Video Games

I never did get very far with Coleco's Smurf Rescue In Gargamel's Castle and I always made Qbert jump in the wrong direction. My Atari usage went from sore thumbs from moving Pinhead back and forth to getting run over in Frogger. I've died every death that Oregon Trail has to offer, made some futile searches for Carmen Sandiego, hunted for Ducks, badly, and was often brutally killed in Streetfighter and Mortal Kombat. However, none of these compared to my glorious failings when playing Goldeneye on the N64: I very much earned that Lemming award. These days a majority of my attempts at gaming revolve around spending hours building a decorating a house on Sims 4 only to abandon the sim I created shortly after.

Even without being as dedicated to video games as my children seem to be video games have had an everpresent role in my life, not necessarily one of triumphant glory but it's been a lot of fun just the same.

Copy describing the books listed below is provided by the publishers.

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games are Made by Schreier, Jason

"You've got your dream job--making video games. You have a great project, great designs, and clever controls. One morning, you get a call from your producer. Turns out that wall-jumping trick won't work because the artists don't have time to design a separate animation just for the plumber to move that way. Also, your lead designer keeps micromanaging the programmers, which is driving them crazy. Your E3 demo is due in two weeks, and you know there's no way you can get it done in less than four. You'll have to cut out some of the game's biggest features just to hit your deadlines. And suddenly the investor is asking if maybe you can slash that $10 million budget down to $8 million, even if you have to fire a few people to make it happen? Welcome to video game development. In his years covering the industry, Jason Schreier has often heard developers say that any game actually released is a miracle. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Schreier takes you behind the scenes of some of the biggest recent games to share never-before-told stories of the struggles and failures the development teams faced along the way. His reputation for great storytelling and fly-on-the-wall detail will provide readers with the clearest picture yet of what actually goes on behind the scenes. Each chapter will cover a different game, from major studios with nine-figure budgets to indie games with half a dozen people on their teams. The chapters will also focus on a variety of subjects in the process, from building the basics to adjusting for fan reaction post-launch. Blood, Sweat, and Pixels will give readers an unparalleled inside look at one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world"-- Provided by publisher.

Blips On A Screen: How Ralph Baer Invented TV video gaming and Launched a worldwide obsession by Hannigan, Kate

An engaging picture book biography based on the incredible true story of a Jewish refugee who pioneered home video games and launched a worldwide obsession.

Do you ever wonder how video gaming was invented? What came before your PlayStation or Xbox? This is the story of Ralph Baer, a refugee from Nazi Germany, who used his skills--and a lot of ingenuity and persistence--to make life a little more fun.

Television was new when Ralph returned from serving in World War II, but he didn't settle for watching TV. He knew it could be even more fun if you could play with it. He tinkered and tested, got help and rejected, but with perseverance and skill, he made his vision come true! This is the inspiring story of a fearless inventor who made TV video games a reality.

Gamer Girls: 25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry by Kenney, Mary

"Discover the women behind the video games we love--from the iconic games they created, the genres they invented, the studios and companies they built--and how they changed the industry forever. From classic games like Centipede and Solitaire to popular modern games like Final Fantasy, Uncharted, and Halo, this book explores the work and history of 25 influential women in the video game industry and how their contributions ultimately built and transformed the medium that we know today. Gamer Girls explores each woman's contributions to the industry, but also their inspirations and hardships as they worked to create the games that they wanted to play. Including smaller sidebars about other influential women, a glossary, additional resources page, and stunning profile and spot illustrations of influential pixel queens such as: Roberta Williams (creator of the adventure genre) * Mabel Addis Mergardt (the first person to write a video game) * Muriel Tramis (the French "knight" of video games) * Keiko Erikawa (the creator of the otome genre) * Yoko Shimomura (the composer for Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, and Kingdom Hearts) * Rebecca Heineman (first national video game tournament champion) * Jade Raymond (builder of the modern game engine) * and many more"--. Provided by publisher.

