Review:
The Art of Video Games Takes Readers to New yet Stationary Thoughts
Engaging,
enlightening, and surprisingly informative, The Art of Video Games gives
readers new thoughts of the video game medium while selectively leaving out
crucial thoughts as well.
I
have to admit, I picked up this book after visiting The Art of Video Games
Exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum this past summer because I was
highly disappointed. The exhibit consisted of video game consoles in clear
plastic boxes paired with successful titles, some pretty screenshots blown up
on walls, and a few sample games you could play with automatic restarts after 3
minutes of play time. This is because the Smithsonian exhibit was designed with
kids in mind. Inside the pages of this book, a reader will find something
different.
The
Art of Video Games, co-authored by Chris Melissinos and Patrick O’Rourke,
captures the development of the video game industry over the past 40 years from
an experiment with computers into the art form it is today. Melissinos is the
curator for the Smithsonian exhibit, and O’Rourke was a fellow co-worker of
Melissinos’ from Sun Microsystems. They have come back together to leave those
that read this book “with an understanding that video games are so much more
than what they first thought” (p. 9).
To
shape the reader’s thoughts, they structured the book in 5 sections: Start!,
8-Bit, Bit Wars!, Transition, and Next Generation. “Start!” is about the
beginning of the home video game. “8-Bit” is the game industry’s reinvention of
itself after the Crash of 1983. “Bit Wars” is the results of the advancement of
technology and creativity in the late 1980s to early 90s. “Transition” is when
the industry shifted to exploring 3D worlds and space. “Next Generation” is
where the industry had developed to as of March 2012. Within these sections are
a total of 80 games divided into the 4 game genres: Target, Adventure, Action,
and Tactics. Melissinos calls the 80 games “crowd favorites” but this is
inaccurate. The games selected for this book are first by system, then the
impact they had on the medium, and then by the genres above. For example, I do
not believe ChuChu Rocket made for the SEGA Dreamcast is the best Tactical game
ever made in the “Transition” era of the medium. It does fit in well with the
other Dreamcast titles for Target, Adventure, and Action—especially without
switching to another counsole. Between these genres are interviews with
industry professionals that designed the games you just read about, advanced
the era by implementing a new creative factor, or were directly affected by the
era and went on to have an impact on the industry.
The
overall effect of this organization is a catalog of significance that will have
readers taking notes on what to add to their “play” lists, or finding out the
impact some of their favorite games have had on the medium. The catalog effect
is largely due to O’Rourke’s fantastic composite images, but I actually found
the extremely concise descriptions more engaging. In about 500 words, each game
was summarized and each impact explained. Even more insight comes from the
frequent interview sections—the best part of the book. One gets to hear a
variety of people including creators like Nolan Bushnell, composers like Tommy
Tallarico, and hardware developers like Kevin Bachus. Combining pictures,
summaries, and interviews the reader feels as if the video game industry’s
leading professionals are showing them behind the scenes of the games that did
not make it into the Smithsonian.
That
is why I enjoyed the book way more than the exhibit. Plus, I did not have to
get kicked off after reader for 3 minutes. As stated earlier, the exhibit
seemed to be designed for kids (and to get their parents to read the
descriptions in the background). The book is designed for an older audience
(12+) and geared towards those who already know a general history of video
games. References like “the Fall” are used often without further explanation,
so calling this “a companion book” to the exhibit is very appropriate if not
necessary. The book also can be tailored to your interest by era of video
games—just look at a specific section. The only section that is weaker than the
others is “Next Generation” because many of the games featured are relatively
new, and the impact on the industry has less hindsight or is not as concise.
It may also be argued that The Game Boy Color
was just not the console selected for the “8-Bit” section, but no mobile or
handheld gaming console appeared in this book. Mobility being a critical and
revolutionary step in the video game medium, it is astounding to see no games
or consoles representing this feat. The only mention of mobile gaming is tucked
away in Jen Maclean’s interview in “Next Generation” as a side note.
There have been amazing breakthroughs
in technology, however, particularly in mobile gaming and portable gaming
platforms, such as the iPad and the iPhone. The idea that you can take gaming
anywhere with you and it can be in a device that fits in your hand…that’s so
powerful. It’s a way to allow people to play games where they want, how they
want, when they want. You’re not stuck in front of a television or a computer
anymore” (p. 157).
If mobile gaming is empowering gamers
and introducing video games to an entirely new group of people, is that not
leaving this book with a new understanding of video games?
The
decision (or accident) to not show mobile gaming is not only the biggest
critique of this book because it goes against the authors intentions, but an
aspect to look at gaming culture as well. There are two justifications that
come to mind in regards to this decision. First, the authors are using a schema
of “serious gamers” made by society.
The stereotype of the serious gamer is
an overweight white male, alone in his house, playing the most up-to-date
technologically advanced game out there. He plays very competitive, challenging,
and continuous games that are difficult for a new player to break into. The
“hardcore gamers” are the elite of all serious game players. This image was created
by society, not the reality. Based on this technological element, it is a good
bet that this is why mobile gaming was left out of The Art of Video Games
and only focused on home video game computers/consoles.
The
schema of serious gamers is what leads to the second justification—falling for
a binary. If the authors define “serious gamers” with the schema above, then
where do games that a player can start or stop and even take with them fall?
The natural tendency is to pin mobile gaming as “hardcore gaming’s” opposite.
True, a lot of mobile games are casual games, but there are many titles, like Oracle of Seasons, that are not. What
results are mobile games automatically getting labeled as low-tech, simple, and
requiring less skill.
The
problem of mobile gaming getting shoved into a binary reflects problems with
gaming culture. If someone plays 21 hours of Pokémon on his or her Game Boy during a mass-transit commute to and
from work every day does that make them a “serious gamer?” From discussions in SAC
368, it does not. If they are not playing Call
of Duty online for multiple nights a week, then they are not the gaming
elite. This problem ought to be addressed by redefining “serious gamers” as
people who play video games for a large number of hours per week (for example,
over 20 hours a week). If that definition could change, then maybe video game
culture could recognize “serious gamers” as individuals who acquired skills
through time, rather than by game and platform.
The Book
Mellissinos,
C. & O’Rourke, P. (2012). The Art of
Video Games. New York: Welcome
Books.
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