Great Video Games

Inside the Games You Grew Up with but Never Forgot
With all the whiz, bang, pop, and shimmer of a glowing arcade. The Ultimate History of Video Games reveals everything you ever wanted to know and more about the unforgettable games that changed the world, the visionaries who made them, and the fanatics who played them. From the arcade to television and from the PC to the handheld device, video games have entraced kids at heart for nearly 30 years. And author and gaming historian Steven L. Kent has been there to record the craze from the very beginning.
This engrossing book tells the incredible tale of how this backroom novelty transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Through meticulous research and personal interviews with hundreds of industry luminaries, you'll read firsthand accounts of how yesterday's games like Space Invaders, Centipede, and Pac-Man helped create an arcade culture that defined a generation, and how today's empires like Sony, Nintendo, and Electronic Arts have galvanized a multibillion-dollar industry and a new generation of games. Inside, you'll discover:
·The video game that saved Nintendo from bankruptcy
·The serendipitous story of Pac-Man's design
·The misstep that helped topple Atari's $2 billion-a-year empire
·The coin shortage caused by Space Invaders
·The fascinating reasons behind the rise, fall, and rebirth of Sega
·And much more!
Entertaining, addictive, and as mesmerizing as the games it chronicles, this book is a must-have for anyone who's ever touched a joystick.

User Reviews about The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon--The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World

Wow, and I thought I knew something about video game history, obviously not after reading this book. This book is the Bible of video game history and information and I advise anybody who is involved in the video game world to read this book. -- [...]

I love coffee table books, and I bought this thinking it was. I was hoping for a lot of historical pictures, and was disappointed with the few black and whites in the middle. I skimmed through the text and found a few interesting subjects, but nothing really engaged me. If you're looking for well-researched and detailed industry happenings, this book is great. If you're looking for a coffee table book, this isn't it. -- Not a coffee table book

This bood was pretty good and probably has a place in my library. It had a lot of interesting facts and wa a fairly complete history. I am a real classic video game nut, though. I would have liked to have seen more picures - there really did not seem to be much effort at illustration. -- Pretty good, but expected more

Très peu de visuels (quasiment pas en fait), et le propos est centré à 80% sur Atari (qui ne représente pas 80% du jeux vidéo !). Le livre est pas mal mais très loin d'être la référence "ultimate" auquelle je m'attendais. Déçu. -- Déçu

This is an accurate, in-depth, and complete review of the great history of video games. Being a 80's video game junkie, it was wonderful to hear the details Mr. Kent reveals.

Also, it is an easy read as the style is pleasing and clear. -- Terrific Book