The Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds and Home Computers 1972-2005 (Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005) by Winnie Forster, Rafael Dyll, David McCarthy published by Hagen Schmid

by Winnie Forster

More than 450 dream machines, from million-dollar sellers to exotic variants, are celebrated in this exhaustive reference to video gaming systems. The near-ubiquity of video games means that nearly every reader will have owned, played, or heard about at least a handful of the machines included, whether from Europe, Japan, or the United States. Beyond just images of the gaming decks, the book covers classic software in all of its authentic, pixilated glory, as well as key technical facts for each console and operating system. With nostalgia and an archivist's attention to detail, this compendium of virtual competition looks back on 33 years of staring at screens and furiously pressing buttons.

Genres: Games, Video Games, Gaming

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you grew up in the Seventies or Eighties and played video games, this book will take you straight down memory lane. While it runs all the way up through the Playstation 2 era, the really interesting stuff is all from the early years of video gaming, with all the strange concepts that never took off and the little-known competitors that died out over time. Note that the author is European so you'll see a lot more focus on niche consoles and computers that hit the European market vs. those that might have only been in the US or Japan. It's a pretty brief read, but well illustrated and well worth the purchase for anyone with an interest in video game history.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could read this twice a year and never get bored of it.
-m