It shouldn't be a surprise to me that the humble home games console is over fifty years old, but that does seem like a really long time. There again, I'm old enough to vaguely (mis) remember some gaming console TV commercial alongside ads for LaserDisc players (featuring Raise the Titanic) and Richard Clayderman LP's, so yeah... excuse me whilst I crumble to dust...
Anyhoo, this recent release in White Owl's ever-growing range of video games related titles originates from the pen/keyboard of Mike Diver, an all-encompassing guide to the home console. Starting with the Magnavox Odyssey and ending with the Evercade VS, Mr Diver takes the reader on a journey detailing the first and lasts, the highs and lows, the PlayStations and whatever the hell the 8-bitters were thinking in 1990. And nope, I don't think anyone knows even now... I certainly don't, and I own one of them!
The 190 pages focus mainly on the hardware, but there is some light shed on the major software releases for most of the machines. Some just get a single "Must play" mention, more popular/succesful machines get five, but the reader should consider that this book is all about the kit, and there is a lot of it.
Once passed the Introduction, the foreword from Julian 'Jaz" Rignall is a heartening welcome to the topic. Computer and Video Games, and Mean Machines were constantly perused guides to what was hot and not back when I was in school. To have this contribution front and centre should be taken as a sign of the care and attention the author has placed on the subject. There are few who could write about home consoles in their formative years in the UK than Mr Rignall.
When it comes to the machines themselves, we get a chronological and concise history of the hardware development, sales success, and what became of the format. Sales figures (where available, or best estimates where none are forthcoming) highlight just how good (or bad) a specific platform faired, and when we're talking Amstrad GX4000 numbers, that's pretty bad...
Each entry is well written and guides the user through stories that, at times, can be quite involved. Clarity and insight are foremost, and each machine is handled evenly. As for the stand out games, the selection here may be debatable but there is an element of personal choice. Readers should recall that this is predominantly a hardware story anyway.
Given the large number of consoles covered, not all get the in-depth treatment. For example, Commodore's attempts with the C64GS, CDTV and CD32 are pushed into one three page section, yet they neatly fit into the 1990's so not really an issue. Other rare systems like the Bandai ATMARK (Pippin), the rash of micro consoles, and whatever the hell the Zeebo and Phantom were aimed at, also get brief mentions, but given their limited (Zeebo) to zero (Phantom by name and by nature) market effect, they are rightly considered oddities.
There are plenty of photographs too, even where the hardware in question only gets the briefest of mentions, and this raises my one and only issue with the book. It would have been nice to have images captioned, if only to clearly identify the consoles in question. Sure, I know what the Konix Multisystem looks like, but many may not, and when it comes to the mixed menagerie of Japanese hardware, some labelling would be really handy.
That being said, this is a fine single volume on the history of the home video console and will be of great use for anyone interested in the subject. You can pick up a copy direct from the publisher's website here or order it from the usual online and physical bookstores. You can also follow the author on Twitter/X: @MikeDiver
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