The Encyclopedia of Game Machines (Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005) [Paperback]

Winnie Forster (Author)

Book Description

Series: Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005 | Publication Date: March 21, 2005

More than 450 dream machines, from million-dollar sellers to exotic variants, are celebrated in this exhaustive reference to video gaming systems. The near-ubiquity of video games means that nearly every reader will have owned, played, or heard about at least a handful of the machines included, whether from Europe, Japan, or the United States. Beyond just images of the gaming decks, the book covers classic software in all of its authentic, pixilated glory, as well as key technical facts for each console and operating system. With nostalgia and an archivist's attention to detail, this compendium of virtual competition looks back on 33 years of staring at screens and furiously pressing buttons.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Winnie Forster is the cofounder and editor of the German game magazines Man!ac, PowerPlay, and VideoGames.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Magdalena Gniatczynska (March 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3000153594
• ISBN-13: 978-3000153594
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,527,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for serious gamers., June 30, 2005

By 

Elfrick Mendez "Irata" (Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Game Machines (Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005) (Paperback)

This is the best gaming-history reference book available. Every conceivable gaming device released since 1972 is covered, including obscure (by American standards) European and Japanese computers and systems. The hardware capabilities of each machine are explored, and there are full photo spreads of each system and its games, and sometimes evern variants (like the multiple Apple II or Atari 8-bit computer models.) In all, I cannot recommend this book enough. Buy it!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed bag of info with poor editing, July 3, 2007

By 

Andrew Manikas - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Game Machines (Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005) (Paperback)

I'm an American gamer from the old days. I started programming on a CBM PET, used Apple II, C64, Vic-20, Atari 400 and 800, Amiga, etc. and have used many game consoles (SNES, Xbox, PS2, etc.). One thing about this book is the very brief coverage of some areas. Things are not referenced, so when the author states that the PET was poor quality - it seems a jab. The original chicklet PETs were problematic, but the full-size keyboard ones (of which I had one) were extremely robust, and why they were in many schools in the US - you couldn't break them. Also, sound was easy to add via a $20 speaker but the book says they failed gamewise because without sound nobody made games for it (huh? I was just playing DeathPlanet with sound on my PET emulator!). Also, the text was apparently originally German, and translations are poor, for example Intellivision "at you fingerprints" should be "at your fingertips". Also, Fort Apocaplyse added 'depht' to Choplifter is an editing mistake, and furthermore Fort Apocalypse added 'depth' but was just made difficult by tight caverns and never achieved the fame of Choplifter (which was on every system and even the arcade). Computer screens were apparently added later. So Karateka is upside down on the monitor - hard to believe that Mount Fuji is upside down - is it really a cave game and that is a giant stalagmite? No, and for someone who played Karateka to the end and also Prince of Persia, it's more famous cousin, this lack of attention to detail is bad. Sometimes things are not noted, like an apple game screen shot of an adventure/RPG of stairs, does not mention what game that is (I went through my Apple emulator and it is Mystery House by Sierra On-Line). For SNES, C64 and Apple II should really have had much larger sections (yes, they get 4 pages and some systems get 1, but why can't the encyclopedia be comprehensive?). The C64 revolutionized home computing by offering (eventually) a $299 computer at K-mart (discount store in N. America - now supplanted by Wal-Mart). This made color computing, gaming and a real computer accessible. And the huge owner base encouraged thousands of games to be developed for it. Also, they ask Gordon Jump which machine was best to program on and he said C64, but they should have a whole page devoted to his Jumpman game which set a new standard for clever (30 unique levels), and high playability. Likewise, perhaps more profiles of developers like Sid Meier and others would have be a good addition. I was highly interested in the subject matter of this book but this book has gaps and editing problems.

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommened for Hardcore Retro Gamers, May 11, 2008

By 

BuriKuri "everything is nothing, and nothing ... (North America) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of Game Machines (Encyclopedia of Game Machines: Consoles, Handhelds & Home Computers 1972-2005) (Paperback)

Basically goes over 450 home consoles, (rounded to 420 full console reviews -- since the more obscure 30 are semi explained in the back with no photos) with full photos, descriptions, last game published until, complete models, and how well they sold amongst the competition at the time.

The book is split up into 4 segments. First, explains the different storage of each console (floppy disk, Hudson's Hu Card, GDROM ect) briefly. Second goes over first computer/arcade built. Then branches off into 4 eras.. Beginning (Atari, C64, MSX ect) until the crash, return of 8-bit (Nintendo, PCE, SMS ect), 32/64-bit + handheld - (Saturn, Nuon, 3DO ect) until Today: which is Xbox and Nintendo DS since it was published in 2003.

But I would fully recommend picking up a copy 5/5