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Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games
A hilarious, heartfelt and nostalgic memoir about the classic video games that entertain and inspire us, and even hold the power to transform our lives, from an Emmy®-nominated comedian and former video game writer for Nintendo, the perfect nonfiction read for fans of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.
You may know Mike Drucker for his Emmy®-nominated comedy writing or his hilarious skits on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. Perhaps his riotous social media feed or his jokes online had you laughing out loud. But at the heart and soul of his career in comedy are the video games he grew up playing as a kid.
At the ripe age of three, Mike got his very first Nintendo console, and it was love at first Duck Hunt. As video games evolved, so did Mike, each new game expanding his worldview and teaching him all about football through NFL Blitz, how to dance (kind of) with Dance Dance Revolution and much more. Mike knew he wanted a career in gaming and eventually took a job at Nintendo, but after opening for Patton Oswalt and writing freelance for SNL, he realized his true calling was comedy.
Mike combines his love of both gaming and writing in a rollicking tribute to the wonderful history of games and how electronic entertainment deeply influences our lives. Nostalgic and revealing, caustic and biting, yet most of all, unabashedly funny, Good Game, No Rematch is a love letter to video games and on writing, dedicated to the people who were born to hold a controller and to just about anybody looking to laugh.
You may know Mike Drucker for his Emmy®-nominated comedy writing or his hilarious skits on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live. Perhaps his riotous social media feed or his jokes online had you laughing out loud. But at the heart and soul of his career in comedy are the video games he grew up playing as a kid.
At the ripe age of three, Mike got his very first Nintendo console, and it was love at first Duck Hunt. As video games evolved, so did Mike, each new game expanding his worldview and teaching him all about football through NFL Blitz, how to dance (kind of) with Dance Dance Revolution and much more. Mike knew he wanted a career in gaming and eventually took a job at Nintendo, but after opening for Patton Oswalt and writing freelance for SNL, he realized his true calling was comedy.
Mike combines his love of both gaming and writing in a rollicking tribute to the wonderful history of games and how electronic entertainment deeply influences our lives. Nostalgic and revealing, caustic and biting, yet most of all, unabashedly funny, Good Game, No Rematch is a love letter to video games and on writing, dedicated to the people who were born to hold a controller and to just about anybody looking to laugh.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2025
90 people are currently reading
781 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
January 12, 2025
If a book is about any sort of 1990s nostalgia, (that's right kids, I am from the 1900s) then I must admit that I am not impartial. This is especially true when it comes to Mike Drucker's Good Game, No Rematch. After all, this is about his lifelong love of video games and how they have touched every aspect of his life. I had feelings. I had flashbacks. I could feel the Nintendo controller in my hands. I'm not saying this book changed my life, but I am saying this book made me relive a lot of it.
Drucker has such a varied career that you have probably seen or heard his work somewhere. He is a stand-up comedian, worked for Nintendo, IGN, and wrote for shows like SNL, Full Frontal, and The Tonight Show - Jimmy Fallon version. If there is anything that everyone would agree with about the book is that Drucker completely gives himself over to the video game theme. Every chapter makes the connection somehow. I've read plenty of memoir-type books which promise something that they quickly jettison a conceit whenever it becomes inconvenient. Not so with this one.
Drucker is very funny (which is great!) and incredibly self-deprecating (be nicer to yourself, Mike!). It creates an easy tone in his prose even while you question the legitimacy of the shots he takes at himself. Sometimes his personal criticisms are truly just a man looking at his own failings, such as when he discusses his extremely thin skin at work. Other times, his self-flagellation is clearly something only he sees. You don't get to do the things he does without having some true warmth that people are attracted to. Either way, I found these shots he takes at himself as totally disarming in a good way.
The biggest question for most people is probably whether or not this would be enjoyable if you were not a 90s video game dork like myself. I think there is still plenty here for you. Drucker's family stories are near universal such as relationship with his father. It isn't strained, but oh lord his dad would have been a lot happier if he liked sports. A short chapter on the loss of a friend is quick but poignant. So yes, you don't have to be a video game nerd to enjoy this....
...but I would also be lying if I didn't point out that a good amount will be over your head. Seriously, the chapter on Bioshock comes out of NOWHERE, and I loved it. In summary, this is a fun book for normies, but goodness gracious it's a must-read for video games nerds.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.)
Drucker has such a varied career that you have probably seen or heard his work somewhere. He is a stand-up comedian, worked for Nintendo, IGN, and wrote for shows like SNL, Full Frontal, and The Tonight Show - Jimmy Fallon version. If there is anything that everyone would agree with about the book is that Drucker completely gives himself over to the video game theme. Every chapter makes the connection somehow. I've read plenty of memoir-type books which promise something that they quickly jettison a conceit whenever it becomes inconvenient. Not so with this one.
Drucker is very funny (which is great!) and incredibly self-deprecating (be nicer to yourself, Mike!). It creates an easy tone in his prose even while you question the legitimacy of the shots he takes at himself. Sometimes his personal criticisms are truly just a man looking at his own failings, such as when he discusses his extremely thin skin at work. Other times, his self-flagellation is clearly something only he sees. You don't get to do the things he does without having some true warmth that people are attracted to. Either way, I found these shots he takes at himself as totally disarming in a good way.
The biggest question for most people is probably whether or not this would be enjoyable if you were not a 90s video game dork like myself. I think there is still plenty here for you. Drucker's family stories are near universal such as relationship with his father. It isn't strained, but oh lord his dad would have been a lot happier if he liked sports. A short chapter on the loss of a friend is quick but poignant. So yes, you don't have to be a video game nerd to enjoy this....
...but I would also be lying if I didn't point out that a good amount will be over your head. Seriously, the chapter on Bioshock comes out of NOWHERE, and I loved it. In summary, this is a fun book for normies, but goodness gracious it's a must-read for video games nerds.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing.)
April 5, 2025
I was around for the creation of the video game Mega Empire from the very beginning, and also for the creation of the internet for that matter. Admittedly, I am getting to be a seasoned citizen. This book made me feel that in a good way for once.
Some video games have memories from my youth so attached to them it is hard to separate one from the other. Like my father and I sitting on the floor solving riddles together in the Legend of Zelda on Ye Olde NES.
Other games have special memories attached from the youth of my son, such as the time we defeated the zombie hordes together at the Midnight Riders rock concert in Left 4 Dead 2, while I fought only using a garden gnome as a weapon, just to get an achievement called Gnome Chompski. (IYKYK!!)
Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games by Mike Drucker is a trip down Memory Lane for those of us who grew up meeting Super Mario for the first time, and it gave me more than a few chuckles along the way.
The gaming industry is evolving so much now, even Game Informer magazine is now defunct (RIP, GI. Y'all were the REAL MVPs). One thing that remains the same throughout the years, however, is the passionate loyalty of the players. This book encapsulates that passion perfectly.
Some video games have memories from my youth so attached to them it is hard to separate one from the other. Like my father and I sitting on the floor solving riddles together in the Legend of Zelda on Ye Olde NES.
Other games have special memories attached from the youth of my son, such as the time we defeated the zombie hordes together at the Midnight Riders rock concert in Left 4 Dead 2, while I fought only using a garden gnome as a weapon, just to get an achievement called Gnome Chompski. (IYKYK!!)
Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games by Mike Drucker is a trip down Memory Lane for those of us who grew up meeting Super Mario for the first time, and it gave me more than a few chuckles along the way.
The gaming industry is evolving so much now, even Game Informer magazine is now defunct (RIP, GI. Y'all were the REAL MVPs). One thing that remains the same throughout the years, however, is the passionate loyalty of the players. This book encapsulates that passion perfectly.
March 22, 2025
Reading Good Game, No Rematch feels like grabbing a controller, booting up your childhood, and realizing your save file is still there—just with more jokes and better writing.
Mike Drucker’s memoir is a hilarious, unexpectedly touching collection of essays that traces his life through the video games he played, loved, raged at, and eventually wrote for. If you were raised in the era of Duck Hunt and Doom, this book hits like a combo move straight to your emotional core. But even if your gaming experience is more casual, Drucker’s humor and self-awareness make it easy to connect.
Drucker is a master at blending sharp comedy with real vulnerability. He doesn’t just tell funny stories about playing NFL Blitz or working at Nintendo—though those parts are great—he also opens up about what it meant to be a kid trying to find connection through games, an awkward teen using Final Fantasy as a social lifeline, and an adult navigating the strange Venn diagram where comedy writing and video game development overlap. The memoir moves from childhood to his work on shows like The Tonight Show and SNL, and from his early obsession with Mario to industry jobs that most gamers can only dream about.
This book is a love letter to the medium, but it’s also a chronicle of growing up, making mistakes, and finding your way—one console generation at a time. He doesn’t shy away from the less shiny parts of gaming culture either: the gatekeeping, the toxicity, the times when the escapism starts to feel a little too comfortable. But, he writes with such clarity and wit that even the darker bits feel illuminating rather than heavy.
There are moments in this book that genuinely made me laugh out loud, but there were also moments where I stopped and thought, “Wow, yeah—that’s exactly how it felt.” As an example, realizing that for many of us, video games weren’t just entertainment—they were the map we used to navigate a confusing world.
Not a gamer? That’s ok. This book will resonate with anyone who’s ever found joy in the weird things that shaped them, who’s still chasing the same high from their first big win (or their first big loss), and who knows deep down that sometimes the best part of the game isn’t the victory—it’s the story you get to tell after.
Mike Drucker’s memoir is a hilarious, unexpectedly touching collection of essays that traces his life through the video games he played, loved, raged at, and eventually wrote for. If you were raised in the era of Duck Hunt and Doom, this book hits like a combo move straight to your emotional core. But even if your gaming experience is more casual, Drucker’s humor and self-awareness make it easy to connect.
Drucker is a master at blending sharp comedy with real vulnerability. He doesn’t just tell funny stories about playing NFL Blitz or working at Nintendo—though those parts are great—he also opens up about what it meant to be a kid trying to find connection through games, an awkward teen using Final Fantasy as a social lifeline, and an adult navigating the strange Venn diagram where comedy writing and video game development overlap. The memoir moves from childhood to his work on shows like The Tonight Show and SNL, and from his early obsession with Mario to industry jobs that most gamers can only dream about.
This book is a love letter to the medium, but it’s also a chronicle of growing up, making mistakes, and finding your way—one console generation at a time. He doesn’t shy away from the less shiny parts of gaming culture either: the gatekeeping, the toxicity, the times when the escapism starts to feel a little too comfortable. But, he writes with such clarity and wit that even the darker bits feel illuminating rather than heavy.
There are moments in this book that genuinely made me laugh out loud, but there were also moments where I stopped and thought, “Wow, yeah—that’s exactly how it felt.” As an example, realizing that for many of us, video games weren’t just entertainment—they were the map we used to navigate a confusing world.
Not a gamer? That’s ok. This book will resonate with anyone who’s ever found joy in the weird things that shaped them, who’s still chasing the same high from their first big win (or their first big loss), and who knows deep down that sometimes the best part of the game isn’t the victory—it’s the story you get to tell after.
July 7, 2025
First half was 5/5, laugh out loud funny, heartfelt. However, I noticed that this guy does not “honor thy father and thy mother, that you will live long in the land.”
During the second half, the author is grown up and the book takes the form of second hand embarrassment as he makes successively worse life and career decisions, all natural law effects of not honoring his father or mother, or having any moral foundation outside of television, movies, and of course: video games.
The guy really should apologize to his parents, especially his father.
Also, the reader gets to discover what progressive people did during the COVID lock down.
During the second half, the author is grown up and the book takes the form of second hand embarrassment as he makes successively worse life and career decisions, all natural law effects of not honoring his father or mother, or having any moral foundation outside of television, movies, and of course: video games.
The guy really should apologize to his parents, especially his father.
Also, the reader gets to discover what progressive people did during the COVID lock down.
April 18, 2025
Mike Drucker has been one of my favorite reoccurring guests, on my favorite podcasts, for years. He’s also a pleasure to follow on social media. He waxes poetic about some of my all time favorite video game franchises while simultaneously self flagellating. What a delight.
April 7, 2025
I'm a bit torn on this book. Mike and I are the same age, so the first half of the book was a great trip down memory lane as so many of his experiences were similar to mine. As the book approaches Mike's adulthood, it becomes less and less about games.
I'm not a fan of Mike's humor, so that whole side of the book fell flat for me, and at times felt extremely forced.
Overall it was a fast and mostly fun read.
I'm not a fan of Mike's humor, so that whole side of the book fell flat for me, and at times felt extremely forced.
Overall it was a fast and mostly fun read.