Tetris: The Games People Play by Brown, Box

"It is, perhaps, the perfect video game. Simple yet addictive, Tetris delivers an irresistible, unending puzzle that has players hooked. Play it long enough and you'll see those brightly colored geometric shapes everywhere. You'll see them in your dreams. Alexey Pajitnov had big ideas about games. In 1984, he created Tetris in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. Once Tetris emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it was an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari, Sega--game developers big and small all wanted Tetris. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications, and outright theft. In this graphic novel, New York Times--bestselling author Box Brown untangles this complex history and delves deep into the role games play in art, culture, and commerce. For the first time and in unparalleled detail, Tetris: The Games People Play tells the true story of the world's most popular video game."--Page [2] of cover.

Sid Meier's Memoir! : A Life in Computer Games by Meier, Sid

"The life and career of the legendary developer celebrated as the "godfather of computer gaming," and creator of Civilization. Over his four-decade career, Sid Meier has produced some of the world's most popular video games, including Sid Meier's Civilization, which has sold more than 51 million units worldwide and accumulated more than one billion hours of play. Sid Meier's Memoir! is the story of an obsessive young computer enthusiast who helped launch a multibillion-dollar industry. Writing with warmth and ironic humor, Meier describes the genesis of his influential studio, MicroProse, founded in 1982 after a trip to a Las Vegas arcade, and recounts the development of landmark games, from vintage classics like Pirates! and Railroad Tycoon, to Civilization and beyond. Articulating his philosophy that a video game should be "a series of interesting decisions," Meier also shares his perspective on the history of the industry, the psychology of gamers, and fascinating insights into the creative process, including his rules of good game design"-- Provided by publisher.

Game Boy Modding by Farrell, Greg

GAME BOY MODDING will provide readers with a detailed process for purchasing, refurbishing, modding, and customizing several Nintendo handheld consoles. The consoles and customizations are widely available and affordable for all gamers to try on their own and require only limited tools and know-how. Readers learn basic soldering and hardware modification techniques, then move on to learn how to change speakers, buttons, screen lens, and even fix dead speakers and sticky buttons.

The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokémon and Beyond: the Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World by Kent, Steve L.

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.

Level Up: 100% Unofficial

Check out the ultimate annual video game guide from Scholastic AFK! Level Up 2023 is full of the latest information on the hottest games of the last year, how they were developed, and how to beat them.Get ready for another awesome year of gaming with this ultimate guide to all your favorite games, including a definitive list of the biggest games of the past year and hottest new ones coming in 2023! Level Up 2023 is the most comprehensive guide to all the best games, tech, and streamers, featuring a bunch of the year's greatest gaming moments.This complete guide is packed with secrets, stats, tips, and tricks for all your favorite games. All games featured in AFK's Level Up 2023 are rated T for Teen or younger -- perfect for young gamers.

Game On!: Video Game History from Pong and Pac-man to Mario, Minecraft, and More by Hansen, Dustin

Find out about the fast and furious growth and evolution of video games (including how they are quickly taking over the world!) by looking at some of the most popular, innovative, and influential games ever, from Pong, the very first arcade game ever, to modern hits like Uncharted.

Learn about the creators and inspiration (Mario was named after Nintendo's landlord after he barged into a staff meeting demanding rent), discover historical trivia and Easter eggs (The developers of Halo 2 drank over 24,000 gallons of soda while making the game), and explore the innovations that make each game special (The ghosts in Pac-Man are the first example of AI in a video game).

Whether you consider yourself a hard-core gamer or are just curious to see what everyone is talking about, Game On! is the book for you!

The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer by Wessels, Marcie

Today, the video game industry keeps growing, with ever more platforms available to fans. But how did the very first system come about? This picture-book biography of Ralph Baer, whose family fled Nazi Germany for the US, introduces kids to a great inventor AND the birth of the first home console. Using wartime technology, Baer thought outside the box and transformed the television into a vehicle for gaming; Baer's invention, the Odyssey, is a precursor to the Atari gaming system. Today, interactive systems like Wii and PlayStation are descendants of Ralph's innovative "Brown Box," making this award-winning inventor the true "Father of Video Games."

