"Can you keep a secret?"
"Yes."
"Good, so can I."
Fortunately for us, Michael Hart cannot. Or at least he is willing to part with the secrets he holds in exchange for money. Which is a very capitalist thing to do and any talk of Communism is just a... red herring...
(Bonus points if you know which fabulous movie I've butchered there... hint: Don't ask Jeeves, ask Wadsworth...)
Anyway, here we have another gaming-centric title from the White Owl imprint of Pen and Sword books and, once again, it's a cracking read. Secrets of Video Games Consoles wants to tell you some of the funky facts, figures and stories behind some of the most popular (and some of the most iconic - the two are not synonymous) home video games consoles since they first hit the market in the early 1970's. From the Maganvox Odyssey to the Nintendo Switch, Michael Hart has written a book to reveal (almost) all.
I think the first thing to say is that you may already have a vast encyclopaedic knowledge of gaming consoles. If so, then your mileage with this book may vary. But (and this is a big but, I cannot lie...) it's way he tells 'em that matters and this is where this book comes into its own.
The author can write, that much is obvious, but it's the warmth, sincerity and humour that he laces into the text that demonstrates why this tome should be on the shelves of anyone who loves console gaming. Some machines just get a couple of facts, others get a dozen, but each format is dealt with care and attention to detail. Complex topics (for example video games censorship) are handled with aplomb and I have to say that I would love to see a follow up volume.
A follow up, you say? Yes, yes indeed, as despite covering 31 systems with 236 facts, he's left some out, and who doesn't want to know more about the Casio PV-1000, the Apple Bandai Pippin or the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (its Sunday name)? There's the Commodore 64GS, and the Amstrad GX4000 missing too! Although, as Alison Moyet sang, that last console a) needs a love resurrection but at the time it was on sale, required b) a little divine intervention to have been successful in the first place. Look, it's a slow day, okay?
Anyhoo, in this book, along with the facts (and just the facts, ma'am), there is imagery of the hardware and screenshots galore, presented cleanly and with just the right amount of white space per page. It looks neat and tidy, and is very readable too. As for the facts, well, they're a varied bunch and even with an interest in the topic lasting close to forty years and with nearly four shelves packed with books about it, I still found out stuff I either didn't know or, if I was dimly aware of it, had it explained to me in a funny and easy to understand way.
That is the main strength of this book. It covers some of the more well-known points on some machines as well as some rather esoteric tidbits as well, so there is something for everyone. I'm pleased to have bought my copy and I do hope the author comes back for another go, this time covering the machines that missed out, with maybe some handhelds and the post-2017 consoles as well. That is only something I can hope for, but in the meantime, do yourself (and your mind) a favour and grab a copy of this book as soon as you can.
Secrets of Video Games Consoles is available direct from the publishers here, as well as from the usual online and physical book retailers.
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