August 5, 2025
this book really resonated with me and was probably the wrong book to read in the midst of a career existential crisis. Thanks Mike Drucker.
May 4, 2025
Randomly picked this one on hoopla since it was book about video games. Overall it was good, but I wasn't a fan of some of the humor points in this book. Did enjoy lots of the stories about video games and the part where he worked at Nintendo.
May 19, 2025
For a book written by a comedian, I was expecting a lot more jokes, and no, the constant self deprecation doesn't count. The stream of my life sucks because I'm a nerd got old, and then got inaccurate as he described working at SNL, The Late Show, IGN and Nintendo. There were some funny bits (like "Every Steam review ever") and a few nostalgia hits I could appreciate, but ultimately not really worth the time.
February 4, 2025
A great memoir that interlinks Drucker’s coming-of-age with a lot of insight into why gaming’s a vital part of life for so many people. Hilarious and smart and touching, it makes me want to invite Mike over to play Final Fantasy… so I can ambush him with a hug.
April 27, 2025
This book has me split multiple ways in how I regard it. I think this book will have a very large gap between people who like or don’t like it, because the things I don’t love about this book are probably the things others will like most about it.
I’ll start with what I think is the underlying thing working against this memoir for me. There’s a common defensive wall put up by older people who lived through the eras where liking video games, or fanatically liking video games as in the case of the author, was genuinely an odd thing that could get you physically bullied, ostracized, and isolated. They lived through the era and seem to still be ready to stand and fight to defend their right to game and I respect that. But now, in 2025, being an avid gamer is not only very very common, but it’s actually odd if you don’t play at least some kind of game on a regular basis. My work just had “bring your kid to work day” and more than half of the kids wrote “video game streamer” in response to “what do you want to do when you grow up”. So the conceit of this memoir, a life story told through the lens of video games, doesn’t seem to have the novelty I think it was written within because the world is different now. And this isn’t the authors fault, they genuinely helped pave the way for this hobby/lifestyle to become so prevalent, but unfortunately they missed the time period where this book would’ve still had that novelty but also still have been just as popular.
So, we have a memoir told through the lens of video games. That’s very very clearly the point of this book, so this criticism is more about my taste than anything, but be very aware that that’s what this will be when you read it. There’s a section in this book where the author gets a job at SNL, and their first year coincided with the first year of The Lonely Island and other cast members that defined that era. There is a single paragraph about the author seeing an early cut of Lazy Sunday, one of the most important viral videos in SNL and YouTube’s history. That got one paragraph. But the story of the author beating a writer at Wii Sports Tennis? That gets multiple pages. It’s actually funny how often what I would consider to be the interesting beats of a story are disregarded to instead describe a video game or a gaming session. Again, this is not some bait and switch, this is clearly what the book tells you it will do.
Which leads to the next thing I didn’t love (but you may). There are multiple long sections of the book that just recount the plot of games or single gaming sessions. A very long chapter just recounts the general plot of Bioshock. Another section is a beat by beat breakdown of a game of Madden between the author and his brother. Another chapter just recounts the authors DnD campaign (one session of it at least). I’m in the camp that DnD sessions, gaming sessions, and games themselves are like vacation stories: if you weren’t there it’s just not that interesting. But there are many readers who will love that aspect, so just know which one you are before reading. However, there’s also the reverse problem where the author will just mention a random game and then say how awesome it was, like The Chris Farley Show sketch on SNL. “Remember Chrono Trigger? That was awesome”. Overall I just felt like the balance between how much to talk about a game vs how little was only balanced correctly a few times throughout.
However, I did love the earnestness of the book and I’m the kind of person who absolutely loves hearing people talk about their passions. Even the sections of the book I didn’t love were still pleasant because it’s pretty refreshing to hear someone just fucking love something sometimes. We need that. And the author has moments of wit and humor that were great and this is certainly a different kind of memoir. It’s not reinventing the wheel and I think at its best it will reassure you that your nerdy obsession is a good, wholesome thing and can open doors for you in life if you’re truly yourself, and that’s a nice message. But on a practical level, for me, it was a quaint audiobook that got me through a few shifts at work. Others will probably love this book to death, and non gamers will have little need for it, and the rest of us will probably be somewhere in the middle, but I’ll certainly say if the premise made you perk up a bit, you’ll probably like it more than you won’t.
I’ll start with what I think is the underlying thing working against this memoir for me. There’s a common defensive wall put up by older people who lived through the eras where liking video games, or fanatically liking video games as in the case of the author, was genuinely an odd thing that could get you physically bullied, ostracized, and isolated. They lived through the era and seem to still be ready to stand and fight to defend their right to game and I respect that. But now, in 2025, being an avid gamer is not only very very common, but it’s actually odd if you don’t play at least some kind of game on a regular basis. My work just had “bring your kid to work day” and more than half of the kids wrote “video game streamer” in response to “what do you want to do when you grow up”. So the conceit of this memoir, a life story told through the lens of video games, doesn’t seem to have the novelty I think it was written within because the world is different now. And this isn’t the authors fault, they genuinely helped pave the way for this hobby/lifestyle to become so prevalent, but unfortunately they missed the time period where this book would’ve still had that novelty but also still have been just as popular.
So, we have a memoir told through the lens of video games. That’s very very clearly the point of this book, so this criticism is more about my taste than anything, but be very aware that that’s what this will be when you read it. There’s a section in this book where the author gets a job at SNL, and their first year coincided with the first year of The Lonely Island and other cast members that defined that era. There is a single paragraph about the author seeing an early cut of Lazy Sunday, one of the most important viral videos in SNL and YouTube’s history. That got one paragraph. But the story of the author beating a writer at Wii Sports Tennis? That gets multiple pages. It’s actually funny how often what I would consider to be the interesting beats of a story are disregarded to instead describe a video game or a gaming session. Again, this is not some bait and switch, this is clearly what the book tells you it will do.
Which leads to the next thing I didn’t love (but you may). There are multiple long sections of the book that just recount the plot of games or single gaming sessions. A very long chapter just recounts the general plot of Bioshock. Another section is a beat by beat breakdown of a game of Madden between the author and his brother. Another chapter just recounts the authors DnD campaign (one session of it at least). I’m in the camp that DnD sessions, gaming sessions, and games themselves are like vacation stories: if you weren’t there it’s just not that interesting. But there are many readers who will love that aspect, so just know which one you are before reading. However, there’s also the reverse problem where the author will just mention a random game and then say how awesome it was, like The Chris Farley Show sketch on SNL. “Remember Chrono Trigger? That was awesome”. Overall I just felt like the balance between how much to talk about a game vs how little was only balanced correctly a few times throughout.
