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The Game Console is a tour through the evolution of video game hardware, with gorgeous full-color photos of 86 consoles. You’ll start your journey with legendary consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey, Atari 2600, Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Commodore 64. The visual nostalgia trip continues with systems from the 1990s and 2000s and ends on modern consoles like the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U.
Throughout the book, you’ll also discover many consoles you never knew existed, and even find a rare peek at the hardware inside several of history’s most iconic video game systems.
The Fonz –
Great read!
I thought this would be a fun coffee table book to flip through occasionally, but I ended up reading it cover-to-cover. Surprisingly thorough with its selection of systems, including many that were never released in the US. It does a good job of linking one generation of consoles to the next, with interesting stories, sales figures and tech specs.There are some minor typos and mistakes in the first edition… the title “Atari to Xbox” changes to “Xbox to Atari” depending on the page, but it’s a minor gripe. A great read for anyone who grew up playing video game consoles.
Oblomov –
Interesting content, but mediocre Kindle version
In retrospect, this would have been better as a physical book purchase. Kindle version is basically a scan of the actual book, so majority of Kindle oriented features are not available. That’s quite unfortunate, and I would have skipped this book or bought a physical version if I knew.Content itself is quite cool and I love full color illustrations.
Davide –
Very well manufactured with quality images & facts!
I pre-ordered this book years ago & honestly after it had been delayed for so long, I never actually expected it would be released. But lo & behold, it showed up at my front door!This book is a very interesting piece for any video game fan or collector. The images are all produced with clarity & beautiful color reproduction. The facts that accompany every page add to the wealth of information this book preserves. It will sit proudly next to my copy of Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games.I want to thank the author Evan Amos for all his work in photographing and preserving video game history. As a manager of a small game store, I will be able to utilize this book to help pass on historical info to new generations of gamers. Amazing book, keep up the great work!
D. Halfacre –
A beautiful labor of love…
Very high quality photos that were well thought out. Maybe it isn’t a perfect reference, but it more than makes up for that with the nostalgia it provides.
Dr. De –
For any video game enthusiast!
This beautiful full color high resolution book is a must have for any video game enthusiast. You’ll see systems you know in a new light and discover some that are just plain weird.
FieryXeph –
Great history book for gaming consoles
This books is a great collector piece. The book itself is a nice hard cover with a rough feel around the console controller which is interesting. I really enjoy all the pictures of the past game consoles in order. It shows a picture of the device as well as a physical break down of the console. There is also a break down of the components as well as a history of the product. One thing I like about this is that it provides several consoles I did not even know existed so that was definitely a plus. The history is pretty detailed. It is not like text book deep detail but it gives you the highlights such as who created the console and some fun small facts which is interesting. The picture details is also very nice. Overall I think this book is a great collector piece to really show how much gaming consoles have changed to what we have now.
A. Kim –
OMG What a book
Encyclopedia of console game history. Anyone of certain age group who have had exposure playing some of the games are bound to be interested in reading this excellent picture history of some well known and not so well known console system.The size of hardback book is perfect; not too big, not too small (for me). Papers are not the glossy kind that will leave fingerprints all over. Layout is chronological with many of console system’s innards neatly laid out which is something most of us probably never tried (at least not in the way it was photographed here.This book is really a labor of love. It may be niche but I can say it sure bring back memories of fun time I’ve had playing the games.
Robin Solsjö Höglund –
A very good console journey
A visual guide through the history of video game consoles, with beautiful photographs throughout. The information is neatly summarized so it never becomes too text heavy, and it’s breezy to read in a single sitting.There are a few flaws though. Why are consoles not presented in strict chronological order? Why are some revisions, like the Xbox One X, not included? Why are the order of photos and revisions not always in a straight “left to right” presentation? Sometimes they go right to left, are spread out or go down to up. I also think a release date for each of the major markets would be interesting, and perhaps a few game screenshots to give a feel for what each system looked like in action.It’s still a really nice book, and I would recommended it, but a few of those seemingly basic things will be a little irksome to gaming enthusiasts. Something to consider in future editions.
Kevin P –
A fantastic photographic look at the history of video game consoles
The Game Console guides the reader through a photographic journey of each generation of gaming history. Amos’s photos provide great visuals throughout this book (especially the detailed internal breakdowns), and the short excerpts provide info on what makes each console notable and interesting. There isn’t too much text (as the title says, this is “a photographic history”), but all the important details are there and the photos are where the book really shines. The popular consoles are covered, but the real treat is seeing and learning about all the not-so-famous consoles that you may have never seen. It’s great to be able to progress through each generation, seeing the various designs and how things progress over the years.