Rating: 
Summary: A fantastic trip down memory lane......
Review: Not to sound sappy, but the best part of this book (for me) is the resurrection of all the forgotten memories I've stored away as Steve takes me back through a tour of my early childhood. Each game or system he discusses takes me back (in sight, smell, location) to very specific and memorable (but forgotten) scenes and events. I grew up with Odyssey, Atari, Intellivision, Activision, Coleco-and virtually all of the Cabinet games discussed (my Mom used to drop me off at the arcade as my babysitter). Reading this book has been pure joy for me.But aside from the memories--the stories are fantastic (told almost entirely by the characters themselves): 1) LaGuardia (NYC Mayor) smashing pinball machines w/ sledge hammers, 2) Japan coinage shortfall due to Pac Man, 3) University of Utah having 1 of only 4 minis in US, 4) Atari setting up fake company to secure total market share, 5) Pac-Man creator getting $5K bonus????!!! (Bummer), 6) Fumes/syringes/Jacuzzis at Atari, 7) The military conversion of BattleZone, 8) the numerous interations of Pac Man, 9) the Genius of the Coleco strategy, 10) Steve Jobs at Atari!!, 11) the Birth of Chuck E Cheeze, and 11) I could go on and on.
Steve--thanks so much for this incredible contribution to history.
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT READ
Review: Since I have bought this book I havent been able to put it down. The book is filled with in depth information about all the major video game companies. From "Tennis For Two" to the Xbox, its all here in this well written book, including stories about the mafia, drugs, in-fighting,mistakes made, court cases,rise and fall of companies, and lots more interesting stuff that I would have never of known about if I hadnt had bought this book. The book is full of quotes from people in the video game/software business, that help show two sides of the stories. I have read many books on video games, but most just skim the surface. This is by far the best. The only reason that I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is the lack of pictures and illustrations, there are only a few pages of black and white photos in the centre of the book, most of wich are of programers or company managers.
So if you are into Video Games, give this book a go.
Rating:
Summary: Very entertaining and comprehensive.
Review: Steve Kent has done a fine job of amassing countless interviews, facts, and anecdotes to provide a very entertaining and insightful look at the history of video games. I especially enjoyed reading about the early years up to the crash and subsequent decline of the arcade industry through the 80's. Don't just take Steve's word for it though, the book is filled with direct quotes from practically every major player in the video game industry. From Nintendo to Sega, from Atari to Midway, frome Intellivision to Colecovision, from Commodore to 3DO, it's all in here. I really can't think of one aspect of the video game industry that was left out. Very impressive job.
Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: Steve Kent's book truly is the "Ultimate" history of video games. I was not bored once and kept finding myself craving more with each passing page. I bought The Ultimate History of Video Games primarily to learn about Atari, Commodore, and Nintendo in the 1980s, a time from which I have many fond video game memories, but no real knowledge of the industry and the people behind it. What I received was a book that easily met my expectations and provided so much more. From the beginnings of Pinball (which Kent actually makes a very interesting read) to the launch of the Playstation 2 and the development of the Gamecube and X-Box, this book has it all. I assumed that I already knew a lot about the 1990s video game industry. I WAS WRONG. There is a ton of information in this book. Pick you subject, person, or game system and they are probably in here and you will almost definitely learn something you didn't know, even if you are an expert on a particular subject. Thank you Steve Kent!
Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive and interesting history of the video game.
Review: Steve L. Kent has woven one heck of a tapestry here. "The Ultimate History of Video Games" is easily the most informative book I've ever read on the subject of electronic entertainment. One of the things I enjoyed the most is that for the most part, Kent does not take sides; they are only a few heroes and even less villains. The only people who are portrayed as evil are those who would censor video games at the cost of the First Amendment. This book is for everyone, rather you're writing a thesis on the subject or are simply (like me) a lifelong fan of video games. Highly recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: Great material, poorly organized...
Review: The saving grace of this book is the fact that it includes a lot of quotes from the designers and businessmen behind the evolution of video games. The material is top notch, and you can tell that Steve Kent really did his homework. That said, the book is not very coherent, lacking any kind of linear structure to tie all this together. Kent jumps around back and forth through the years, and for a reader that isn't familiar with the timeline of gaming history, it would be very hard to follow. The lack of structure also makes for a lot of repetition, as Kent covers the same material several times throughout the book. However, the content makes up for the lack of structure, and in the end I would have to say that this is a very informative read for anyone that is really into gaming history.
Rating:
Summary: Yep, it's the 'ultimate', but....
Review: The title of this book alone would make legions of true video game fans interested in purchasing it. I was one of them. I was soon indulging into seemingly hundreds of interesting facts that I never knew or would've thought to be true. Did you know that in 1993, more American kids recognized Mario and Sonic than Mickey Mouse? Do you know how Chuck E. Cheese restaurants came to be or who founded them? I was born in 1980, and I found it interesting that Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 was the best-selling game of that year. I now feel some pride that I grew up with and still own and play that game - the one that was on top of the world when I was born. What was it like to be an employee at Atari? How did that famous plumber we know by the name of Mario get his name? The answers may surprise you. The Ultimate History of Video Games is excellent at going into exhaustive details about the early life of the video game industry, especially the Atari days. There's a lot of stuff on pinball, arcade's heydays, Atari 2600, NES, SNES, etc., and there's at least a page or two on the less successful systems like 3DO, Jaguar, Game Gear, and so on. It covers a little on the Pokemon craze and some of the newer systems of today, but not much. That's perfect for me, because I mainly stick with the systems and games that I grew up with, but there's still something more that I would've liked to have seen in The Ultimate History of Video Games. My problem with the book is that there's too much about things such as court battles over the rating systems of video games, and not enough talk about the actual GAMES. Most of the biggest hits that defined a generation or year, such as Space Invaders (did you know the arcade version caused a coin shortage??), Pac-Man, Donkey Kong Country, Sonic The Hedgehog, etc. get a fair deal of coverage, but they're just not enough. It isn't really a flaw of the book. This really IS the ultimate HISTORY of video games, but if you grew up playing video games in the 8 and 16-bit eras, you may find yourself wanting more. Personally, I wish there were a list of the best-selling video games for each year or some other types of compelling statistics included. But that's just my personal bias. If you're truly into the history of video games or even if you just think you'd be SOMEWHAT interested in learning about the past highs and lows of the industry, this is the book to get. There's no doubt about that.
