Video Game Non-Fiction Books
Explore the best video game non-fiction books with our curated list. Dive into histories, developer insights, and gaming culture with these must-read titles for gamers and enthusiasts.
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The Ultimate History of Video Games
by Steve L. Kent
Traces the history and development of video games, providing information on the first games, influential developers, how the games have changed over the years, and the most popular games.
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Replay
by Tristan Donovan
A comprehensive overview of the evolution of video games covering topics such as, "Atari revolution;" "rise of cartridge-based consoles;" American video game industry; international video game industry; "Apple Mac;" "Nintendo Entertainment System;" Sega video games; PlayStation video games; and "girl gaming."
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Game Over
by David Sheff
How did a Japanese company that once manufactured playing cards end up capturing nearly all of America's multi-billion dollar video-game industry in the early '90s? What is it about games that feature an obstinate ape ("Donkey Kong") and an intrepid plumber ("Super Mario Bros.") that make them so addictive to consumers of all ages? And was it inventive genius or business hardball that enabled Nintendo to gross more after taxes in 1992 than Apple, IBM, Microsoft or all the major U.S. film studios combined?
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Power-up
by Chris Kohler
Power+Up explores these questions and others in a fresh and completely engaging way. This riveting book includes personal interviews, anecdotes, and accounts of industry giants, such as Shigeru Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima, and others involved in the creation of Donkey Kong, Mario, Pokemon, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, and many more. Fans of gaming, comic books, anime, popular culture, and technology alike will find Power+Up to be utterly absorbing! Book jacket.
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A Casual Revolution
by Jesper Juul
Comprising a series of conversational recollections, this book tells the story of Rena Point Bolton, a Stó:lo matriarch and craftswoman. The narrative touches on Point Bolton's childhood by the Fraser River during the Depression, her ancestor, the warrior Xéyteleq, and her later years on a reserve. While the Stó:lo people kept secret their cultural practices to avoid persecution by paternalistic institutions, Point Bolton helped to revive some of the old crafts and ceremonies. The result of a long-term collaboration between Richard Daly and Point Bolton, this book attests to Point Bolton's desire to inspire her people to blend traditional "ways of knowing" with the pursuit of modern education. Richard Daly is a social anthropologist, translator, editor, and Aboriginal rights consultant who resides near Oslo, Norway. Rena Point Bolton is a Xwélmexw (Stó:lo) weaver and artist who helped to revive knowledge of and interest in Canadian Aboriginal art.
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Nintendo Magic
by Osamu Inoue
In 2006, Nintendo released Wii at the same time as the highly-anticipated and much-vaunted Playstation III was introduced. Wii's David defeated PlayStation's Goliath, inversely echoing the NES v. PlayStation II outcome of a decade previous. Nintendo Magic is the story of what went right, discussing the business strategies and marketing savvy that took on the mighty Sony and won.
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Vintage Games
by Bill Loguidice
Vintage Games explores the most influential videogames of all time, including Super Mario Bros., Grand Theft Auto III, Doom, The Sims and many more. Drawing on interviews as well as the authors' own lifelong experience with videogames, the book discusses each game's development, predecessors, critical reception, and influence on the industry. It also features hundreds of full-color screenshots and images, including rare photos of game boxes and other materials. Vintage Games is the ideal book for game enthusiasts and professionals who desire a broader understanding of the history of videogames and their evolution from a niche to a global market. *Explores the gameplay, history, development, and influence of the most important videogames of all time *Includes material from interviews, contemporary reviews, manuals, and other primary and secondary sources *Identifies and analyzes the key concepts behind each videogame *Features hundreds of exclusive, full-color images
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The Book of Games
by Bendik Stang
Explores more than one hundred of the latest and most exciting video games, providing information of great interest to gamers and parents. Sorted by genre, each game is presented on a two-page spread including an informative game summary with challenges and hints, a description of key gameplay activities, average game score, parental age information and game complexity. Nine illustrative screen shots show the game in action; and if you like what you see, check out the list of similar games at the bottom of each page"--Publisher's website (viewed April 21, 2008).
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The Book of Games
by Bendik Stang
This second volume is a compendium of video game synopses as well as a feast for the eyes with literally thousands of vivid, high-resolution screen shots; it provides a comprehensive visual tour through the world of PC and video gaming. Sorted by genre, more than 100 of the latest, most exciting software titles are reviewed with information of interest to players, parents, and industry professionals. Each game is featured in a two-page spread that includes detailed game summaries, analysis, and strategies; nine in-game screen shots; lists of games with similar skill and strategy requirements; appropriate age ran≥ notes ESRB content ratings; complete technological specifications; and more. Feature stories are included throughout the book, covering game-related topics such as multiplayer online gaming, games in movies, and the future of gaming. The book also includes useful reference tools such as an illustrated glossary, an overview of game publishers, and information on current hardware platforms such as Sony's new PS3, Nintendo's Wii, and handheld systems, including the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP.
