35 years ago, Nintendo shook the games industry up with the release of its Game Boy handheld–a device that made video games more mainstream than ever thanks to its simple design and library of must-play titles. If you’re looking to relive the golden age of Nintendo’s iconic portable console, you should check out The Game Boy Encyclopedia, an upcoming book that explores the hundreds of games released for the handheld across its lifespan. The giant compendium launches November 30, and is available for preorder now.
If you’re looking for some more gaming history, you can check out Scullion’s other books on other influential video game consoles and their libraries. You can complement the GameBoy book with the NES, SNES, and N64 encyclopedias. The The SNES book also includes section dedicated to the Nintendo’s biggest flop, the Virtual Boy, and its small 22-game library. All three books are available now, but the N64 Encyclopedia is getting a new paperback edition on November 30.
On the Sega side, fans can return to the company’s 16-bit era with this book on the Sega Genesis. There’s also a Dreamcast encyclopedia that covers over 600 games from the short-lived system. The physical edition is currently sold out and only available in used condition from Amazon, but you can grab the digital Kindle version for $15.
The Video Game Encyclopedia Series
The Sega Genesis EncyclopediaHardcover — $40Paperback — $24 ($33)The Sega Dreamcast EncyclopediaKindle — $15Hardcover (sold out)The NES EncyclopediaHardcover — $30.34Paperback — $23.31 ($30)The SNES EncyclopediaHardcover — $28.35 ($40)Paperback — $22.73 ($30)The N64 Encyclopedia Hardcover — $30.30 ($40)Paperback — $25 | Preorder, releases November 30The GameBoy Encyclopedia | Preorder, releases November 30Hardcover — $41.85
More video game books
Bitmap Books also has a very good selection of reads dedicated to classic video games and modern masterpieces. The publisher recently covered interactive terror with the release of From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Video Game Horror, and it has also published books on retro consoles, the gorgeous box art of video games, and more. These are beautifully designed books that are meant to be both educational and showpieces in your collection, and each release is typically a chunky read that goes into exhaustive detail on its subject matter.
From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Video Game Horror — $41.64N64: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $50NES/Famicom: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $47.11Super NES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $47.60The SNES Pixel Book (Hardcover) — $46Game Boy: The Box Art Collection (Hardcover) — $62The Secret History of Mac Gaming: Expanded Edition (Hardcover) — $50.32Commodore 64: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $48.31Commodore Amiga: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $49Artcade: Book of Classic Arcade Game Art (Hardcover) — $55.42Metal Slug: The Ultimate History (Hardcover) — $59
