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Kieren Hawken

A Compendium of Atari 8-bit Games - Volume One Paperback – October 15, 2019

by Kieren Hawken (Author)

25 ratings

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The word “legacy” is perhaps thrown around far too much in the world of computing, but when it comes to Atari’s 8-bit range of computers it couldn’t be more relevant. Fresh from designing the best-selling 2600 VCS, Atari’s engineers set to work on the follow up – a powerful computer that was equally adept at playing games. This might seem normal today but back then computers really weren’t seen as games machines. Starting with the release of the Atari 400 and 800 in 1979 and continuing on with the XL and XE models, the Atari 8-bit series, as it would become known, was the very first home computer to feature custom graphics and sound chips. In fact its design would very much become the template that all home micros would follow.
In this book we take you through the life of the Atari 8-bit computers looking at a varied cross section of the 8000+ games available with a review and screenshot of each one. From classics released in the late 1970s to modern homebrew titles, there are games of all genres and styles. With ten entries for each letter of the alphabet, this is not supposed to be a list of the best or the worst games; neither is it a complete guide to all that’s available. It is simply a meandering journey through the decades of home computing history, designed to interest both the dedicated fan and the casual reader alike.
A Compendium of Atari 8-bit Games is a celebration of the historic home micro filled with nostalgic memories, new opinions, interesting stories, developer interviews and so much more besides.

Print length

176 pages
Language

English
Publisher

AG Books
Publication date

October 15, 2019
Dimensions

6 x 0.48 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1789821649
ISBN-13

978-1789821642
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ AG Books (October 15, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1789821649
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1789821642
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.48 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #873,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #226 in Computing Industry History
- #540 in Game Programming
- #1,756 in Video & Computer Games

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Kieren Hawken

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Kieren has been writing about video games for over 15 years working for a whole host of major publishers and websites including the award winning Retro Gamer magazine.

With over 50 books to his name, Kieren is one of the most prolific writers and authors within the video game sector. He is also credited as a script writer for numerous popular YouTube channels and as a contributing author on a host of books by other authors.

He has also appeared on the prime time Sky News technology show Swipe as well numerous podcasts as both a guest and co-host. His You Tube channel, The Laird’s Lair, also features a wide range of different videos focused on the world of retro gaming including the popular "Story of" mini-documentary series.

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Pretty Cool Book if you Grew Up with an 8-Bit Atari

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 11, 2022

Verified Purchase

The Atari 800 made me want to become a game designer, though beyond writing my own BASIC games in the early 80s, I never made it a career. Flipping through this book did bring back some of those feelings of when I played these games in my early teens.

I'd probably have given 3.5 stars if I could. It was neat to read and remember all the old Atari games of my youth, but there were some (many?) that I had to wonder why they were included other than trying to get an equal representation from all letters of the alphabet. The author does note that it is not intended to be a "best of" compilation, which is fine, but some of the titles included were so obscure, their inclusion probably only benefits the game's author. The interviews with programmers from the era were nice, but I don't think the author's ratings of the games added much to the content.

Anyone who, like me, still has their old Atari 800 and fires it up from time to time, or anyone who wishes they still had their computer, would probably enjoy skimming through this book. I don't know if it's the kind you'd keep on your shelf and return to very often, but it's a good addition to any Atari 800 shrine you might have in your basement--like me.

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Jeff D. Fulton

Very nice compendium plus more

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 4, 2019

Kieren has put together a very nice collection of over 350 new reviews of Atari 8bit computers games. Each with a nice picture, a capsule review (in some cases more) and a x out of 10 score. This combines some of the content from his e-books, with brand new content and three compelling interviews. The love of Atari 8bit computers shows in his personal stories.

2 people found this helpful

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timcwilcox

Must have book for all fans of the Atari 8 Bit Computers

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 10, 2019

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Atari is a name synonymous with computer gaming. The Atari 8 bit computers (400 and 800) were excellent gaming machines considering they were released back in 1979. They went out of production 1992 with the XE series.

This excellent boot describes the games you can get for this system, plus interviews with Atari developers (including my friend Bob Armour).

The essential encyclopedia for all Atari 8 bit fans.

One person found this helpful

MiWe

Sammelsurium

Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on July 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

In dem Buch lässt sich ganz gut schmökern und man ist auch motiviert, den einen oder anderen Titel mal genauer anzuschauen, um ihn vielleicht mal auszuprobieren. Mal abgesehen davon, dass es zu jedem Buchstaben einige Spiele vorgestellt werden, ist kein roter Faden bei der Auswahl erkennbar. Es sind hoch bewertete und schlecht bewertete dabei, alte Spiele aus den 80ern und neue Homebrews. Also alles durch die Bank gemischt, ohne einen Bereich abzudecken. Aber okay.

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Hartmut Holzgraefe

Recht halbherzige Sammlung

Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on May 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

Die Liste der vorgestellten Spiele scheint nach dem Prinzip "Wir müssen das Alphabet einigermaßen gleichmäßig abdecken" zusammengestellt worden zu sein :(

Ich habe mir zeitgleich auch "Breakout: How Atari 8-Bit Computers Defined a Generation" gekauft, darin findet sich auch eine Spieleliste mit Beschreibungen, und auch wenn sie dort nur etwa ein Viertel des Buches ausmacht ist die Auswahl dort wesentlich gelungener.

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