0-517-38119-2; Publications International, Ltd.; 1982; $3.95; 64p; TPB. Notes: Title is in the same style as the subtitle on early issues of JoyStik. The two have the same publisher. Color photos of all cabinets. Color illustrations of each main game. Each main game also has a section on the home version, if it existed at the time. Those that didn't have a home version talk about some other "similar" home game. Each main game, except Frogger, Missile Command, Ms. Pac-Man, and Turbo, ends with a short section summarizing bonus, popularity, location, enemies, approachability, sex appeal, age appeal, control comfort, skill vs. strategy, clocked or not, special effects, value for money, pros, and con. Has one page for "up-and-coming" (secondary) games and another page for home systems, including a picture of the then-unreleased Atari Video System X which, as any DP fan knows, was the early name for 5200.
0-671-45841-8; Publications International Ltd. (Pocket); 1982; $2.95; 96p; PB. Notes: Has a chapter on Vital Video Statistics, which ranks each game except Frogger, Missile Command, Ms. Pac-Man, and Turbo, in the following categories: Bonus, Popularity, Enemies, Approachability, Sex Appeal, Age Appeal, Skill vs. Strategy, Pros, and Cons. Also contains a chapter on Up-and-Coming Games, which refers to Eliminator, Hyperball, Mousetrap, and Stargate. (mvcooley) Seems to be VERY similar, but not identical, to How to Win at Video Games (0-517-381192).
How to Win at Video Games
Consumer Guide
0-517-42470-3; Publications International, Ltd.; 1983; $[?]; 64p; TPB (spiral-bound). Notes: Covers 17 arcade games, most with great color pictures, plus tricks and settings sections. Also includes a picture of Eric Ginner, [who later became the] designer of Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy on the Atari Jaguar.
How to Win at Video Games
Consumer Guide
0-881-76111-7; Publications International, Ltd.; $[?]; 64p; TPB (staple-bound). Notes: Same content as spiral-bound book (ISBN 0-517-42470-3), with small changes in the publisher info. This version seems to be the more rare of the two.
How to Win at Video Games
Joystick
[ISBN?]; Publications International Ltd.; [Date?]; $[?]; [?]p; [Format?].
How to Win at Video Games
Sullivan, George
0-590-32630-9; Scholastic; 1982; $1.95; 175p; PB. Notes: To emphasize the importance of Pac-Man on classic video games, Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are each covered in their own chapters. It also covers the Atari 2600 Pac-Man and the Coleco table-top. Each games is described with a B&W illustration (not to scale), a brief description, and sections on the controls, scoring, and strategy & tactics. There is also a chapter on home systems, listing "the five companies that offer home video games" (Atari VCS, Intellivision, Odyssey^2, ActiVision [sic], and Channel F). Another on handheld and table-model games, and finally "Great Dates in Video Games", which incldes the Arkie awards up to 1982, and a brief glimpse of the future.
How to Win! At Video Games
Giguette, Ray
[ISBN?]; [Publisher?]; [year?]; $2.50; 46p; PB. Notes: A brief ‘primer’ on strategies for 10 games.
iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business
Young, Jeffrey S. and William L. Simon
0-471-72083-6; Wiley; 2005; $24.95; 368p; HC.
I Hate Videots: Today the Arcade, Tomorrow the World
Baker, Mark
0-671-45688-1; Simon & Schuster (Fireside); 1982; $3.95; 96p; PB. Notes: Illustrations by Greg Crawford. Humor. Includes sections on a history of famous video game dates from 1900 B.C. to A.D. 1982, tell-tale signs of a videot, and deprogramming a videot.
Insanely Great: The Life and Times of Macintosh, the Computer That Changed Everything
1-559-58669-9; Prima Lifestyles; 1995; $[?]; 288p; PB. Notes: Includes interviews with 24 designers, includling Atari programmer John Skruch.
Invasion of the Space Invaders: An Addict’s Guide To Battle Tactics, Big Scores, and the Best Machines
Amis, Martin
0-458-95350-4; Methuen Publications; 1982; $[?]; 127p; TPB. Arcade: [Info?] Home: [Info?] Notes: Covers plenty of classic games, from arcade to home systems and handhelds. There’s also quite a few pictures, making this worthwhile of tracking down for your personal library. This is an Australian printing of the book below.
Invasion of the Space Invaders
Amis, Martin
0-890-87351-8; Celestial Arts; 1982; $[?]; 127p; TPB[?]. Notes: B&W and some color illustrations. This book has also been referred to as Invasion of the Video Invaders. I don't know what differences there are, if any, betweent the two titles.