Minecraft

Roblox

Movies:

Doom. Jumanji. Welcome to the Jungle. Free Guy

Pixels Pokémon Detective Pikachu. Sonic the Hedgehog

Ralph breaks the internet

80's 90's Nostalgia

 

I forget what exactly it was that my kids said that prompted me to say "Talk to the Hand because the Face don't Understand" (Martin Lawrence, Martin, 1992-1997) but, out it flew like it was 199-6(?), 5(?), 7(?)... definitely one of those years.

I have a tendency to throw those things at the kids. They've learned that you can't say "Oh my God" within earshot of mom because it will 100% be followed up with "It's a mirage, I'm telling y'all it's sabotage!" (Beastie Boys, "Sabotage",1994) I told my son, who will be entering senior year in the fall, that if his class doesn't adopt "Nobody likes you when you (Class of) 23 and you still act like you're in freshman year" (Blink 182, "What's My Age Again, 1999) a motto it would be a crime. I get blanks stares when I ask the kids if they are "all that and a bag of chips" (Will Smith, Fresh Prince, 1990-1996). I couldn't even begin to guess at the number of times some reiteration of "chill pill" was said.

Every spring I have a moment where the chant of "Donna Martin Graduates!" runs through my mind, (Beverly Hills 90210, season 3 episode 28, cast). "Nanu Nanu" will hit me out of nowhere. (Robin Williams, Mork and Mindy 1978-1982), as well as a plethora of catchphrases from "Watcha Talkin' Bout, Willis" (Gary Coleman, Different Strokes 1978-1985) to "If you're edged 'cause I'm weazin all your grindage, just chill." (Pauly Shore, Encino Man, 1992) and pretty much the entire scripts of "Clueless" (1995), "Empire Records"(1995) and "Mallrats" (1995) - Note: in 1995 I was 15, my life was music and movies and I had a group of friends who were a year or two older with jobs at a movie theater.  

I loved this year's Superbowl lineup.  I know some people were unhappy, others unbothered, and some people may have been puzzled as to why so many people were overly excited. That line-up represented an epoch for certain generations, one that was for me, a representation of when I came of age.  I may have cried when I saw 50 Cent.  "In da Club"  was number one for my 23rd birthday, a year that I tend to categorize as the beginning of the end of an era.   

I am the end of Gen X and the beginning of Millenial, a Xennial,

I am latch-key, I am "Y-me?" 

I am Oregon Trail, I am Carmen Sandiego,

I am In Living Color, I am SNICK,

I am AOL, Prodigy, Myspace, and Facebook

I am Heathers, I am Clueless,

I am Beta, I am Laserdisk, I am VHS, I am DVD,

I am Vinyl, Cassette, CD, and back to Vinyl,

I am Atari, Coleco, Nintendo, and Sega,

I am Blockbuster VS. Hollywood Video,

I am Fear Street, Christopher Pike, and hiding books with Fabio on the Cover from my Mother,

and going back a little farther, I am The Baby-Sitters Club.

I am a 1980 baby.

We are the Baby-Sitters Club: essays and artwork from grown-up readers

"Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club series featured a complex cast of characters and touched on an impressive range of issues that were underrepresented at the time: divorce, adoption, childhood illness, class division, and racism. In We Are the Baby-Sitters Club, writers and a few visual artists from the original BSC generation will reflect on the enduring legacy of Ann M. Martin's beloved series, thirty-five years later-celebrating the BSC's profound cultural influence"--. Provided by publisher.

Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Moss, Gabrielle

"Every twenty- or thirty-something woman knows these books. The pink covers, the flimsy paper, the zillion volumes in the series that kept you reading for your entire adolescence. Spurred by the commercial success of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club, these were not the serious-issue YA novels of the 1970s, nor were they the blockbuster books of the Harry Potter and Twilight ilk. They were cheap, short, and utterly beloved. Paperback crush dives in deep to this golden age with affection, history, and a little bit of snark"-- Publisher's description.