However, I did love the earnestness of the book and I’m the kind of person who absolutely loves hearing people talk about their passions. Even the sections of the book I didn’t love were still pleasant because it’s pretty refreshing to hear someone just fucking love something sometimes. We need that. And the author has moments of wit and humor that were great and this is certainly a different kind of memoir. It’s not reinventing the wheel and I think at its best it will reassure you that your nerdy obsession is a good, wholesome thing and can open doors for you in life if you’re truly yourself, and that’s a nice message. But on a practical level, for me, it was a quaint audiobook that got me through a few shifts at work. Others will probably love this book to death, and non gamers will have little need for it, and the rest of us will probably be somewhere in the middle, but I’ll certainly say if the premise made you perk up a bit, you’ll probably like it more than you won’t.
April 7, 2025
Another memoir that happens to be someone from Florida. This year has randomly thrown these books my way. I could testify that Mike’s specific jokes about the sunshine state are specific, true, and hilarious.
This whole book had me grinning ear to ear. I actually laughed out loud several times. I know Mike Drucker was a writer in the video game industry, but I didn’t know he was a comedian. I remember him from the IGN days with the ‘Up at Noon’ segments on the gaming news & reviews website. I even follow him on Twitter, seen him guest appear on many of my favorite gaming podcasts. So when I saw that he had a book releasing, I dropped everything.
Glad I did, this was such a nostalgic endorphin boost. It made me reminisce a lot of my own childhood, and even though not exactly the same, so many surprising adjacent parallels. We’re almost the same age maybe about few years apart. So it was a journey for me, unlocking old fun memories of mine. The way he writes about the growing pains of life in relation with his love for video games truly magical. Sometimes our hobbies are so infused into who we are as people that it’s hard to not let them enter the chat.
Video Games are life for him exactly how they are for me! You can tell Mike adores them and has vast knowledge in random pop culture references. Hell, even Silent Hill is both one of our top games of all time. The memoir is balanced with funny anecdotes, silly chapters, and self deprecating truths about the sadness a geek life can bring. I simply gushed and can’t forget to mention the comical footnotes which are a plenty.
I know with some of these Floridian memoirs. I keep mentioning that it’s nice to know that we’re not alone. It requires repeating here as well, life is really funny in that way. Making us think we’re the only ones, when there’s a Multiverse of all of us having the same canon events. Highly recommend for gamers and people who can’t live without their hobbies.
Random stuff I love from the book:
(Being from Florida, the way he describes our plazas was perfection)
“All shopping plazas in Florida usually consisted of three or four elements: restaurants that were eternally “Under New Management,” a gun store that loved using multiple fonts on signs, a crystal shop that never had any customers and definitely was the front for a heroin business, and then a wild card spot. If you see a combination massage parlor and dentist’s office, you’ve got your wild card. If you walk into a store that only sells baseball cards and suddenly realize it’s in an abandoned Pizza Hut, big wild card energy. Regardless of what was slotted into that wild card spot, it would close within a year.”
This whole book had me grinning ear to ear. I actually laughed out loud several times. I know Mike Drucker was a writer in the video game industry, but I didn’t know he was a comedian. I remember him from the IGN days with the ‘Up at Noon’ segments on the gaming news & reviews website. I even follow him on Twitter, seen him guest appear on many of my favorite gaming podcasts. So when I saw that he had a book releasing, I dropped everything.
Glad I did, this was such a nostalgic endorphin boost. It made me reminisce a lot of my own childhood, and even though not exactly the same, so many surprising adjacent parallels. We’re almost the same age maybe about few years apart. So it was a journey for me, unlocking old fun memories of mine. The way he writes about the growing pains of life in relation with his love for video games truly magical. Sometimes our hobbies are so infused into who we are as people that it’s hard to not let them enter the chat.
Video Games are life for him exactly how they are for me! You can tell Mike adores them and has vast knowledge in random pop culture references. Hell, even Silent Hill is both one of our top games of all time. The memoir is balanced with funny anecdotes, silly chapters, and self deprecating truths about the sadness a geek life can bring. I simply gushed and can’t forget to mention the comical footnotes which are a plenty.
I know with some of these Floridian memoirs. I keep mentioning that it’s nice to know that we’re not alone. It requires repeating here as well, life is really funny in that way. Making us think we’re the only ones, when there’s a Multiverse of all of us having the same canon events. Highly recommend for gamers and people who can’t live without their hobbies.
Random stuff I love from the book:
(Being from Florida, the way he describes our plazas was perfection)
“All shopping plazas in Florida usually consisted of three or four elements: restaurants that were eternally “Under New Management,” a gun store that loved using multiple fonts on signs, a crystal shop that never had any customers and definitely was the front for a heroin business, and then a wild card spot. If you see a combination massage parlor and dentist’s office, you’ve got your wild card. If you walk into a store that only sells baseball cards and suddenly realize it’s in an abandoned Pizza Hut, big wild card energy. Regardless of what was slotted into that wild card spot, it would close within a year.”
May 8, 2025
My inner gamer nerd enjoyed the hell out of this book. There were sections that I found relatable to the point where I felt like this was talking about my life and there were other portions of the book where I was heartbroken. The first two-thirds of the book is mostly reminiscing about a lot that has to do with the experience of being a gamer. When Mike gets to his adult years, that’s when the book starts to get sad but I still found myself laughing at times. That first wedding was absolutely going to fail but the experience made me giggle. The title chapter in this book made me bust out laughing for a couple of minutes because I’ve been in that situation before. I feel like all of the dork stereotypes of someone who plays video games are on display and I could relate to them. I liked this book a lot. Shout out to Independent Bookstore Day for this gem!
June 20, 2025
This book was so funny!! I often don’t personally think things that are marketed as comedy are funny, so I was not expecting to find it so hilarious- even as memoir from a comedian. But no, this was amazing, exactly my humor. I loved every part of it. I was listening to the audiobook and literally made a little out loud sad ‘aw :(‘ sound when it reached the end because I didn't want it to be over. Super fun, sometimes feely, nostalgic take on video games and life from someone in the generation that were teenagers when I was a kid- which I always think are like the coolest people. I feel I was somehow like the exact target audience for this, but will be recommending this to everyone anyway
September 2, 2025
I loved this book, loved the audiobook, and I think Mike Drucker did my favorite nonsensical pandemic thing. I would love to make an anthology called like, "My Nonsensical Pandemic Thing I Did." This would not be medical stuff or about masks or whatever, no it would be about, for example, building a mini arcade in your apartment. Not just A mini arcade, but a replica of a SPECIFIC arcade.