It’s Not a Bug, It’s a Feature!: Computer Wit and Wisdom
Lubar, David
0-201-48304-1; Addison-Wesley; 1995; $14.99; 202p; PB. Notes: This is the same person that programmed several Atari 2600 games! Lubar has compiled a collection that offers wry and discerning commentary on the triumphs and tribulations of the computer age, with quotes by everyone from Steve Jobs to Woody Allen.
iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It
Wozniak, Steve and Gina Smith
0-393-06143-4; W. W. Norton; 2006; $25.95; 288p; HC. Notes: Woz’s account of the birth of Apple.
Joystick Nation: How Videogames Ate Our Quarters, Won Our Hearts, and Rewired Our Minds
Herz, J. C.
0-316-36007-4; Little, Brown & Co.; 1997; $23.95; 228p; HC. Notes: This book has not been very well received by the classic video game community, which should tell you something.
Joysticks: An illustrated History of the Game Controller 1972-2004
Forster, Winnie and Stephan Freundorfer
3-000-12183-8; Take 2 Interactive; 2004; $23; [?]p; PB. Notes: Entirely in German.
Ken Uston's Guide to Buying and Beating the Home Video Games
Uston, Ken
0-451-11901-0; Signet; 1982; $3.95; 676p; PB. Notes: Covers 180 games total. Includes patterns for VCS Pac-Man.
Ken Uston's Home Video '83
Uston, Ken
0-451-12010-8; Signet; 1982; $2.95; 210p; PB. Notes: The first chapter compares the home systems of the time: Atari VCS, Intellivision, Astrocade, Odyssey^2, Channel F (CHNF), Arcadia-2001, ColecoVision, and Atari 5200. The second chapter rates *every* cartridge available for these systems at the time. This is done with charts listing the title, number of players possible, and manufacturer of each game, plus rating from 1 to 5 of "hand-eye coordination" and "mental challenge." The third chapter covers "The 20 Best New Game." Given for each game are "evaluation and basic objective," "scenario", "the boards," "controls," "facts you should know," and "strategies." The fourth chapter covers "The 5 Classic Games" in the same format as the third.
Know the Score: Video Games in Your High-Tech World
0-671-49361-2; Pocket Books; 1983; $1.95; 118p; PB. Notes: Though this book would seemingly be only about computers, it contains a fair amount of video game information also. Contains several B&W system and game photos of several systems (INTV, Odyssey, Coleco, Adam, Aquarius, 800, Apple, C-64, Vic 20, etc.)! Also contains some INTV computer system game shots of these unreleased games: Number Jumbler, Flinstones: Keyboard Fun, Game Maker and Basic Programmer. Also contains a section on peripherals that covers joysticks (Spectra-video, Coleco Super Action), printers, monitors, etc., a "turn your game system into a computer" section (which features a brief discussion of ADAM, Aquarius, INTV and 2600 computer add-ons), as well as a mention of an Intellivision-III (not the INTV-III) with battery-operated controls and built-in speech synth. Interesting.
Know the Score: Video Games in Your High-tech World
Skurzynski, Gloria
0-027-82922-7; Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing;1994; $[?]; 64p; HC. Notes: Color illustrations. Includes bibliographical references and index. May not contain any classic video game information.
Look Inside Video Games, A
Clark, James I.
0-817-21410-0; Raintree Publishers; 1985; $15.50; 48p; [Format?]. Notes: Juvenile literature. Illustrated, some in color. Explains how video games work, traces their history, and speculates on their future.
Lucky Wander Boy
Weiss, D.B.
0-452-28394-9; Dutton/Plume; 2003; $13.00; 273p; PB. Notes: Fictional account of one 20-something’s quest to write an encyclopedic history of games, and his search for the most obscure game ever made. Check out the website for more info: http://www.luckywanderboy.com/
0-672-48491-9; Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.; 1990; $[?]; [?]p; HC
Mastering Pac-Man
Uston, Ken
0-451-11758-1; Signet; 1981; $1.95; 128p; PB. Notes: All about Pac-Man. B&W diagrams and seven patterns. Has one chapter on Puc-One and Mazeman, which were illegal Pac-Man rip-offs, but no patterns for them. Also has one chapter on the Coleco table-top version, with patterns. A special edition also exists. The differences are as follows: No ISBN; no price; on front cover, below Pac-Man it reads in bold yellow print "Exclusive Sunset House Edition". Content is the same as original Mastering Pac-Man - not the revised edition.
Mastering Pac-Man (revised edition)
Uston, Ken
0-451-11899-5; Signet; 1982; $2.50; 157p; PB. Notes: Ken Uston's Pac-Man book, in an earlier edition, gave a standard Pac-Man pattern that does not work on the 7th and 8th key boards on an 'easy' machine, because the red monster is too fast then and moves far enough ahead to break the pattern. A later edition corrected this with what looked like an obviously hastily-added note. There are also copies (well, at least one) that say "special edition revised edition" on the cover. Shane Shaffer says, "my guess is that this was a book club edition of the book, so they just slapped a few words on the cover. Shane later found the following additional differences between the two edition: 1) Revised edition: Cover, upper right corner reads "Signet blah blah $2.95". Special edition: Same place just says "$2.95". 2) Revised edition: 5 pages of ads for other Signet or Ken Uston products. Special edition: Those 5 pages are blank.
Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture
David Kushner
0-375-50524-5; Random House; 2003; $24.95; 352p; HC. Notes: The rise of Doom developer Id Software and 3D gaming, and the tempestuous partnership of founders John Carmack and John Romero.
Media Lab: Inventing the Future at M. I. T., The
Brand, Stewart
0-140-09701-5; Penguin; 1988; [$?]; 304p; PB. Notes: Originally published in 1980.
Media Room, The: Creating Your Own Home Entertainment and Information Center
Blumenthal, Howard J.
0-140-46538-3; Penguin Books; 1983; $9.95; 184p; TPB. Notes: Contains a single chapter on "Videogames" [sic], although there are other mentions throughout the book. This chapter gives a very brief history of video games, starting with coin-op Pong and quickly switching to home systems. It concentrates on the 2600 and Intellivision, although the recently released 5200 and ColecoVision are also mentioned. Also contains some nice B&W pictures of the 2600, Intellivision, and 5200.
Medium of the Video Game, The
Wolf, Mark J.P.
0-292-79150-X; University of Texas Press; 2002; $19.95; 224; PB. Notes: Foreword by Ralph H. Baer. The author and 4 other scholars conduct the first thorough investigation of the video game as an artistic medium.
Microcomputer Controlled Toys & Games & How They Work
Waterford, Van
0-830-60407-3; Tab Books; 1983; $14.95; 230p; PB. Notes: Great book for handhelds, table-tops and other classic electronic games – covering the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Bally Arcade Plus, Intellivision, Microvision, and more.
Microprocessor-Based Electronic Games
Buchsbaum, Walter H. & Robert Mauro
0-070-08722-9; McGraw-Hill; 1983; $9.95; 293p; PB. Notes: Updated version of Electronic Games, with focus on doing the same things, but with microprocessors. Also examines Odyssey^2, 5200, Intellivision, Colecovision, handhelds, Coleco's Pac-Man standalone, and from the arcade, Bosconian, Pac-Man, Frogger, and Zaxxon, with tech info and such stuff.
Microsoft Arcade: The Official Strategy Guide
Schuytema, Paul
1-559-58724-5; Prima Publishing; 1995; $12.95; 182p; TPB. Notes: Includes B&W photos of the arcade games and Windows screenshots. It also has some history in it. Whether there is any information not covered in the software is unknown.
Midnight Tiger, The: Complete Guide to Atari 2600 Games
Coulson, Ben
1-844-26265-0; Upfront Publishing; 2003; $15.50; 188p; PB. Notes: If you’re looking for the “complete” guide to Atari 2600 games, stick with ‘ABC to the VCS’.
Mind and Media: The Effects of Television, Video Games, and Computers
Greenfield, Patricia Marks
0-674-57620-9 (HC), 0-674-57621-7 (PB); Harvard University Press, Cambridge; 1984; $[?]; 210p; HC, PB. Notes: Subjects: mass media & children, television & children, video games, child development. Summary: Another psychological look at video games and other media on the developing child.
Mind at Play: The Psychology of Video Games
Loftus, Geoffrey R. & Elizabeth F.
0-465-04609-6; Basic Books, Inc.; 1983; $14.95, 191p; HC. Notes: Psychological aspects of video games. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Monster Gaming: The Complete How-To Guide for Becoming a Hardcore Gamer
More Pac-Mania: The 2nd Official Pac-Man Joke Book
Schwarz, Haller
0-523-41993-7; Pinnacle Books, Inc.; 1982; $1.95; 94p; PB. Arcade: Pac-Man. Notes: Yes, they're "Pac" for more of these awful cartoons begun in Pac-Mania. Back cover has a picture of Pac-Mania book that is different from the 2 variations we’ve seen (price and stuff moved).
More than a Game : The Computer Game as Fictional Form
Atkins, Barry
0-719-06364-7; Manchester University Press; 2003; $69.95; 176p; HC.
Ms. Pac-Man's Prize Pupil
Albano, John
0-307-11791-X; [Publisher?]; 1983; $1.25; [?]p; [Format?]. Notes: A Golden Look-Look Book. Mazes, cartoons, story. Kid's book, but a neat item for a collection. Cover picture of Ms. Pac-Man pushing Baby Pac-Man in cart near tree.
