Video Games: The People, Games, and Companies – Stage 3: From 1985 to 1989

Video-Games is a work that traces the history of video games from their origins to 1999, covering computer games, console games, arcade games, and handheld devices. It focuses on the human aspect, the history of the people engaged in their creative endeavors, and their impact on the evolution of technology and design choices, Video-Games is based on decades of extensive research of direct and indirect sources and dozens of never-before-seen and specially crafted interviews to accompany the work with new and detailed information.

 

The Video-Games series consists of five volumes: the first four – Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 – were published in Italian in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. The remaining volumes is scheduled to be released in 2026.

  • Nintendo Strikes Back: From Famicom to Super Mario Bros
  • Atari Vs Commodore: from El Toro to Amiga
  • Capcom’s Golden Year: Commando and Ghosts ‘n Goblins
  • From Hidlide and Xanadu to Dragon Quest: JRPGs arrive
  • The Return of the Arcade: Outrun by Yu Suzuki
  • The hour of Amiga: Defender of the Crown
  • The New Adventures of Sierra
  • The last word in Commodore 64: Maniac Mansion and The Last Ninja
  • The game-players: Double Dragon and Street Fighter
  • A New Contender: The Sega Mega Drive
  • The CRPG Invasion From Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum to Ultima V
  • Populous by Bullfrog
  • SimCity
  • The Year of the Handheld
  • Apple’s swan song: Prince of Persia

Features:

  • Approximately 460 pages, 750,000 keystrokes, and 110 pictures;
  • 16 chapters and appendix;
  • Preface by Piermarco Rosa, Italian professor at the University of Genoa
  • Cover by Franco Brambilla, Italian artist.