Rating:
Summary: Complete, well written, but where's Europe in all this?
Review: This book covers over 600 pages of entertainment history, starting at the beginning of the previous century up until the year 2001. It tells about the development of the entertainment business from the early novelty games and the development of the pinball machine, through the invention of the first computer and television games to the rise and fall (and rise again) of the coin-operated video game arcades which eventually lead to the development of game consoles and hand held computer games. Many of the well known and lesser known companies are present: Atari, CapCom, Sega, Nintendo, Namco, Activision, Electronic Arts, Coleco, Commodore, Mattel, Rare, etc. The book reads as a novel and the story is told by the people who made video gaming history, through interviews held by the author. There are many anecdotes and quotes that really paint the picture of this colorful history, which will coincide with the history of many of this book's readers, making the book that more interesting to read. There is a small section of 9 pages with black-and-white pictures showing some of the people who played a significant role in video gaming history. Also there are enticing pictures of a "centipede" assembly hall and a storage facility full of "donkey kong" games; cabinets that are now very hard to find in good condition. Less glamourous but certainly part of history are the chapters about court cases and congressional investigations into violence, and the reactions of the game mannufacturing community. Towards the end the book is more about the business than the actual games, listing the numbers consoles sold and the amount of money earned by some of the leading companies. This gets boring and while offering insight into the relative successes, it does not hold much historic value. American and Japanese readers will probably not notice, but Europe is hardly mentioned in this book, leaving readers from this part of the world feeling underappreciated. While Europe played an important part in video gaming history, especially when America's video game business was failing, almost of none of this information is contained in this book. Even events, like the following, that played a major role aren't even hinted at: "By 1980, Magnavox had become a subsidiary of North American Philips (NAP), a Dutch electronics conglomerate. As a result, Philips released the European equivalent of the Odyssey² (the Videopac G7000) under its own company name. The Phillips Videopac G7000 was more successful than its American counterpart. There were many different versions of the system around the world, and one version (the G7200) even had a built-in monitor. "The G7000 inspired a larger following and enjoyed a longer life span in Europe than the Odyssey² ever had in the U.S. As a result, more games were created for the European market. If anything, the console enjoyed an even greater following when it was released in Brazil, where it was called simply the Odyssey. Brazil was treated to practically the entire release library of both the U.S. and Europe, and received a couple of exclusive titles (Clay Pigeon! and Comando Noturno!) as well. (quote from www.classicgaming.com, 2004) The lack of complete information is compensated by a strong focus on Atari and Nintendo. Although these companies obviously played an important part in the history of computer games, it appears to be a slightly skewed representation of the entire playing field. Apart from that I give the book a big thumbs up for detailing a very important part of history and being so well written.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing book, takes you WAY back
Review: This book I read the summer before going to school to study video game programming and design. I loved the fact that it chronicles the card games and peg board games which led to the invention of the Pinball machine (a modification of the pegboard machine made illegal due to it's ties to the mob in NYC, with flippers it is no longer a game of chance) Speaking about it with one of my professors, a producer at Xbox, he said that it was an okay book, but is the product of the whole "the victors are the ones who get to write the history books" - in other words, he thinks it is told from a one-sided point of view, the side of the manufacturers who did well. I think it is a dynamite book regardless.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic! A real page turner.
Review: This book is awesome! It reads like a novel and I have had a hard time putting it down. This isn't boring history. It is history that reads like a story. Sprinkled throughout are numerous quotes from everyone who was anyone (even their secretaries). Did you know that Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, is also the creator of the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant/arcade! This isn't just who did what when but who stabbed who in the back, stole ideas, who sued who for what. I'll give you a taste from the book here: "Atari also became a notorious Mecca of drug abuse. The Martin Avenue roller-rink facility smelled of marijuana. One ex-employee quipped that "you could get stoned just breathing the air coming out of the building." "...Roger Hector [a new employee] nervously took his place among the regulars. When he went to use the bathroom, he found empty syringes on the bathroom floor." My favorite... "The personnel lady came in with a young candidate who had shown up on our doorstep. He was this real scuzzy kid. She said, "What shall we do?" I think I said, "We should either call the cops or talk to him." So I talked to him. The kid was a dropout and really grungy. He was 18 years old and he knew something.... He had a spark of brilliance. Don Lang, one of my engineers, was asking for a tech, so I said, "Great. I'll give you a job working for a real engineer." The next day Don came to me and said, "What did I do to deserve this?" I said, "You wanted a tech, you got a tech." He said, "This guy's filthy. He's just obnoxious. And he dosen't know electronics." The kid worked out in the end. His name was Steve Jobs" -Al Acorn, former "sort of" vice president of engineering, Atari Corporation The only problem I have with the book is the same problem I have with most books that cover graphics. The lack of graphics! There is not a single screen shot of a single video game anywhere. There is a 10 page insert in the center of the book with photo's of the people behind the stories, which is great! But I think sprinkling some screen shots of the games throughout the book would have been greater. But then, come to think of it, how do you get a screen shot of Pong, 30 years later! I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that the author, Steven L. Kent, is from my home town of Bothell, Washington. Buy this book!
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