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The Ultimate History of Video Games
 
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The Ultimate History of Video Games (Paperback)

by Steven L. Kent (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
Price: £10.49 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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The Ultimate History of Video Games + The Video Games Guide + The A-Z of Cool Computer Games
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Product details

  • Paperback: 624 pages
  • Publisher: Prima Life; 1 edition (25 April 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0761536434
  • ISBN-13: 978-0761536437
  • Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 18.5 x 3.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 75,271 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Synopsis

Based on more than 500 first-hand interviews with the creative geniuses and inspired crazies who transformed a back-room novelty into a cultural phenomenon, The Ultimate History of Video Games is the definitive account of the brilliant, quirky, wacky world of electronic entertainment. Readers will discover the behind-the-scenes story of the games they grew up with - from Pong, Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat to Pokemon and beyond. They will follow the exploits of eccentric designers, insanely great programmers and manically driven entrepreneurs who wagered everything on a modern-day art form that no one thought would succeed. But succeed they did. This one-of-a-kind book is filled with invaluable insight from such industry giants as Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto, Pac-Man designer Toru Iwatani and hundreds more. It also includes such recent developments as the explosive launch of Sony's Playstation 2, the sudden fall of Sega and the coming thunder of Microsoft's Xbox. Entertaining, addictive and as mesmerizing as its subject, this book is a must-have for anyone who's ever touched a joystick.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Ultimate History of Video Games
74% buy the item featured on this page:
The Ultimate History of Video Games 4.3 out of 5 stars (9)
£10.49
The A-Z of Cool Computer Games
9% buy
The A-Z of Cool Computer Games 4.8 out of 5 stars (4)
£7.58
The Rough Guide to Videogames (Rough Guide Specials)
6% buy
The Rough Guide to Videogames (Rough Guide Specials) 4.7 out of 5 stars (7)
£8.79
The Video Games Guide
5% buy
The Video Games Guide 3.7 out of 5 stars (11)
£10.19

 

Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.3 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Videogame's Historic Encyclopaedia, 23 Feb 2002
Finally the videogame industry has a book worthy of its association. While Trigger Happy by Steven Poole is a interesting read in its own right, it is book aimed at trying to distinguish what exactly is at the heart of a computer game.

The Ultimate History of Video Games, however, is just that. An exhaustive biography of how the industry grew from the early seventies with Nolan Bushell and Atari right through to the latest battles between Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, virtually no stone is unturned. Kent's exploration through the twenty five years of the industry reveals so much about the companies and the people who nurtured its growth: the 'work less, think hard' mentality of early Atari, the humble beginnings of Nintendo in the U.S., the moral outrage over such games as Doom and Mortal Kombat and so on. What I didn't realise before reading this book was how self-destructive the industry has been. As you will discover, the number of law suits filed against rival companies over patent issues is phenomenal and Kent highlights a number of these. There is so much crammed into this book that it's difficult to pinpoint a highlight. The entire book is a highlight.

It is a little unfortunate that Kent's book does not focus on the industry within Britain (such as the rise and fall of Clive Sinclair and Wipeout, the game that really launched the PlayStation in the UK). This is not a criticism though, as the author is based in the U.S., but it would have been nice to see a little more of the influence the U.K has had rather than just reading about Rare's exploits during Donkey Kong Country and silicon graphics.

If you are a serious gamer interested in the heritage of videogame industry then this is an absolute must. Despite weighing it at a hefty 600 pages I was gripped throughout.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The business of gaming, 27 Aug 2007
This is an engaging and well-written account of how the games industry got started and grew to the size it is today (actually it ends at around the Xbox / PS2 era). Don't be fooled by the cartoonish cover this is more of a book for older readers. If you're interested in economics and business deals then you'll find them here, if on the other hand you want more discussion of the actual games then I'd recommend The Video Games Guide. Still there's fun to be had in finding out about how the various companies got one up on each other (often quite ruthlessly), they may be in the business of making games but they certainly aren't playing.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Intruiging insight into the origins of the video game..., 25 Jan 2004
'The Ultimate History of Video Games' offers a great insight into the origins of the video games medium.
With great focus shifted on the early years of the video arcade and home video gaming, this books covers in-depth the emergence of a 'craze that touched our lives and changed the world'.

Covering the time span from the introduction of the mechanical arcades, to the point when Microsoft was about to enter the market with the Xbox, this is an essential read to anyone who vaguely interested in this medium, providing detailed information on the majority of important soft- and hardware developments of the video gaming industry, the effects of video games on culture and factualising less important information such as to whom Mario was named after.

This book is from written from an American standpoint, and as pointed out in other reviews, it is a shame that there was not more detail on either the Japanese or European markets. Also, this book does not include near enough of information on the development of pc gaming (not really surprising given that it is a history of video games, but it would have been nice to see Kent expand a couple of computer related stories). However, these are minor drawbacks in an otherwise well written book, which makes a very entertaining read all the way through (coming from a guy (me) who generally dislikes reading).

In summary, anyone who is either looking to purchase a book on video gaming in general, or requires a vast and detailed pool of information on the birth of the medium and the emergence of a multi-billion industry, should seriously considering purchasing this book. Worth its weight in gold.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars As addictive as the games which spawned it!
This book is humourous and informative - the best book I have read on the subject.

It is extremely thorough and although it concentrates on the american market more... Read more
Published 23 days ago by G. Miller

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read....
I'll keep this short and sweet...

Focused at the older gamer (15+ years old), this book is a interesting read. What more can be said? Read more

Published on 15 Aug 2003 by Michael Derbyshire

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read....
I'll keep this short and sweet...

Focused at the older gamer (15+ years old), this book is a interesting read. What more can be said? Read more

Published on 15 Aug 2003 by Michael Derbyshire

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read....
I'll keep this short and sweet...

Focused at the older gamer (15+ years old), this book is a interesting read. What more can be said? Read more

Published on 15 Aug 2003 by Michael Derbyshire

4.0 out of 5 stars A detailed history of the videogame industry
In this book you'll find the adventures and misadventures of entrepreneurs as Nolan Bushnell (Atari) and others that made history in the videogame bussines. Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2002 by vareitor

4.0 out of 5 stars Anecdote packed
This book is a must for any videogame fan. I am amazed by all the insider stories and anecdotes the author has managed to collect. Read more
Published on 13 Oct 2002 by Bruno Afonso

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