The Encyclopedia of Game Machines

[bawitback]

Picked up Winnie Foster's The Encyclopedia of Game Machines on amazon last weekend. usually skeptical on video game books, but since this was recommended by the folks over at Insert Credit, and had raving reviews I decided to pick it up.

The overall book is very well put together. 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.

Page example:

In the 16-bit era, Sega Mega Drive going on 4 pages long (usually 2)

Introduction page heading into the 16-bit era consoles

[Flak Beard]

I must buy this.

[buckeye25osu]

I've added this to my Wishlist. Also on that list are The Video Games Guide and The Ultimate History of Video Games.

[RadarScope1]

That looks great! I need to pick that up.

I got and read through The Ultimate History of Video Games a couple months ago. It's pretty good stuff. Really good history of the early arcade era and beginning of the home consoles - Atari, Nintendo, Colecovision, up to about the Genesis. After that it kind of drops in quality but is still informative.

This book looks much prettier, though. My book has only a few B&W pics in the center pages.

[Perseid]

Because I bought the 360 HD-DVD player and HD-DVD got whupped Amazon gave me a $50 credit. Woo! So I bought this book and On the Edge: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore, a book I can't believe exists, much less a 500+ page hardcover.

So thanks for the info.

[Scooter]

I've pretty much enjoyed the book High Score! which is a history of video and computer games up through the PS2 and Dreamcast era, later editions may go farther than that.