1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die Hardcover – October 26, 2010

Although I purchase many things from Amazon I rarely leave a review. That in itself should speak to the quality of this title.I originally picked up this title due to my interest in video game history. And I have to admit, due to my age I prefer the earlier games. And like most "best of" type of books, this one does tend to concentrate on a lot of newer games. But, after reading through the book I really enjoyed the variety of older games that go beyond the usual classics. An attempt was made to touch on important games not only for their innovations but also to touch on often overlooked games that were either too early on the scene to become popular or don't fall into any category. I also enjoyed the way the modern games were chosen, to highlight not just the bestsellers but quirky, one-off, games that came and went too fast. Having not played many of the modern games I've been able to construct a good list to help me catch up.And best of all is the writing! These experienced games writers really put the games place in history into perspective. Each description goes beyong just a bland recounting of the game but transports you back to everyone's initial thoughts after first encountering the game.This title is a must have for any video game historian.

I have no complaints about a book that gives me a reason to play games I missed out on when I was growing up. It takes a bit of work and set up to find emulators online but I can see why some of the games enchanted a generation. I don't think I will ever get to play 10 percent of the games detailed in the book but I do enjoy a lazy weekend afternoon reading about a game and then checking out additional information online and of course playing. This is a great resource for anyone who considers themselves a video game historian. You will find the expected classics - Space Invaders, Defender, Arkanoid, etc All detailed from the 1970's on into the 2010s. I am less acquainted and knowledgeable of the later games (e.g. We Love Katamari) and look forward to trying some out. The binding is a bit questionable and I suspect the size (close to 1000 pages). I wonder if there are 1001 games actually worth playing...I can see picking out the ones in the 70's, 80's and 90's that will probably still be in anyone's list of 1000 games fifty years from now but will "Fat Princess" be on the list?

This is probably going to be one of the strangest reviews I've ever written. Let's go.First, overall, it's a decent book...however...it is my guess that when it comes to video games, everybody has his or her favorites; unless you and the author are identical twins, everyone is going to feel that this or that game is missing, or this game should not have even been included...this game should have gotten more coverage, this other game should have gotten less coverage. In other words most readers will have disagreements about these things.The good news is that most people should find enough of their favorites in here to make things worthwhile. Don't get me wrong here, this is not really worth it for the casual gamer. Those of us who are more into gaming will find this book a nice addition to our collections.All kind of systems are covered here; arcade machines (my favorite), and home counsel's. So let's get to the part of the review which most people will find...ummmm...different.This book just feels good in your hand. The size, weight, and density all say quality printing. The paper is thick, shiny, and smooth. There is also a great new book smell to the thing. So if you like those kind of things, you should be well pleased.

To anyone who loves the art of video games, this book is a must have/read. It showcases 1001 games that in one way or another are definitely worth playing. Will you like all of the choices? No. But I guarantee you you have played many of them, and will agree with most of the choices made here. A nice explanation/review of each title is given, and many (but not all) have a screen shot accompanying them. This is probably one of the biggest complaints about the book. Not every title has a screen shot which would have been really nice, especially for the older titles from the 80's and 70's.The book is laid out by decades: 70's 80's 90's 2000's, and 2010+. So you see everything from Asteroids to Final Fight (no pic!) to Chrono Trigger to Metal Gear Solid 3 to Heavy Rain. Most if not all of your beloved series are here (but not every game..the bad ones are excised such as Devil May Cry 2 ). But more important are the ones you haven't played. Now you have a huge source of material to go through. Have fun making a list of how many in this book you HAVE played. My own count was 223.

I've read books in this same format before, and as a lifelong video game geek, I was hoping to make new discoveries with the help of this book, as well as find classics and personal favorites in deserving company. However, I was somewhat disappointed with some selections.I would have liked to know in more detail how the decisions on which games made the cut were done. There seems to be no clear criteria, and some games feel like they were selected for the cut merely because of high sales or due to being the best in a niche, such as in a sub-genre of sports games. The selection I was most confused by was the inclusion of multiple Guitar Hero titles released only a year or two apart or even within the same year. Books like these are always divisive because matters of opinion are difficult to discuss (I was personally incensed by the book including Star Control 3 over the previous game).Overall, the feeling I get from this book is that it's too early. Video games are a young medium, and there simply isn't a selection out there like there is for cinema or literature. In ten or twenty years, a book like this could have been noticeably improved just because there would be a broader selection of material to look at. As it currently stands, the book feels somewhat haphazard, with titles shoveled in just to hit the designated number of 1001 titles.

Everything arrived in time and the book was in better condition than I expected. Happy with the purchase, the book is amazing.

Teniendo en cuenta lo difícil que es ya de encontrar en papel, salvo de segunda mano a precios desorbitados, me parece genial que lo haya en versión kindle.

Un libro che è ciò che dice.....la lista di 1001 giochi da avere, giocare, aver giocato.A mio avviso mille sono troppi....e trovo sciocco mettere vari capitoli della stessa saga quando ne basterebbe uno secondo me. Un libro del genere si presta a infinite ed ininterrotte discussioni su ciò che è stato incluso e ciò che è rimasto fuori (pochino) discussioni divertenti ma che lasciano il tempo che trovano. per appassionati e nostalgici lo consiglio.

I cannot believe that this book didn't cost more. I have several books about video game history, but this is simply the best to me. There are both screen shots of all games and background information too, not to small or big or too little or too much. Well done. I bought the paperback version which was the latest version, but I would have bought the hardcover version if it was available for my destination, but for this price range I might buy this book again if it gets updated in the future with a hardcover version. If you have experience with home computers from the 80s like Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga, Nintendo NES/SNES etc, then you might also want to take a look at the books by bitmapbooks. Those books are incredible too. Get this book and one or more of the books by bitmapbooks and you don't need other books about games of the 70s and 80s. Other books are nice supplements too and the graphics only art books are nice to look at too, but if you have to chose one book only, then pick up this book.

É uma excelente forma de acompanhar a evolução dos jogos. Do mais desbravador Pong à 7ª geração de consoles. Sou colecionador e fui rato de fliperama, logo trouxe-me boas recordações. Senti falta de qualquer menção aos pinballs. Claro, é um livro escrito por um punhado de colaboradores, com gostos distintos. Muitas vezes me deparei com gratas surpresas, o contrário também sendo verdadeiro. Lógico, não é totalmente abrangente, existem muitas lacunas principalmente em plataformas menos conhecidas ou bem sucedidas comercialmente, ha uma clara puxada de brasa para jogos de PC. Não fala nada dos hardwares. Creio que seja uma aquisição que vale a pena para quem gosta da arte.