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The Book of Games Volume 3
by Bendik Stang
The third volume in this acclaimed series features more than 100 of the newest games from a variety of platforms. A complete compendium of video game synopses as well as a feast for the eyes with literally thousands of vivid, high-resolution screen shots, this comprehensive visual tour through the world of PC and video gaming is sorted by genre, with each game review containing information of interest to players, parents, and industry professionals. A two-page spread includes detailed game summaries, analysis, and strategies; nine in-game screen shots; lists of games with similar skill and strategy requirements; appropriate age range; notes Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) content ratings; and complete technological specifications to supplement each game's profile. A game developers' Hall of Fame and a thorough run-down of the world's best gamers, clans, and guilds are coupled with fascinating stories about the politics of video gaming, the latest research on gaming's effects, and the world of Flash and Java games. Useful reference tools such as an illustrated glossary, an overview of game publishers, and information on current hardware platforms—such as Sony's new PlayStation 3, Nintendo's Wii, and handheld systems, including the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP—are also provided.
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The Rough Guide to Videogames
by Kate Berens
A guide to a plethora computergames, characters, players and the world surrounding them.
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The Medium of the Video Game
by Mark J. P. Wolf
In this book, Mark J.P. Wolf and four other scholars conduct the first thorough investigation of the video game as an artistic medium.
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Final Fantasy and Philosophy
by Jason P. Blahuta
An unauthorized look behind one of the greatest video game franchises of all time, Final Fantasy The Final Fantasy universe is packed with compelling characters and incredible storylines. In this book, you'll take a fascinating look at the deeper issues that Final Fantasy forces players to think about while trying to battle their way to the next level, such as: Does Cloud really exist (or should we really care)? Is Kefka really insane? Are Moogles part of a socialist conspiracy? Does the end of the game justify the means? As Mages, Moogles, fiends, and Kefka are mashed together with the likes of Machiavelli, Marx, Foucault, and Kafka, you'll delve into crucial topics such as madness, nihilism, environmental ethics, Shintoism, the purpose of life, and much more. Examines the philosophical issues behind one of the world's oldest and most popular video-game series Offers new perspectives on Final Fantasy characters and themes Gives you a psychological advantage--or at least a philosophical one--against your Final Fantasy enemies Allows you to apply the wisdom of centuries of philosophy to any game in the series, including Final Fantasy XIII Guaranteed to add a new dimension to your understanding of the Final Fantasy universe, this book is the ultimate companion to the ultimate video-game series.
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The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy
by Luke Cuddy
"Chapters address philosophical aspects of the video game The Legend of Zelda and video game culture in general"--Provided by publisher.
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World of Warcraft and Philosophy
by Luke Cuddy
"World of Warcraft is the most popular ever MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game), with over twelve million subscribers and growing every day." "WoW is everywhere - from episodes of South Park and The Simpsons, to online series like Watch the Guild, accolades and awards from game critics, prime-time commercials with William Shatner and Mr. T., and even criminal and civil courts in the real world. People marry and divorce individuals they have met in the game, realworld financial markets thrive in virtual WoW property, parents have their kids 'treated' for Warcraft addiction, and real-world lawsuits, vendettas, and murders have been provoked by the game." "Since identities are known to be assumed, is it okay to totally misrepresent yourself in the game? Does the Corrupted Blood epidemic warn us of future public health catastrophes? How can it be wrong to steal something which doesn't exist or torture characters who don't feel pain? Is warfare really essential to the world of Warcraft? What can our own world learn from Azeroth's blend of primitivism and high-tech?" "A specially commissioned guild of philosophers tackle these and other hard questions in World of Warcraft and Philosophy." -- Book Cover.
