Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games: Console, Arcade, and Handheld Games (Paperback)

by David Ellis (Author) "Although most people had never seen a video game until 1971, the story of video games actually begins more than a decade earlier..." (more)
Key Phrases: homebrew game, controller overlays, video game collectors, Game Only, Upright Rarity, Picture Rarity (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Remember those classic games like Pong and Intellivision? Whether you are an experienced or novice collector, or if you just have a spot in your heart for video games, The Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games is ideal for anyone searching for a reliable price guide to their beloved collectibles. From Atari and Coleco to Pac-Man and Space Invaders, this book offers prices and history on video and arcade games as well as information on arcade game restoration, troubleshooting, and minor repairs. This book also features a list of collectors' Web sites , amusement auctions, and conventions around the U.S.

“…this book is a few pages shy of 500 PAGES! It is one thick resource and quite frankly, we are majorly impressed!” -- GameRoom magazine

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: House of Collectibles (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375720383
• ISBN-13: 978-0375720383
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #945,502 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get this book BEFORE you start searching eBay..., March 8, 2005

By	R. Roy (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What an incredible reference guide. With the collectible video game market still in its infancy, I honestly didn't expect to see a book like this for at least another decade. Then, as I was chuckling to myself while staring at it in a bookstore, it hit me: "Holy Energizer Dots! It's a huge reference to the entire video game industry!!! So I grabbed it, absorbed it, and continue re-reading it to this day. Chock full of history, images and master lists of cartridges and consoles, this one book will both enlighten you to the scope of the video game industry as of today, and also serve as a GREAT tool when you start shopping online auction sites like eBay. I used it to buy my Atari 7800 system, and I was pleased to know I didn't pay more for it than it was worth. That would not have been possible without this book. I'd like to think of a negative thing to say about this book so readers won't think I'm biased. Ok, I wish I had a hardcover version becasue this one is going to fall apart soon from opening it up too much!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "You Paid HOW Much for that Atari Cartridge?", January 7, 2005

By	L. Peter Torber (USA) - See all my reviews

Three thousand dollars for a rare Atari cartidge? Who would have guessed that the stuff we discarded from our youth would now be part of a cottage industry consisting of collectors, auction houses, classic arcade repair shops and book writers.

I consider myself an serious collector, (Ooh, how arrogant!) of serious toys. And Ellis' work is one of those rare "how to collect" books worthy of a double purchase. One to keep fresh and clean on your book shelf and one to dog ear, mark up, and spill coffee on. My working copy is permanently on watch next to my PC.

Don't be misled into thinking this is a minor work because the book's price is so reasonable. The historical summaries alone are worth the cost. As a begining collector of classic arcade games this book is the best place to start. You could not go wrong in assembling a fine collection at reasonable cost by following Ellis' recommendations to the letter. The chapters are arranged so as to allow collectors to skip those areas in which they have no interest.

Negatives? Only one, too big to carry around. A pocket guide would be great for auctions. And an electronic version (Palm?, Pocket PC?) with easy to query price look ups would be even better. Hey Random House are you listing?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Answers are in here., January 6, 2005

By	Mark G. Reis "Soundman" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You don't have to be 40 to read this book, but if you are it will certainly cover every video game you've ever played while growing up. Having been to a few auctions myself, the charts and tables in this book have easily saved me the cost of the book on just one machine. A very handy reference if you're just getting started and invaluable if your wife thinks your hobby is getting too expensive. It's easy to get caught up in the bidding, and this book will help you find that line that says "you're paying too much for that machine."

After you get your new toy home, I've found that some tend to fizzle out after about 2 months. This is where the online resources listed in this book come in handy. They are a gateway to the community of Classic Arcade Collectors and you will find that these collectors are eager to help you get your machine back in working condition.

I look forward to a sequel that covers more of the post-classic era as this section of the book has sparked a hunger for more information on these newer treasures.