How to Master the Video Games

by Tom Hirschfeld

PB-No shelf wear, no scuffs, tight binding, clean pages, no marks, spine faintly creased, smoke/pet free home. Ships anywhere 7 days a week

Genres: Video Games, Nonfiction

180 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1981

About the author

Tom Hirschfeld is a New York Times bestselling author. His books include "It's Up to You, Abe Lincoln" (2018, with his daughter Leila Hirschfeld), "Business Dad: How Good Businessmen Can Make Great Fathers (and Vice Versa)" (1999, with his wife Julie Hirschfeld), "How to Master Home Video Games" (1982), and "How to Master the Video Games" (1981). After a three-decade business career, he is now writing full time. He lives in New York with his family and Flash, the Wonder Frog.

Reviews

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the first if not one of the first stand-alone video game guides ever. Details strategies for very early 1980s era arcade games, and is more useful for nostalgia and history's sake than any real tip value. It's not particularly exhaustive, but does cover a lot of games that time has forgotten, like Star Castle or Moon Cresta.

While it will be nostalgia for older gamers, it's actually interesting for historical-minded ones. There were no screenshots in those days, for one-each game's screen is illustrated in black ink. A lot of the gaming lingo we have today isn't there. There are no 1ups, because that was introduced later by Capcom arcade games-we just see extra men or extra lives. The idea of rolling over the machine is present: basically if you scored above so many points, your score would reset to zero. None of the games have endings, and the chapter on home systems has no idea they would soon dominate to the point of killing arcades altogether. The chapter on basic strategy and "exercises" to be a better player are hilarious in hindsight.

It's fun if you can find it, and know about old games. 5 stars from me mostly because this book keeps following me around all my life. I always seem to discover it again ever few years, and I've read it since back in the day when it actually was relevant.

[Themistocles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book. It will teach you skills that will pull you apart from the hoi polloi. It will give you the ability to play on a quarter for hours. It will make you a chick magnet. It will put you on national television. Your friends will admire you, your family will be proud of you. Cheapest self-help book I've ever seen!

Well, it's not 1980 any more, but this is still fun to read :)

[DH · Rating 4 out of 5]

A time vault of goodies. Read if you want a historical view of 80s video arcade culture.