October 10, 2025
Mike Drucke tells a tale of his life in video games. Not just playing but creating games and content about them before he left the industry to work full time in comedy.
I could go for a sequel just about his perspectives on tabletop RPGs.
I could go for a sequel just about his perspectives on tabletop RPGs.
September 23, 2025
Mike really loves video games and he takes the readers back in time to a time when games were simple. His stories about his childhood are funny and entertaining and as a gamer who grew up around the same time that he did, I could appreciate the stories a lot more than someone who would not.
April 2, 2025
Extremely well written and it held my attention the whole time I listened to it.
He talks about a variety of games while interjecting a good amount of humor as well as stories about his life.
As someone who watched parents sometimes struggle to get us the toys/games/electronics we wanted as kids, much of that was very relatable.
Interestingly he’s both a huge fan of Weird Al Yankovic while having a very similar voice and delivery. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.
He talks about a variety of games while interjecting a good amount of humor as well as stories about his life.
As someone who watched parents sometimes struggle to get us the toys/games/electronics we wanted as kids, much of that was very relatable.
Interestingly he’s both a huge fan of Weird Al Yankovic while having a very similar voice and delivery. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.
May 18, 2025
This reads like a reddit post from someone who desperately wants to prove he was there when it all started. Also has some deep-seated self esteem issues and anger at his parents. DNF for me. (No more memoirs for me.)
May 26, 2025
This book felt tailor made for me yet failed to enthuse. A fat, man-child who grew up in Florida, filled with self-loathing and a penchant for nerdly pursuits, what could go wrong? From the strong narrative voice to the off-kilter stories and reminisces, there is much to like. Mike Drucker seems like he would be a lot of fun to be around for a brief amount of time, probably just enough time to watch one of his comedic sets. However, finding a balance between maudlin, critical and entertaining, is one that is incredibly difficult to master, and this book frequently fails at the task. It is an odd thing to critique someone’s memoir, but I thought his constant gripe about his parents indifference began to feel disingenuous. His folks due to their financial situation, which to my eye seemed solidly middle-class, given their penchant to attend expensive sporting events and indulge Mike in video games and systems, take a laissez-faire approach. They give him free reign to spend hours at a bookstore or to indulge his favorite pastime of playing video games. Which is a fairly understandable approach, especially when they do attempt to bond with him, he frequently acts bored. The first half or so of the book, I was waiting for a bombshell or at least a minor epiphany, but for the most part it was Mike not finding common ground with his parents, who had other inclinations and felt constant monetary pressure. The second half, in which Mike is able to live out many of his and his contemporaries fantasies (working for Nintendo, writing jokes as a career, pursuing a life as an entertainer), is less accessible, but more enjoyable. We learn about his steps and missteps, living a pretty darn charming life, despite his penchant for trying to come across as a sad sack. He gets married, but quickly gets a divorce, he is constantly job hopping looking for a place that lets him spread his artistic wings, he has difficulties making connections, of course the lack of permanence in job and location is probably not helping. There is a requisite Covid chapter, which is surprisingly endearing and hopeful. Most touching is a chapter that focuses on a friendship he built with a charming yet cursed cohort, named Sarah. Sarah and him, share many interests and proclivities. Whereas, in youth his pursuits could led to isolation and having difficulty in communication, later on these enthrallments could led to profundity. Sarah, who suffered great physical and mental wounds from a devastating car accident, is someone who touched Mike very deeply and her chapter was a fitting tribute, the result of which was my favorite chapter, one in which Mike dialed back his own self-pity and deprecation. Overall, this listen was for the most part enjoyable. I did not find the subject matter particularly funny, but there are a few chuckles here and there. For better or worse, it is not a book that you need to pay much attention to and as such it is on the lower end of 3 stars.
October 13, 2025
Pretty sure I was at the target audience for this—a casual gamer roughly the same age as Mike Drucker and already a fan of his. This was a delight! It’s truly strange how much my childhood was defined by the joy, connection, and wonder provided by video games. To be honest, it was a video game that first inspired me to pursue writing. I played ‘Grim Fandango’ in eighth grade and thought, “Good god, it was someone’s job to come up with this and make it happen.”
Video games are incredible. The original Nintendo arrived in America the same year I was born, so consoles have surrounded my world since I first stepped into it. My uncle was 25 when I was in kindergarten and he was more than happy to let me play ‘Super Mario Bros’ and ‘Duck Hunt.’ They’ve never seemed novel to me, yet they have always radiated as something fascinating and wondrous. They’ve been responsible for many of my moments when I felt like I was beholding the future. (Playing ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ for the first time shut my brain down for a bit, which, if you knew me as a teenager, was kind of a miracle.)
Drucker was and is a true gamer. I’ve always been more of someone who plays video games. Some video games I think of like good books. Some video games I think of like drugs. They just provide what you need and what you’re into. Playing video games at each other’s house was enough of a basis for friendship in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Even as an adult crashing into middle age, I’ve loved that they haven’t disappeared. Even the most married exec with kids will still be the one to tell me I have to play a new video game. They’re just so deeply, heartily, and wonderfully a part of our lives.
Drucker does such a swell job of being joyous and likable, even at his most self-deprecating. I’ve always thought he was a funny dude, and it’s a treat to have his brain in full thrill mode for a life marked by everything from reading video game strategy magazines for hours to having a wedding with a video game theme to working for Nintendo to writing comedy about video games.
Video games have evolved so miraculously in my lifetime. It’s a medium that continually has me stunned and engaged. I can’t believe we get to be offered these worlds. Stoked to have people like Drucker, who are way more into it all, to articulate and celebrate why everything from Mortal Kombat to Dungeons and Dragons to the beloved legacy of Mario and pals makes life so fun and playful. There’s always room for a new life and a next level.