Naked Computer, The
Cottonwood, Joseph
0-915-57250-8; Panjandrum; 1974; $[?]; [?]p; PB Notes: (from David Rolfe) “An obscure novel that was published in 1974. The main character was a programmer. It was the author's first book - a weird and irrational and somewhat clumsy tale, and it touched me because I thought it captured the spirit and personalities of the era.”
Nature of Computer Games: Play As Semiosis, The
Myers, David
0-820-46700-6; Peter Lang Publishing; 2003; $24.95; 200p; PB.
Nintendo Strategies: How to Win at Nintendo Video Games
Consumer Guide
0-881-76698-4; Publications International Ltd.; 1989; $[?]; [?]p; spiral-bound.
Official I-Hate-Videogames Handbook, The
Prager, Emily
0-671-45804-3; Pocket; 1982; $2.95; 93p; TPB. Notes: Humor. Includes game parodies. Illustrated by Frank Morris.
Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games: Console, Arcade, and Handheld Games, The
Ellis, David
0-375-72038-3; House of Collectibles; 2004; $16.95; 496p; PB. Notes: Nice price guide and includes some historical information. Also offers auction-buying tips. However the arcade machine pricing is quite inaccurate.
Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution
Takahashi, Dean
0-761-53708-2; Prima Publishing; 2002; $24.95; 370p, HC. Notes: Award-winning journalist and gaming-industry expert Dan Takahashi guides you deep into the amazing story of this much-anticipated game console. He unveils the tumultuous story behind the development of the project and how it could change the entertainment industry forever, while providing fascinating insights about tech strategies, hardware wars, corporate wheeling and dealing (as well as the behind-the-scenes maneuvering) at Microsoft. Did you know the Xbox was initially codenamed Project Midway, in honor of the WWII battle in which America (read Microsoft) outwitted the Japanese (read Sony and Nintendo)?
Owning Your Home Computer
Perry, Robert L.
0-896-96093-5; Everest House Publishers; 1980; $[?]; [?]p; [format?]. Notes: Deals mostly with old home computers, many of the machines discussed in the book were not widely marketed and are rather rare. Classic game material includes coverage of the APF Imagination Machine (computer upgrade for the MP-1000) and Intellivision's "keyboard component", as well as a short write-up of the planned computer upgrade for the Astrocade. There is a short reference to the 2600. (Which is odd, since it is one of the systems featured on the cover.) There are many B&W photos and diagrams. There is also a listing of each machine discussed, showing peripherals and software. Much of this hardware and software had not yet been released when the book was written - I suspect much of it never was. There are occasional inaccuracies, such as when the author states the Pong TV game preceded the Odyssey, but appears to be mostly accurate.
Pac-Man and the Ghost Diggers
Albano, John
0-307-11790-1; [Publisher?]; 1983; $1.25; [?]p; [Format?]. Notes: A Golden Look-Look Book. Mazes, cartoons, kid story. Still a neat item for a collection. Blue cover. Pac-Man pulling Baby Pac-Man in wagon.
Pac-Man Riddle and Joke Book, The
Thaler, Mike
0-671-46185-0; Pocket Books; 1982; $1.95; 122p; PB. Notes: By "America's Riddle King." Children's book with simple black and white illustrations.
Pac-Man: An Activity Book
[Author?]; [ISBN?]; Whitman; 1982; $0.99; [?]p; COL?. Notes: Coloring, mazes, cut-outs, etc. A neat item. Cover shows Pac-Man playing a Pac-Man arcade machine.
0-894-71173-3; Running Press; 1982; $1.95; 48p; PB. Notes: Tips on both the home and arcade versions, however it’s anything but the “ultimate”.
Pac-Mania: 96 Pac Filled Pages of Biting Humor
Schwarz, Haller
0-523-41925-2; Kensington Publishing / Outlet / Publications International, Ltd.; 1982; $1.95; 96p; PB. Notes: Each page is a single, labelled, B&W illustration, such as “Count Pacula”, "Paccoon", and "Pac-Man solving the Rubik's Cube." It’s possible The Pac-Man Riddle & Joke Book by Thaler is slightly more original, if you have to choose between the two. There are two versions of this book: 1) $1.95 in dark yellow print in upper right. 2) Bigger $1.95 in black, towards lower right, below Pac-Man. Otherwise, they're identical. Also, Haller Schwarz is not a person, but a group of people.
Pac-Mania! The Official Pac-Man Joke Book
Schwarz, Haller
0-523-41925-2; Pinnacle; 1982; $1.95; 96p; PB. Notes: Same as previous title.
Parents Guide to Video Games
Sheff, David
0-679-75282-X; Random House, Inc.; 1994; $[?]; 136p; SC. Notes: Same as Video Games: A Guide to Savvy Parents
Pause & Effect: The Art of Interactive Narrative
Meadows, Mark S.
0-735-71171-2; New Riders Press; 2002; $45; 272p; PB.