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Masters of Doom
by David Kushner
Masters of Doom is the amazing true story of the Lennon and McCartney of video games: John Carmack and John Romero. Together, they ruled big business. They transformed popular culture. And they provoked a national controversy. More than anything, they lived a unique and rollicking American Dream, escaping the broken homes of their youth to co-create the most notoriously successful game franchises in history—Doom and Quake—until the games they made tore them apart. Americans spend more money on video games than on movie tickets. Masters of Doom is the first book to chronicle this industry’s greatest story, written by one of the medium’s leading observers. David Kushner takes readers inside the rags-to-riches adventure of two rebellious entrepreneurs who came of age to shape a generation. The vivid portrait reveals why their games are so violent and why their immersion in their brilliantly designed fantasy worlds offered them solace. And it shows how they channeled their fury and imagination into products that are a formative influence on our culture, from MTV to the Internet to Columbine. This is a story of friendship and betrayal, commerce and artistry—a powerful and compassionate account of what it’s like to be young, driven, and wildly creative. “To my taste, the greatest American myth of cosmogenesis features the maladjusted, antisocial, genius teenage boy who, in the insular laboratory of his own bedroom, invents the universe from scratch. Masters of Doom is a particularly inspired rendition. Dave Kushner chronicles the saga of video game virtuosi Carmack and Romero with terrific brio. This is a page-turning, mythopoeic cyber-soap opera about two glamorous geek geniuses—and it should be read while scarfing down pepperoni pizza and swilling Diet Coke, with Queens of the Stone Age cranked up all the way.”—Mark Leyner, author of I Smell Esther Williams
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Reset
by Rusel Demaria
Do video games promote violent behavior and slothful addiction... are they a complete waste of time? Or are video games among the most powerful learning tools known to man, with the potential to teach and inspire millions of game players? In ""Reset: Changing the Way We Look at Video Games,"" gaming journalist, bestselling author, and concerned parent Rusel DeMaria examines the pervasive myths and stereotypes about video games, turns them around and reveals another face: their potential to promote positive personal and social change. DeMaria delves deeply into the realities of the gaming world, analyzing both the business forces driving game development and the unique qualities that distinguish video games from any other form of popular media. Drawing on the latest learning research on play and learning, he explains that it is precisely these qualities -- a combination DeMaria calls video games' ""magic edge"" -- that make them such potentially powerful tools. Video games can teach and engage at the same time -- while not seeming to teach at all. He even offers a primer to help curious non-gamers begin to explore the gaming world and discover the hidden positive potential of video games for themselves.
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The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design
by Flint Dille
• Authors are top game designers • Aspiring game writers and designers must have this complete bible There are other books about creating video games out there. Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there’s complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.
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Video Games & Your Kids
by Hilarie Cash
Video Games & Your Kids is for parents who are worried that their children may be spending too much time playing video games. Based on research and the authors' clinical experience, the book explains what gaming addiction is, how much gaming is too much, and the affects gaming has on the body and brain. The authors give gaming advice on each stage of life; birth-2 years, ages 2-6, elementary school years, adolescence, and adult children still living at home. Where there is a problem, the authors provide parents with tools that will help the them successfully set appropriate limits for their children.
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Unplugged
by Ryan G. Van Cleave
WARNING: THIS VIDEO GAME MAY IMPAIR YOUR JUDGMENT. IT MAY CAUSE SLEEP DEPRIVATION, ALIENATION OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY, WEIGHT LOSS OR GAIN, NEGLECT OF YOUR BASIC NEEDS AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF LOVED ONES AND/OR DEPENDENTS, AND DECREASED PERFORMANCE ON THE JOB. THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN FANTASY AND REALITY MAY BECOME BLURRED. PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. No such warning was included on the latest and greatest release from the Warcraft series of massive multiplayer online role-playing games—World of Warcraft (WoW). So when Ryan Van Cleave—a college professor, husband, father, and one of the 11.5 million Warcraft subscribers worldwide—found himself teetering on the edge of the Arlington Memorial Bridge, he had no one to blame but himself. He had neglected his wife and children and had jeopardized his livelihood, all for the rush of living a life of high adventure in a virtual world. A fabulously written and gripping tale, Unplugged takes you on a journey through the author's semireclusive life with video games at the center of his experiences. Even when he was sexually molested by a young school teacher at age eleven, it was the promise of a new video game that had lured him to her house. As Ryan's life progresses, we witness the evolution of video games—from simple two-button consoles to today's multikey technology, brilliantly designed to keep the user actively participating. For Ryan, the virtual world was a siren-song he couldn't ignore, no matter the cost. As is the case with most recovering addicts, Ryan eventually hit rock bottom and shares with you his ongoing battle to control his impulses to play, providing prescriptive advice and resources for those caught in the grip of this very real addiction.
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The Video Game Explosion
by Mark J. P. Wolf
This title traces the growth of video games, showing how they have become an integral part of popular culture today.