Video games are incredible. The original Nintendo arrived in America the same year I was born, so consoles have surrounded my world since I first stepped into it. My uncle was 25 when I was in kindergarten and he was more than happy to let me play ‘Super Mario Bros’ and ‘Duck Hunt.’ They’ve never seemed novel to me, yet they have always radiated as something fascinating and wondrous. They’ve been responsible for many of my moments when I felt like I was beholding the future. (Playing ‘Grand Theft Auto III’ for the first time shut my brain down for a bit, which, if you knew me as a teenager, was kind of a miracle.)
Drucker was and is a true gamer. I’ve always been more of someone who plays video games. Some video games I think of like good books. Some video games I think of like drugs. They just provide what you need and what you’re into. Playing video games at each other’s house was enough of a basis for friendship in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Even as an adult crashing into middle age, I’ve loved that they haven’t disappeared. Even the most married exec with kids will still be the one to tell me I have to play a new video game. They’re just so deeply, heartily, and wonderfully a part of our lives.
Drucker does such a swell job of being joyous and likable, even at his most self-deprecating. I’ve always thought he was a funny dude, and it’s a treat to have his brain in full thrill mode for a life marked by everything from reading video game strategy magazines for hours to having a wedding with a video game theme to working for Nintendo to writing comedy about video games.
Video games have evolved so miraculously in my lifetime. It’s a medium that continually has me stunned and engaged. I can’t believe we get to be offered these worlds. Stoked to have people like Drucker, who are way more into it all, to articulate and celebrate why everything from Mortal Kombat to Dungeons and Dragons to the beloved legacy of Mario and pals makes life so fun and playful. There’s always room for a new life and a next level.
September 16, 2025
I recently heard Mike Drucker talk about this new book on a podcast (listen to it here). Drucker comes across as a funny, down-to-earth, mostly healthy version of a lifelong gamer. The interview included Drucker reading maybe the standout chapter from this book, "The Great Starcraft Conspiracy," that manages to perfectly encapsulate a time and place (high school years immediately following the Columbine shooting), the swirling emotions of being a teenager, and tells a poignant story of connection, loss, and personal growth — all through some after-school sessions of Starcraft with like-minded friends.
I mention all of this context because, as someone who is the same-ish age as Drucker, and who identified with all of the video game milestones that Drucker related (getting the NES and Mario as a little kid, LAN parties, the launches of the N64/PS2/Wii, etc.), this book was like catnip for me. And it really is quite funny and fun — particularly the first quarter of the book when Drucker reminisces about his kid years in a particularly unflattering and lovable manner. We get a strong sense of Drucker's immediate family, what he was like as a kid, and how he and video games evolved at the same time.
I started to tire of the stories as he approaches the post–high school years — particularly around his noting each job he had. I have the sense Drucker wanted to do right by his former employers/co-workers and give the experiences their proper due. But they started to run together for me, and I didn't connect with him or the other people in the stories nearly as much. YMMV — maybe if I read all of this in a few nights, I would have been more engaged. I will say that he is very funny (honestly, laugh-out-loud funny) throughout, and if you are a 40-something video game fan, then definitely check it out.
I mention all of this context because, as someone who is the same-ish age as Drucker, and who identified with all of the video game milestones that Drucker related (getting the NES and Mario as a little kid, LAN parties, the launches of the N64/PS2/Wii, etc.), this book was like catnip for me. And it really is quite funny and fun — particularly the first quarter of the book when Drucker reminisces about his kid years in a particularly unflattering and lovable manner. We get a strong sense of Drucker's immediate family, what he was like as a kid, and how he and video games evolved at the same time.
I started to tire of the stories as he approaches the post–high school years — particularly around his noting each job he had. I have the sense Drucker wanted to do right by his former employers/co-workers and give the experiences their proper due. But they started to run together for me, and I didn't connect with him or the other people in the stories nearly as much. YMMV — maybe if I read all of this in a few nights, I would have been more engaged. I will say that he is very funny (honestly, laugh-out-loud funny) throughout, and if you are a 40-something video game fan, then definitely check it out.
March 22, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book (or audiobook in this case). I had no idea what to expect except for the book description, but I am really glad I chose to listen to it. Would I be able to identify the author’s work on SNL, The Tonight Show, and other programs? Probably not. Would I know the author’s work while he worked at Nintendo? Probably not again. But I chose Good Game, No Rematch for a hopeful trip down memory lane, and it was a fun (and funny) ride. Mike Drucker (the author) and I are similar in age, which helped me recall the numerous video games he discussed. Many of the topics he covered, I experienced as a child, teenager, and beyond. The author does a tremendous job connecting video games to various life decisions throughout the book. Mario and Nintendo changed the lives of so many people, but how many books include Duck Hunt, the Nintendo Power Glove, and an imported Dance, Dance Revolution Dance Pad within its pages? I love that he mentioned the King’s Quest video games and the emergence of fighting games. You youngsters just don’t know how Mortal Kombat and its fatalities became a part of our arcade experience.. I enjoyed how Mike accepted a seemingly dream job at Nintendo only to realize there was more to explore and accomplish. But he continues to weave his love for video games throughout the book. If you are looking for a nostalgic journey about video games mixed with humor throughout, Good Game, No Rematch is a wise choice.
June 6, 2025
Sometimes you read a book that feels like it was written specifically for you. That was my experience with Mike Drucker's Good Game, No Rematch--his story of a life growing up with video games in the 1980s, 90s, & 00s.
For a very basic overview, this book from comedian Drucker is an absolutely hilarious tale of growing up with arcades, home consoles, RPGs, and even a stint working at Nintendo of America. Equal parts tongue-in-cheek humor and surprisingly (for the subject matter) poignant childhood tales, Good Game, No Rematch is perfect for 80s/90s kids now nostalgic for that golden era of video games.
Talk about me being the target demographic for a book--this is a direct-hit bullseye! I was also amazed by Super Mario Bros 3, talked about Street Fighter II at elementary school, marveled at the first 3D Mario ('64), and played Wii Sports like there was no tomorrow. But besides the simple/easy nostalgic grabs, what Drucker really understands here is that there are folks out there who define periods of their childhood/life by their video game escapades. So, Drucker weaves in familial and friendship stories that add poignancy to the pixels.
Did the final 30-40 pages drift off a bit here? Perhaps (but that also could be because I largely had stopped gaming by that period so the references may have gone over my head). But that was little dissuasion from giving Good Game, No Rematch the full 5/5 ranking here. An absolute must-read for those who experienced the arcade-through-Wii area of video gaming.
