Ultra Massive Video Game Console Guide Volume 1 - Mark Bussler
Categories:
[blog]
Tags:
[video games],
[review],
[book]
Ultra Massive Video Game Console Guide Volume 1 - Mark Bussler, 2017
230 pages
A brief coverage of multiple video game consoles, some photos (often consoles or game boxes 'in their element' such as in a field, on the beach, next to a waterfall... very evocative!), game collecting guides for novices... this guide, while not exactly stuffed with content (it is a pretty quick read) is at least amusing and fun to look at, and shows a lighter side of the video game collecting hobby which is refreshing. Some systems are noted not for their quality of games, but their incredible (sometimes for the shameless copyright infringement) artwork. These are actually my favourite part of this book, the 'art storytime' which feature details of artwork and spin their own tale on the events occurring.
While fairly aimed at new collectors to these systems, a lot of the humour in the book requires fairly decent background in the hobby, which is a bit at ends with the general content. Also, for the top 11 (or so) games to collect for each system, the usual 2-column downwards reading gets split and I often found myself reading down the columns when the text actually flows across to the next column before the next section begins below, which was quite confusing. A horizontal rule beneath these sections would have helped readability a lot.
I picked up vol.1 only, since the consoles featured are ones I am more familiar with - however I found the content for the less familiar (and less well-regarded) systems more interesting and amusing, so I will almost certainly pick up the next volume as well, which covers much more of those topics.
Not a scholarly examination of these systems or their games, but just a quick, entertaining sweep across them, and some fun art examination. If that sounds up your alley, give this book a shot.