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Halos and Avatars
by Craig Detweiler
Craig Detweiler's collection of up-to-the-minute essays on video games' theological themes (and yes, they do exist!) is an engaging and provocative book for gamers, parents, pastors, media scholars, and theologians--virtually anyone who has dared to consider the ramifications of modern society's obsession with video games and online media. Together, these essays take on an exploding genre in popular culture and interpret it through a refreshing and enlightening philosophical lens.
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Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents
by Craig A. Anderson
This volume uses General Aggression Model (GAM) as a basis for explaining and predicting effects and changes in aggression related to exposure to violent video games. The authors also describe how a developmental risk and resilience model can be integrated into GAM to enhance our ability to predict long-term changes.
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Changing the Game
by David Edery
Use Video Games to Drive Innovation, Customer Engagement, Productivity, and Profit! Companies of all shapes and sizes have begun to use games to revolutionize the way they interact with customers and employees, becoming more competitive and more profitable as a result. Microsoft has used games to painlessly and cost-effectively quadruple voluntary employee participation in important tasks. Medical schools have used game-like simulators to train surgeons, reducing their error rate in practice by a factor of six. A recruiting game developed by the U.S. Army, for just 0.25% of the Army's total advertising budget, has had more impact on new recruits than all other forms of Army advertising combined. And Google is using video games to turn its visitors into a giant, voluntary labor force--encouraging them to manually label the millions of images found on the Web that Google's computers cannot identify on their own. "Changing the Game "reveals how leading-edge organizations are using video games to reach new customers more cost-effectively; to build brands; to recruit, develop, and retain great employees; to drive more effective experimentation and innovation; to supercharge productivity...in short, to make it fun to do business. This book is packed with case studies, best practices, and pitfalls to avoid. It is essential reading for any forward-thinking executive, marketer, strategist, and entrepreneur, as well as anyone interested in video games in general. In-game advertising, advergames, adverworlds, and beyond "Choose your best marketing opportunities--and avoid the pitfalls " Use gaming to recruit and develop better employees "Learn practical lessons from "America's Army "and other innovative case studies " Channel the passion of your user communities "Help your customers improve your products and services--and have fun doing it " What gamers do better than computers, scientists, or governments "Use games to solve problems that can't be solved any other way "
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Game Addiction
by Neils Clark
An eleven-year-old boy strangled an elderly woman for the equivalent of five dollars in 2007, then buried her body under a thin layer of sand. He told the police that he needed the money to play online videogames. Just a month later, an eight-year-old Norwegian boy saved his younger sister’s life by threatening an attacking moose and then feigning death when the moose attacked him—skills he said he learned while playing World of Warcraft. As these two instances show, videogames affect the minds, bodies, and lives of millions of gamers, negatively and positively. This book approaches videogame addiction from a cross-disciplinary perspective, bridging the divide between liberal arts academics and clinical researchers. The topic of addiction is examined neutrally, using accepted research in neuroscience, media studies, and developmental psychology.
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Porn & Pong
by Damon Brown
Explores, for the first time, how pornography and video games have influenced the world's sexual mores and technological compulsions on a massive scale. The first Atari systems and their phallic joysticks sold by the millions, reality TV skyrocketed at the same time The Sims took off and the surgically-endowed Pamela Anderson was outshone by only one other woman: Lara Croft. Porn & Pong examines how politics, hidden agendas and financial pressure affect the controversial art forms of gaming and pornography.
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Horror Video Games
by Bernard Perron
A theoretical analysis of the horror genre in video games. It includes 14 essays that explore the cultural underpinnings of horror's allure for gamers and the evolution of 'survival' themes. It individually examines the techniques and story effects of specific games such as Resident Evil, Call of Cthulhu, and Silent Hill.
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The Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games
by Bill Kurtz
Arcade video games have become one of the hottest collectibles around and this book features over 600 photos of the machines that filled arcades during the 1970s and '80s. Includes information about the manufacturers who produced these classic games, a section about video game collectibles, and information on how to start your own collection. Beginning collectors and long-time game enthusiasts alike are sure to enjoy this nostalgic and informative look at the world of arcade video games.
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Classic Home Video Games, 1972-1984
by Brett Weiss
This reference highlights popular video games of the 1970s and early 1980s, covering virtually every official U.S. release for programmable home game consoles of the pre-Nintendo NES era. The book is organized alphabetically by console brand, with encyclopedia-style entries for every game released for that console.
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Break Into The Game Industry: How to Get A Job Making Video Games
by Ernest Adams
Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. Find out from an industry veteran exactly what you need to do to become a game designer, tester, artist, producer, programmer, writer, soundtrack composer, videographer, or sales/marketing professional. You’ll get full-spectrum coverage of positions available within the game industry as well as details on how a game is created--from start to finish--and much more.