What does the coin mean, who is the modder, what is kojima?
Does anyone remember Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console, launched in 1972? What are the origins? Super Mario Bros. And what are the hidden myths behind the premiere of backman? When the bitter rivalry between them Pro Evolution Soccer And the FIFA?
My first dictionary of cult video games It answers all these questions and many more. written by Luca Bagnasco And from Andrea StellaThe complete 440-page volume was published by yellow beak Decorated with drawings Tommaso Calzafarrawhich forms the title page for each chapter.
From space invaders (1978) A death strand (2019), 25 titles vetted by the authors, who made a selection capable of providing a comprehensive picture of the past, present (and future) of video games. A selection that took into account, as Bagnasco and Stella explained in the introduction, only those games “It has left a mark and could turn into a bridge capable of bridging the generational gaps.”. So, in short, the sect.
The book’s approach is straightforward: the deepening of each chapter is addressed by five standard paragraphs (educational, lore, gameplay, legacy, and fun facts), which analyze history, people and events related to the game’s birth, plot, mechanisms and their characteristics, influences and curiosities.
Such a structure could lead one to believe that My first dictionary of cult video games be kind of Wikipedia on paper. Nothing more wrong: The book’s strength lies precisely in the fact that it contradicts the thesis. The writing is great, fluent, with some ironic moments that make reading fun and interesting, light years away from boredom or any encyclopedic explosion. However, the work relies on the clear competence of the authors and on both clear and accurate documentation work, making the examination of each video game at the same time light, accurate and well-balanced, even when dealing with technical aspects.
When talking about video games, the authors are also able to tell a story that deals with the development of society and the gaming world as a cultural and economic phenomenon, from the era of cabinets and the first home consoles, to the present era. Esports, graphics and technical miracles and narrative content. In this overall story about the social phenomenon of video games, which continues throughout all seasons, other topics are grafted on, such as the campaigns and reactions on the web associated with gaming communities, or those related to female engagement in arcades in the 1970s and 1980s that were male-only.
The huge amount of details, stories and legends related to the games, their creators and companies with legendary names like Sega, Atari, Taito, Namco, Nintendo, Make the reading compelling, as if it were a fairy tale.
The choice of screened video games might naturally irritate someone, perhaps among the most enthusiastic gamers or among the pros, but beyond the simple catalog of titles and personal preferences, the authors’ work is logical and justified: each game is in My first dictionary of cult video games It represents the unicum of its history, for its ability to anticipate or profoundly influence subsequent productions.
for example backmanAfter a series of unidentified spacecraft or self-propelled snowshoes, he became the first true hero in a video game; space invaders It is the ancestor of archers and so on.
Very helpful, especially for those unfamiliar with slang, is the concluding appendix with a glossary of terms to fully understand the meaning of some of the specific terms used in the book.
Finally, it is correct to answer at least one of the questions asked at the beginning of the article. It is said that the creator backmanAnd the Toro IwataniIt was the epiphany of the lunch break, in front of the Italian dish par excellence. What iconic shape appears, in fact, if you think of a circle of pizza after cutting a triangular slice?
To find out if it is fact or legend, you have to read My first dictionary of cult video games.
We talked about:
My first dictionary of cult video games
Luca Bagnasco, Andrea Stella, Tommaso Calzavara
Yellow beak, 2022
440 pages, paperback with plates – €19.00
ISBN: 978-8833142081