintendo in my opinion with chapter after chapter devoted to them .but all in all a good read . August 14, 2008 Most concise history on video games available today I think this book should be renamed to "The Ultimate History of ME!" cause it pretty much tells the story of my life growing up with consoles and trips to the arcade. It's a wealth of knowledge, the most concise history of video games you'll find out there - and best of all it's a fun, exciting read. The size can be a bit intimidating, but any fans of video games will fly right through this. Highly recommended for any former video game addicts from the 80's like myself! July 11, 2008 Enjoyable book, but... 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. March 3, 2008 Sorry....just a bit too dry Very Sad I wasted the money on this book. It has some good factual material and seems to be complete...but comparing against other video game history books...this one is dry. Very few black and white pictures... This book will put you to sleep...sorry just not happy with this one. January 11, 2008 Absolutely incredible - a must-own for gamers! As others have stated, this book truly lives up to its name. Jam-packed with more information than you can imagine, all written in a lively, entertaining style. Set aside plenty of time though - you won't be able to put it down! Bottom Line: An absolute must-own for any gamer. Period. December 17, 2007 Must have for every gamer The book is really good, although I think at the beginning it focuses only in the Atari point of view, a lil incomplete but hey, you could write an entire encyclopedia about gaming and it would still be short. But still if you are a gamer or a businessman, this is a must have, must read and must memorize. November 16, 2007 A good read, but make sure you read this first! I'm a vintage game geek. I loved video games from my first Magnavox home system, through my Atari, NES, up to my PS2. I grew up in an arcade at my local shopping mall. I've not moved on to the current systems because life (mainly job and wife) kind of make growing up a necessity. However I've always had fond memories for those early gaming years. Now that you know where I'm coming from, it'll give a little background to my review. This is a very well researched and written account of the birth and growth of the video game industry. I've read this book cover to cover and truly did enjoy the in-depth history and annectdotes that is put forth in the book. But I can't say enough how much I was really wanting this book to be THE definitive book on the video/arcade game culture. That should include far more photos and captures from the games themselves. This book lacks severely for photos at all! The book reads a lot like a text book, but I think some re-formatting to something even like Jon Stewart's "America" text would actually benefit this book. In fact, I'd be willing to pay the increased cost to have such a book. That said, you will certainly come away from this book with a cool understanding of how the industry ebbed and flowed over the years. If you are prone to setting down a book that is pretty wordy, you may want to think twice about this book, but know that you will be missing a lot of the inside story that connects so much from the past to the present. Hope that gives you some good information to make an informed purchase. November 11, 2007 Videogame Bible The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World This book is brilliant, It tells you everything you want to know about how the videogame industry started, and how it grew to become what it is today. Awesome book and is fun to read. October 1, 2007 Incredible Book This book is absolutely great. The author clearly loves the golden age of the arcade era. Very well written, a lot of neat insights especially regarding Atari. I simply could not put this book down. The best video game/arcade retrospective ever written. For more The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World reviews click here.
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