Larger than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS by Sherman, Maria

Larger Than Life begins with a brief history of male vocal groups, spotlighting The Beatles, the Jackson 5, and Menudo before diving into the building blocks of these beloved acts in "Boy Bands 101." She also focuses on artists like New Edition, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, One Direction, and BTS before ending with an interrogation into the future of boy bands. Included throughout are Tiger Beat-inspired illustrations, capsule histories of the swoon-iest groups, in-depth investigations into one-hit wonders, and sidebars dedicated to conspiracy theories, dating, in-fighting, haters, fan fiction, fashion (Justin and Britney in denim, of course), and so much more.

As if!: The Oral History of Clueless as Told by Amy Heckerling, The Cast, and The Crew by Chaney, Jen

"Will we ever get tired of watching Cher navigate Beverly Hills high school and discover true love in the movie Clueless? As if! Written by Amy Heckerling and starring Alicia Silverstone, Clueless is an enduring comedy classic that remains one of the most streamed movies on Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes even twenty years after its release. Inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, Clueless is an everlasting pop culture staple. In the first book of its kind, Jen Chaney has compiled an oral history of the making of this iconic film using recollections and insights collected from key cast and crew members involved in the making of this endlessly quotable, ahead-of-its-time production. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how Emma influenced Heckerling to write the script, how the stars were cast into each of their roles, what was involved in creating the costumes, sets, and soundtrack, and much more"-- provided by publisher.

Ghostbusters: The Inside Story: Stories from the Cast and Crew of the Beloved Films by McAllister, Matt

Exploring everything from the pioneering special effects to set design and the unforgettable soundtrack, this authorized book tells the exhaustive behind-the-scenes story of how Dan Akroyd's original concept evolved into a cinematic sensation. Packed with fascinating production photos, concept art, and behind-the-scenes images, this book details how Slimer, Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, and the many ghosts and ghouls in the films came to the screen. Featuring new interviews with Dan Akroyd, Ivan Reitman, Ernie Hudson, Richard Edlund, and many others, the book reveals how the cast and crew overcame momentous challenges to create one of the best-loved movie franchises of the 1980s. --from back cover.

The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokémon and Beyond: The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World by Kent, Steve L.

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.

Console Wars : Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Harris, Blake J.

"A mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the videogame industry--in development as a feature film from Sony PicturesIn 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the videogame industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But all that would change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a former Mattel executive who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat, and bold ideas of his renegade employees, completely transformed Sega and led to a ruthless, David-and-Goliath showdown with Nintendo. Little did he realize that Sega's success would create many new enemies and, most important, make Nintendo stronger than ever. The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and school yards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the United States against Japan. Based on more than two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the tale of how Tom Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punch line into a market leader. Blake J. Harris brings into focus the warriors, the strategies, and the battles and explores how they transformed popular culture forever. Ultimately, Console Wars is the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, give birth to a sixty-billion-dollar industry"-- Provided by publisher.

The Nineties: a book by Klosterman, Chuck

• "Essays about 1990s popular culture, politics, sports, literature, music"--. Provided by publisher.

The 1980's by Tames, Richard

• Text and pictures highlight the main events of the 1980s.

Brat : an '80s story by McCarthy, Andrew

"Most people know Andrew McCarthy from his movie roles in Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Weekend at Bernie's, and Less than Zero, and as a charter member of Hollywood's Brat Pack. That iconic group of ingenues and heartthrobs included Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, and Demi Moore, and has come to represent both a genre of film and an era of pop culture. In his memoir Brat: An '80s Story, McCarthy focuses his gaze on that singular moment in time. The result is a revealing look at coming of age in a maelstrom, reckoning with conflicted ambition, innocence, addiction, and masculinity. New York City of the 1980s is brought to vivid life in these pages -- scoring loose joints in Washington Square Park and skipping school in favor of the dark revival houses of the Village where he fell in love with the movies that would change his life. Filled with personal revelations of innocence lost to heady days in Hollywood with John Hughes and an iconic cast of characters, Brat is a surprising and intimate story of an outsider caught up in a most unwitting success"--. Provided by publisher.

Let's Get Physical : How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World by Friedman, Danielle

A captivating blend of reportage and personal narrative that explores the untold history of women's exercise culture--from jogging and Jazzercise to Jane Fonda--and how women have parlayed physical strength into other forms of power"--. Provided by publisher.