Retro Gaming: A Byte-sized History of Video Games

by Mike Diver

Packed with all the characters, games, consoles and franchises that you used to love (and possibly still do), this is a compact, conversational compendium of all-time highs—alongside just a handful of humorous (in hindsight) lows—from over 40 years of arcade, computer, console and handheld hits. From Atari’s early arcade classics and home games consoles of the 1970s, through to classics that keep on giving, such as Halo and Tomb Raider , this book summarizes the significant releases, research and revolutions that have made video games a massive industry. Evergreen favorites from Nintendo, SEGA and Sony are present and correct—no collection would be complete without entries for Mario and Sonic, Tetris and Crash Bandicoot. But we also give credit to the less-celebrated but utterly vital titles, characters, controllers and systems that have helped the world of gaming expand and evolve. 

Genres: Video Games, Nonfiction, History, Computers, Gaming, Games

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Roman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Довольно удачная компиляция описаний всех значимых платформ и игр вплоть до 6-го поколения. Конечно, книга не очень объемная и весьма поверхностная, но прочитал с удовольствием. Отдельно отмечу отличную верстку и подобранные иллюстрации / скриншоты к играм.

Ума не приложу, зачем российские издатели изменили название книги, странное решение, на мой взгляд. Также не обошлось без некоторых косяков перевода и пары фактических ошибок, но в целом издание приличное.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an adequate coverage of the history of video games. This book has many pros; it has color photos, and it has real photos from the games it covers, unlike many of the previous books I've read. My complaint is that this book doesn't go into a lot of depth when it comes to covering the systems and the games. The author knows what he is talking about, but he seems to have wanted to keep his book to a certain length, which definitely limited the scope of the coverage.

[Annemarieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun read, and very informative. I mostly collect DS, 3DS, and Switch games myself, with some Wii, Gamecube, N64 and Gameboy Advance on the side. Of course I can also play NES and SNES games digitally and I know about them from YouTube videos (stuff like Scott the Woz) but because I don't collect for them, and I don't own any Sega or Sony consoles (yet :)). What I mean to say by that, is that books like these contain a ton of information about games and consoles that I'm just not that familiar with, and I absolutely love learning new stuff about gaming history. This book is very colorful with great images of consoles, game screenshots and box art. It is a byte-sized history as it says on the tin, and so Diver only takes you through highlights. I think he did a great job, but I would love to read a 350 page tome by him. I was missing some stuff he could have perhaps squeezed in, like Sonic R when talking about the Saturn, and the sixth generation consoles could have done with a chapter each (where is Sunshine for example? Or Pikmin?). I know it's inevitable to miss some games in a short book like this, but still, perhaps there could have been some honourable mentions per console? I did really like the lists of stuff that were already there.

I'm not interested in PC gaming but I did think it was interesting to learn about some series that had there start on the PC. My favourite chapters were the ones about Sega because I like an underdog.

I loved this book! 4 - 4.5 stars.

[Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title reads: A Byte-Sized History Of Video Games. The book lives up to this description taking the reader on a journey through video game history starting with the Atari 2600. Since I grew up during this era of video gaming, I was feeling nostalgia as I read while, at the same time, getting introductions to the history of other important systems like the Commodore 64 and the Spectrum. Ironically, as the booked moved toward SNES/Genesis generation and beyond, I was fully aware of much of the information. Still, I can easily recommend this book to anyone born in the PS2/Xbox 360 era and beyond for an easy to read introduction to this hobby that we love so much.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covering a very tiny cross section of video gaming history (it does say a BYTE-SIZED history), it is over all a fun read. It's strong UK leanings do show often and made me wonder how bad the gaming scene in the UK really was for someone to consider the C64 as a Cadillac of home computers. A few typos and some very easily debated subjective claims for some titles don't distract too much and if you'd like a quick afternoon stroll down memory lane, it is worth picking up a discounted copy to read.

[Michael Rudzki · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent summary of the best of video games, from their genesis in the 1970s through the early 2000s, Retro Gaming is a nostalgia-filled read for anyone who grew up with an Atari hooked up to their grandparents' spare room TV like I did.

The book is filled with the games you remember from Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and more. Some you never played will make you want to find a retro console or an emulator so you can experience those 8-, 16- and 32-but classics you missed.

[Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick and informative stroll through the history of video games. I enjoyed the sidebars about lesser known consoles, like the Fairchild Channel F, Vectrex, BBC Micro, NeoGeo Pocket, PC-FX, et al., but its meaty chapters on the bigger consoles with larger libraries are obviously where it’s at. Every chapter focuses on one or two consoles and details various games that were exclusive or best on those consoles. I have added many titles to my retro games wishlist :P

[Shaun Jex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really fun overview of the history of gaming from its earliest days up until sixth generation consoles like XBox/PS2/Game Cube. The bulk of the book is spent on mini-profiles of the most popular and impactful games from each era and system. If you grew up playing these games, it's a great reminder of old favorites, and if you're new to the world of retro gaming, it is an awesome introduction to must play titles.

[J Grimsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars as. being of an age where I played these games it left me wondering why it left so many out. The Hobbit Stronghold Dungeon Keeper even Space invaders was mentioned only briefly. I was pleased to see Tetris and Elite were mentioned but not many sports games and flight simulations.
I probably bought the wrong book.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all started in the 1980s for me and here I found all the great memories of fantastic computer games. All the machines, feature titles, the big brands in the field. Absolutely enjoyed every single page here. If you ever were into gaming or still are an absolute must read. This is the ultimate history of video gaming with its essential machines. Highly recommended!

[Abel Pederson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this...now this is the best video game history book out there it give you info on the classics and everything and tells you whats good or bad its the best game reference I've read (I've seen a lot of game history its the best BOOK i'm a game historian)

[Elysia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want that guy's review on the Wii and its accessories. Sure, it may not be retrogaming YET, but that's bound to become retrogaming at some point.

[Chris Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summary and memories

Loved the book. Nice narrative of the development of new systems with some of the key games chosen and reviewed.

[Tim Drury · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and colourful look at video gaming history, definitely an inspirational read if like me your favourite kind of gaming is old school.

[Zoidberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick history, included some gaming systems I didn’t know about. And I question the inclusion of double dragon over golden axe.

[Carlos Piélago Rojo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buen libro introductorio en el mundillo de los videojuegos retro.

[Ardhitama Shaumarli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not a deep critical analysis, and it does not pretend to be one. It is more of a curated encyclopedia, arranged chronologically, with consoles and titles selected based on their historical popularity. Diver walks you through the global gaming industry year by year, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do, even if it does leave a few gaps along the way.
Reading it works rather well as a nostalgia machine. It took me straight back to my own childhood, and also made me realise that many of the games I grew up with were, by global standards, fairly obscure. A limited budget meant we were not exactly buying games through official retail channels. Console bundles, trades with friends, and cheap bootlegs were the more realistic options. In hindsight, this was less a moral failing and more a predictable economic outcome. When a global company sets prices without accounting for local purchasing power, it does not eliminate demand. It simply hands that demand to bootleggers and second-hand markets, who are always happy to help. The "fun" of early gaming was not only on the screen. A fair portion of it was in the informal economy that grew up around it.
Diver's timeline also does a decent job of explaining some of the bigger industry patterns. Regional culture turned out to be a serious barrier to entry, which is why a console dominating Japan didn't automatically perform well in America. And hardware power, it turns out, was never really the point. Nintendo survived by building a strong relationship with developers, while several technically superior rivals failed simply because nobody wanted to make games for them. Having the best hardware and having the best games library are two very different things, and the industry took a surprisingly long time to work this out.
The book's main weakness is also its main method. Using popularity as the primary lens means unit sales become a proxy for historical importance, which is a convenient shortcut that misses quite a lot. There are games that sold modestly but introduced mechanics that the entire industry spent the next decade copying. Diver's approach is too brief and too sales-focused to capture any of that, so readers looking for real developmental insight into their favourite franchises will probably come away a little disappointed.
What the book does do, almost accidentally, is provide a sharp contrast to how gaming works today. Diver's history is built around physical copies and premium pricing, which is the exact model that bootlegs were invented to undercut. The modern answer to piracy is the freemium model, where the game is free but progress costs money, which has been effective for revenues and somewhat less effective for fun. Meanwhile, Tetris, a game about arranging falling blocks, remains playable decades later. Modern developers are spending enormous resources on hyper-realistic graphics and monetisation systems, and somehow producing things that feel less durable than a rectangle moving downward. Retro gaming is a useful reminder that simplicity and good design tend to outlast commercial spectacle, which is either an encouraging thought or a slightly uncomfortable one depending on where you work.