For a very basic overview, this book from comedian Drucker is an absolutely hilarious tale of growing up with arcades, home consoles, RPGs, and even a stint working at Nintendo of America. Equal parts tongue-in-cheek humor and surprisingly (for the subject matter) poignant childhood tales, Good Game, No Rematch is perfect for 80s/90s kids now nostalgic for that golden era of video games.
Talk about me being the target demographic for a book--this is a direct-hit bullseye! I was also amazed by Super Mario Bros 3, talked about Street Fighter II at elementary school, marveled at the first 3D Mario ('64), and played Wii Sports like there was no tomorrow. But besides the simple/easy nostalgic grabs, what Drucker really understands here is that there are folks out there who define periods of their childhood/life by their video game escapades. So, Drucker weaves in familial and friendship stories that add poignancy to the pixels.
Did the final 30-40 pages drift off a bit here? Perhaps (but that also could be because I largely had stopped gaming by that period so the references may have gone over my head). But that was little dissuasion from giving Good Game, No Rematch the full 5/5 ranking here. An absolute must-read for those who experienced the arcade-through-Wii area of video gaming.
April 24, 2025
I knew absolutely nothing about Mike Drucker going into this memoir. Even now, I’m not familiar with any of his work outside of this book. I was mainly interested in hearing someone's perspective on gaming in the '90s, since there isn’t exactly a wealth of literature on the topic these days.
As a comedic take on a life story—one largely centered around connections with gaming (both video games and tabletop games like D&D)—I think Drucker is mostly effective. For me personally, the humor was a bit hit or miss, but rarely annoying. I did, however, get a bit frustrated with how often he referenced his low self-esteem and/or loneliness. At first, it seemed like he was going for a joke, but he repeats it so often that it becomes clear it's something he’s genuinely insecure about.
In short, when the humor landed, Drucker managed to get a chuckle or two out of me. When it didn’t, I still learned something about his life and worldview, so I wouldn’t call it a waste of time.
The book felt pretty brief and a bit sporadic—about what you'd expect from something written by a comedian—but I saw those aspects as positives. I mostly had a good time with it, with only a few complaints.
Would I recommend it to others? Only if they’re interested in reading someone’s personal perspective on how gaming shaped their life. If you’re not into the hobby, I don’t think the book stands very well on its own. There are a decent number of “inside jokes” that only make sense if you have at least some knowledge of the video game landscape. If you’re not in the know, you’ll probably feel a bit lost—especially during the “joke” chapters that occasionally interrupt the memoir.
As a comedic take on a life story—one largely centered around connections with gaming (both video games and tabletop games like D&D)—I think Drucker is mostly effective. For me personally, the humor was a bit hit or miss, but rarely annoying. I did, however, get a bit frustrated with how often he referenced his low self-esteem and/or loneliness. At first, it seemed like he was going for a joke, but he repeats it so often that it becomes clear it's something he’s genuinely insecure about.
In short, when the humor landed, Drucker managed to get a chuckle or two out of me. When it didn’t, I still learned something about his life and worldview, so I wouldn’t call it a waste of time.
The book felt pretty brief and a bit sporadic—about what you'd expect from something written by a comedian—but I saw those aspects as positives. I mostly had a good time with it, with only a few complaints.
Would I recommend it to others? Only if they’re interested in reading someone’s personal perspective on how gaming shaped their life. If you’re not into the hobby, I don’t think the book stands very well on its own. There are a decent number of “inside jokes” that only make sense if you have at least some knowledge of the video game landscape. If you’re not in the know, you’ll probably feel a bit lost—especially during the “joke” chapters that occasionally interrupt the memoir.
April 17, 2025
As an older millennial, I vividly remember receiving my first Nintendo NES system. What I didn’t realize at the time was that my parents were secretly taking the console—and Super Mario Bros.—out every night to play, then hiding it back in the closet until Christmas morning.
My mother jokingly calls herself an vid-diot and loves games of all kinds. Card games, board games, video games, she’s down to play. She was the kind of mom who, if you said, “Hey Mom, I’m on level eight. I’m almost at Bowser’s castle. I have 99 lives and a full inventory—can you please leave the TV on for me?”—there was a 50/50 chance that you’d either wake up to find she’d beaten the game, or that the TV was still on, patiently waiting for you to finish.
If you asked my dad the same thing, he’d likely get confused and accidentally turn the TV off. It was never malicious—he just never really got video games the way my mom did.
Good Game, No Rematch is both a history of video games and a subtle, hilarious biography of every awkward millennial adult trying to navigate modern life. One of my favorite quotes from the book is: “Try being a people-pleaser who doesn’t understand how to people”—a line that perfectly encapsulates my life.
The book traces the evolution of video games from the perspective of the millennial generation, for whom the NES was a defining piece of childhood. Many books on video game history attempt to cram too much into one volume. While that can be ambitious, it often makes the narrative overwhelming or dry. This book smartly narrows its focus, making the material engaging and accessible throughout.
Before reading this, I didn’t know much about Mike Drucker. I’m not a huge TV person, so I hadn’t connected his name to the well-known shows he’s written for. But now, I’m off to explore his body of work. His writing is sharp, witty, and genuinely funny—it makes you feel like you want to hang out with him. (Well, sort of—I’m kind of agoraphobic and not particularly fond of leaving the house.)
In any case, if you grew up playing video games, love reading, and find comfort in shared nostalgia—or you’re just trying to survive adulthood as an elder millennial—this book is absolutely for you.
Thank you to the author Mike Drucker, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!
My mother jokingly calls herself an vid-diot and loves games of all kinds. Card games, board games, video games, she’s down to play. She was the kind of mom who, if you said, “Hey Mom, I’m on level eight. I’m almost at Bowser’s castle. I have 99 lives and a full inventory—can you please leave the TV on for me?”—there was a 50/50 chance that you’d either wake up to find she’d beaten the game, or that the TV was still on, patiently waiting for you to finish.
If you asked my dad the same thing, he’d likely get confused and accidentally turn the TV off. It was never malicious—he just never really got video games the way my mom did.
Good Game, No Rematch is both a history of video games and a subtle, hilarious biography of every awkward millennial adult trying to navigate modern life. One of my favorite quotes from the book is: “Try being a people-pleaser who doesn’t understand how to people”—a line that perfectly encapsulates my life.
The book traces the evolution of video games from the perspective of the millennial generation, for whom the NES was a defining piece of childhood. Many books on video game history attempt to cram too much into one volume. While that can be ambitious, it often makes the narrative overwhelming or dry. This book smartly narrows its focus, making the material engaging and accessible throughout.
Before reading this, I didn’t know much about Mike Drucker. I’m not a huge TV person, so I hadn’t connected his name to the well-known shows he’s written for. But now, I’m off to explore his body of work. His writing is sharp, witty, and genuinely funny—it makes you feel like you want to hang out with him. (Well, sort of—I’m kind of agoraphobic and not particularly fond of leaving the house.)
In any case, if you grew up playing video games, love reading, and find comfort in shared nostalgia—or you’re just trying to survive adulthood as an elder millennial—this book is absolutely for you.
Thank you to the author Mike Drucker, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!
September 18, 2025
I wanted to like this book. Good video game related books are few and far between so I’m always happy to read any new ones that come out. And while I guess I’m the target audience for this one on paper… I honestly don’t know who this book is really for. Mike’s therapist?
The main problem is that there is little real insight into video games to gain here —be it playing them, collecting them, admiring their artistry or whatever else— other than “remember when this came out? I wanted it and got it”. So if you are contemporaneous with the author, his trip down memory lane might feel like the “Member Berries” episode of South Park. And if you are younger, you are better served by any other history of video games book out there.
You won’t find much introspection about the author’s life or relation to video games either. Painfully unfunny throughout, Mike’s reveals himself a master of the self-deprecating “joke” (he describes himself as dumb, fat, and ugly too many times to count) that lands like an awkward shrug.
Anyways, remember the Game Boy Color? Remember when Super Mario 64 came out? Remember EGM? Mike does too.
The main problem is that there is little real insight into video games to gain here —be it playing them, collecting them, admiring their artistry or whatever else— other than “remember when this came out? I wanted it and got it”. So if you are contemporaneous with the author, his trip down memory lane might feel like the “Member Berries” episode of South Park. And if you are younger, you are better served by any other history of video games book out there.
You won’t find much introspection about the author’s life or relation to video games either. Painfully unfunny throughout, Mike’s reveals himself a master of the self-deprecating “joke” (he describes himself as dumb, fat, and ugly too many times to count) that lands like an awkward shrug.
Anyways, remember the Game Boy Color? Remember when Super Mario 64 came out? Remember EGM? Mike does too.
August 28, 2025
I enjoyed my time with this book. Heard about it a while back when Mike was hopping on gaming podcasts being interviewed about the book. I caught up on my gaming podcasts and was avoiding my political podcast shows — I listen to a bunch of each, and decided hey let's listen to Mike Drucker read his book.
My gaming experience goes back to the days of pong. I really love video games, and to be able to hear someone wax nostalgically about both those older games and modern games was lots of fun.
I'm a bit of an outlier and I tend to be attracted to reading biographies. Life is an adventure and everyone has a different adventure. Hearing Mike tell of his adventure growing up and during his career was very enjoyable. He's a great storyteller and I was engaged the entire book. In fact I pretty much binged this, a big chunk of the time while playing Lego DC Supervillains (yeah, decided to finally finish a game I bought 6 years ago).
Overall very enjoyable. And a good fit if you have been playing video games or remember going to the arcade, and you like humor about video games.
My gaming experience goes back to the days of pong. I really love video games, and to be able to hear someone wax nostalgically about both those older games and modern games was lots of fun.
I'm a bit of an outlier and I tend to be attracted to reading biographies. Life is an adventure and everyone has a different adventure. Hearing Mike tell of his adventure growing up and during his career was very enjoyable. He's a great storyteller and I was engaged the entire book. In fact I pretty much binged this, a big chunk of the time while playing Lego DC Supervillains (yeah, decided to finally finish a game I bought 6 years ago).
Overall very enjoyable. And a good fit if you have been playing video games or remember going to the arcade, and you like humor about video games.
September 12, 2025
"Nobody Was Affected by His Idiocy"
It's funny, it's sad, it's poignant, it's so bitterly self-deprecating, and the nostalgia runs deep for a four-decade gamer, comedy nerd, and general wannabe eccentric recluse like myself. This collection of snapshots reflections, and bits is a great read that legitimately made me laugh several times. I said "HA HA HA" to a paper object. Real chuckles. That's something.
Worth a read if you're into comedy, video games, the entertainment industry, or just want to read something silly and geeky and a little wistful over things like the staggeringly ridiculous deaths of two Dungeons & Dragons characters and the sights and smells of a Florida strip mall arcade Back in the Day.
And it didn't take me that long to read. I purchased and own "Good Game, No Rematch," so I took a break for the last 1/3 of the book to finish a library book before it was due.
It's funny, it's sad, it's poignant, it's so bitterly self-deprecating, and the nostalgia runs deep for a four-decade gamer, comedy nerd, and general wannabe eccentric recluse like myself. This collection of snapshots reflections, and bits is a great read that legitimately made me laugh several times. I said "HA HA HA" to a paper object. Real chuckles. That's something.
Worth a read if you're into comedy, video games, the entertainment industry, or just want to read something silly and geeky and a little wistful over things like the staggeringly ridiculous deaths of two Dungeons & Dragons characters and the sights and smells of a Florida strip mall arcade Back in the Day.
And it didn't take me that long to read. I purchased and own "Good Game, No Rematch," so I took a break for the last 1/3 of the book to finish a library book before it was due.
November 8, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book is a combo part-biography, part-random thoughts written by stand-up comedian and comedy writer Mike Drucker. I actually wasn't familiar with the author prior to reading the book so I didn't know what to expect.
I really enjoyed the biography portion describing the author's childhood and overall history of playing video games. Moving through his career was also interesting, including a short but important stint at Nintendo. The random thoughts sections were hit or miss for me depending on the topic - but I think different people will like different parts interesting depending on their experience.
I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up playing video games and wants to feel a bit of nostalgia.
This book is a combo part-biography, part-random thoughts written by stand-up comedian and comedy writer Mike Drucker. I actually wasn't familiar with the author prior to reading the book so I didn't know what to expect.
I really enjoyed the biography portion describing the author's childhood and overall history of playing video games. Moving through his career was also interesting, including a short but important stint at Nintendo. The random thoughts sections were hit or miss for me depending on the topic - but I think different people will like different parts interesting depending on their experience.
I would recommend this book to anyone who grew up playing video games and wants to feel a bit of nostalgia.
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