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[Cheebs]

I only read two and loved both(Game Over and Power-Up). I feel like finding another one but what do you guys think are some of the better ones out there?

 

[lobdale]

Ultimate History of Videogames, Steven Kent

 

[jluedtke]

I really enjoyed Smartbomb. Highly recommended. Oh, and for gaming-related fiction, Lucky Wander Boy is pretty decent.

 

[AlanHemberger]

Do the Halo Graphic Novels apply?

 

[Joseph Merrick]

Do the Halo Graphic Novels apply?

probably not the type he's after..

but

awwwww yeaahh

 

[meltpotato]

Legend of Zelda manual

 

[beelzebozo]

Ultimate History of Videogames, Steven Kent

kent is the best. he knows his stuff.

I really enjoyed Smartbomb. Highly recommended. Oh, and for gaming-related fiction, Lucky Wander Boy is pretty decent.

i did a report on lucky wander boy for my creative writing class. it was, as you said, decent--thematically clever at times, ultimately unsatisfying.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

Masters of Doom (achtung! must read, superb book)

-David Kushner

Dungeons and Dreamers: The Rise of Computer Game Culture from Geek to Chic

- Borland and King (although some people hate it)

going further back in game/Computer history

Hackers

-Steven Levy

But and absolute essential is the book thats been mentioned a few times now Ultimate History of Video games.

 

[reminder]

http://www.gameplan-books.com/gameplan_01.5_NA/index.php

Edit: I don't know if that is what you are looking for

 

[meltpotato]

okay here is a serious post:

not a book, but check out the 1-UP zine. it's a fun read and often has some good illustration.

 

[djtiesto]

Ultimate History of Videogames, Steven Kent

QFT, although the second half of the book, the 16 bit generation and onwards, seems extremely rushed (The Turbo Grafx 16 gets like maybe 2 paragraphs, for instance...). Shame considering the intense detail and research that went into the first part of the book.

 

[FnordChan]

As mentioned, start with Steven Kent's Ultimate History of Videogames. It's an entertaining overview and is chock full of anecdotes. Lots of fun and plenty educational.

Now, if you decide that's not enough and you need a detailed timeline of the video game industry, pick up Leonard Herman's Phoenix: The Fall & Rise of Video Games, preferably the second edition. Herman goes into absolutely excruciating detail, so while it's not the sort of thing you want to sit down and plow through it does make for a useful reference, on the off-chance you wanted to know not just the year the ColecoVision was released, but the month. And, even if it ain't a page turner, Phoenix is fun to just flip through. The second edition provides a few illustrations to break up the infodump.

If your coffee table is looking a bit loney, suplement your gaming book diet with Van Burnham's Supercade: A Visual History of the Videogame Age, 1971-1984, which is chock full of gorgeous photogrpahy and fun retro illustrations. It's awesome.

FnordChan

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

QFT, although the second half of the book, the 16 bit generation and onwards, seems extremely rushed (The Turbo Grafx 16 gets like maybe 2 paragraphs, for instance...). Shame considering the intense detail and research that went into the first part of the book.

Interesting, I was going to post that certainly from the Dreamcast onwards the book really starts to trail off.

Still essential.

First half is masterwork-esque.

 

[PolyGone]

best videogame novel ever

whether its waxing poetic about pac-man and donkey kong, living vicariously through a spectral samurai in an old MK arcade cabinet, or trying to track down that one elusive game from your childhood - this one is a classic.

 

[John Harker]

Grandmay's Boy: A Novelization

 

[DDayton]

Hackers

-Steven Levy

This book doesn't get mentioned enough.

 

[EphemeralDream]

This might be a little too specific but are there any books dedicated to Final Fantasy Tactics (aside from the strategy guides which I hear aren't very good)? I'd love to read up further on the mythos in the game, the family structures, etc.

 

[PolyGone]

Grandmay's Boy: A Novelization

not even close. Lucky Wander Boy is more like fight club for gamers.

 

[Neo_Dasus]

 

[beelzebozo]

not even close. Lucky Wander Boy is more like fight club for gamers.

and not in a good way

 

[teruterubozu]

I enjoyed this one. It's mostly about the original PlayStation.
Very dramatic, samurai Japanese business stuff.
Lots of insight into Kutaragi as a person.

 

[PolyGone]

one to avoid:

GAME ART by Nic Kelman.

Horrible editing, such as repeating text or chapters ending abruptly mid sentence are only the beginning. It focuses mostly on current gen games, so even though it talks about the evolution of art in games, there's not even a simple comparison like this

to get the point across. On top of that, some of the most stylish games are conveniently ommitted, such as Rez. On the bright side, the games that are featured are presented nicely (along the lines of Play). But yeah... stay away.

 

[Gearharaden]

Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar