Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age 1971-1984 [Paperback]

It was a time when technology was king, status was determined by your high score and video games were blitzing the world... Supercade is the first book to illustrate and document the history, legacy and visual language of the video game phenomenon, from the fist interactive blips of electronic light at Brookhaven National Labs and the creation of Spacewar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to the invention of the TV Game Project and the myriad systems of Magnavox, Atari, Coleco and Mattel that followed.

From Pong to Pac-Man, Asteroids to Zaxxon, more than 50 million people around the world have come of age within the electronic flux of video games, their subconscious forever etched with images projected from arcade and home video game systems.

Exuberantly written and illustrated in full colour, Supercade pays tribute to the technology, games and visionaries of one of the most influential periods in the history of computer science--one that profoundly shaped the modern technological landscape and helped change the way people view entertainment.

The book includes contributions from such commentators and participants as Ralph Baer, Julian Dibbell, Keith Feinstein, Joe Fielder, Lauren Fielder, Justin Hall, Leonard Herman, Steven Johnson, Steven Kent, Nick Montfort, Bob Parks, Carl Steadman and Tom Vanderbilt. --Miles Taylor --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

""Supercade" is a pixelated explosion of digi-pop iconography that burns your retina like the Day-Glo screen of your favorite arcade game. Van Burnham has the gamer chops and sociocultural smarts to deliver an unforgettable insider tour of the most important cultural form of the twenty-first Century."--Eric Zimmerman, President, gameLab --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"Even though I have been a part of this industry since I joined Atari in 1978, I still find it interesting to hear what was going on with others in the games business. I look forward to the release of this book."--Ed Logg, Super Duper Game Guy, Midway Games, and programmer of Asteroids "... [A] satisfying, illuminating read. Recommended for hardcore gamers (and ex-gamers) of all ages." Dominic Al-Badri Kansai Time Out, Japan "... Big, glossy, comprehensive... a blitz of zippy words and zappy graphics." Iain Finlayson The Times Weekend Review "Supercade is an outstanding tribute to the industry of electronic videogames. Thorough yet concise, the book is perfect for the casual reference or as the primary text for students of the world's favorite contemporary pastime."--Donald A. Thomas, Jr., Curator of I.C. When and former marketing manager of Atari " Supercade is an outstanding tribute to the industry of electronic videogames. Thorough yet concise, the book is perfect for the casual reference or as the primary text for students of the world"s favorite contemporary pastime." Donald A. Thomas, Jr. , Curator of I.C. When and former marketing manager of Atari "It's about time for a book to comprehensively review the history and evolution of the dynamic videogame world--fortunately, Supercade is that book."--Ralph H. Baer, The Father of Home Videogames and inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey "Van Burnham has dedicated herself to classic gaming journalism like no other. She's not just a writer... she's a GAMER!" Joe Santulli , Editor-in-Chief of Digital Press "Van Burnham has dedicated herself to classic gaming journalism like no other. She's not just a writer... she's a GAMER!"--Joe Santulli, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Press "Who can resist a book that opens by tying invention of the video game to development of the atom bomb?" Computer Gaming World "Burnham's done a splendid job of recreating the cathode-lit dens and arcades of our youth..." Bill Smith LA Weekly "It's impossible to praise this book too highly." Paul Di Filippo Asimov's "... [M]akes a crucial point... the 'golden age' of video games kick-started an entertainment industry that now rivals Hollywood." Erik Davis Bookforum "... this book celebrates... software, programmers, and machines that arose from nothing more than the desire to create the perfect game." Fin Fahey New Scientist

"Be warned, though - its potential to stop you working is immense. If you're anything like us, flicking through these pages will inspire you to download an emulator or three and fire up some of these old classics. A precious book indeed." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"This beautiful coffee table tome...capture[s] the spirit of fun and invention that videogames and their creators had before games became the multi million dollar, blood soaked epics of today." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

It was a time when technology was king, status was determined by your high score, and videogames were blitzing the world...From Pong to Pac-Man, Asteroids to Zaxxon--more than fifty million people around the world have come of age within the electronic flux of videogames, their subconscious forever etched with images projected from arcade and home videogame systems.From the first interactive blips of electronic light at Brookhaven National Labs and the creation of Spacewar! at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; to the invention of the TV Game Project and the myriad systems of Magnavox, Atari, Coleco, and Mattel that followed; through the rise of the Golden Age of videogames and forward into the imagination of millions, Supercade is the first book to illustrate and document the history, legacy, and visual language of the videogame phenomenon.Exuberantly written and illustrated in full color, Supercade pays tribute to the technology, games, and visionaries of one of the most influential periods in the history of computer science--one that profoundly shaped the modern technological landscape and helped change the way people view entertainment.Supercade includes contributions from such commentators and particpants as Ralph Baer, Julian Dibbell, Keith Feinstein, Joe Fielder, Lauren Fielder, Justin Hall, Leonard Herman, Steven Johnson, Steven Kent, Nick Montfort, Bob Parks, Carl Steadman, and Tom Vanderbilt.

Van Burnham is a Contributing Editor at Wired magazine and a member of the Video Arcade Preservation Society.