Maybe it was the recent Atari 2600 milestone anniversary that fueled nostalgia for the golden days of computer and console gaming. Every Game Boy must ponder his roots from time to time. But whatever is driving the current retro gaming craze, one thing is certain: classic games are back for a big second act, and they're being played in both old and new ways. Whether you've just been attacked by Space Invaders for the first time or you've been a Pong junkie since puberty, Chris Kohler's Retro Gaming Hacks is the indispensable new guide to playing and hacking classic games. Kohler has complied tons of how-to information on retro gaming that used to take days or weeks of web surfing to track down and sort through, and he presents it in the popular and highly readable Hacks style. Retro Gaming Hacks serves up 85 hard-nosed hacks for reviving the classic games. Want to game on an original system? Kohler shows you how to hack ancient hardware, and includes a primer for home-brewing classic software. Rather adapt today's equipment to run retro games? Kohler provides emulation techniques, complete with instructions for hacking a classic joystick that's compatible with a contemporary computer. This book also teaches readers to revive old machines for the original gaming experience: hook up an Apple II or a Commodore 64, for example, and play it like you played before. A video game journalist and author of Power Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, Kohler has taught the history of video games at Tufts University. In Retro Gaming Hacks, he locates the convergence of classic games and contemporary software, revealing not only how to retrofit classic games for today's systems, but how to find the golden oldies hidden in contemporary programs as well. Whether you're looking to recreate the magic of a Robotron marathon or simply crave a little handheld Donkey Kong, Retro Gaming Hacks shows you how to set the way-back dial.

Experience the zany world of Super Mario through manga! Join Mario and pals in crazy adventures inspired by the hit video games! In this collection of short stories, Mario and Luigi go on adventures that showcase the fan-favorite characters of the Mario world in new, unconventional and hilarious ways. This compilation, handpicked from years of Mario comics in Japan, has never been available in English—until now!

To get started, you'll need only what you can usually find in your home: items like paper, ziploc bags, index cards, coloring utensils, pencils, rubberbands, scissors, etc. As we progress in the world of making magic, we'll explore how to use 3D design tools like Tinkercad (you can register for a free account at tinkercad.com). You don't need a 3D printer in your home! Libraries, schools, and makerspaces around the world have 3D printers you can use! We'll explore simple programming using Arduino!

Power Up! Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: The Official Guide to the First 30 Years is jam-packed with content from all seventeen Super Mario games--from the original Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 3D World. Track the evolution of the Goomba, witness the introduction of Yoshi, and relive your favorite levels. This tome also contains an interview with producer Takashi Tezuka, tips to help you find every coin, star, sun, and mushroom--even explanations of glitches! With information on enemies, items, obstacles, and worlds from over thirty years of Mario, Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia is the definitive resource for everything Super Mario!

Game Art is a collection of breathtaking concept art and behind-the-scenes interviews from videogame developers, including major players like Square Enix, Bioware, and Ubisoft as well as independent but influential studios like Tale of Tales and Compulsion Games. Immerse yourself in fantastic artwork and explore the creative thinking behind over 40 console, mobile, and PC games. A lone independent developer on a tiny budget can create an experience as powerful and compelling as a triple-A blockbuster built by a team of 1,000. But like all works of art, every game begins with a spark of inspiration and a passion to create. Let Game Art take you on a visual journey through these beautiful worlds, as told by the minds that brought them to life.

Enter a new stage of Super Mario in this full-color activity book starring Nintendo's classic team of Mario, Luigi, and their friends--plus stickers! Super Mario fans of all ages will love this full-color book featuring Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and all their friends from the Mushroom Kingdom. With tons of awesome activities and stickers, the Super Mario Official Sticker Book will be the most thrilling experience for Super Mario fans since World 1-1! Mario made his debut in the 1980s in arcades around the world and has since gone on to star in many adventures, evolving into the beloved icon he is today. He is a video game sensation, appearing across all genres--from action platformers to sports, kart racing, and beyond.

Explore Level Design through the Lens of Architectural and Spatial Experience Theory Written by a game developer and professor trained in architecture, An Architectural Approach to Level Design is one of the first books to integrate architectural and spatial design theory with the field of level design. It explores the principles of level design through the context and history of architecture, providing information useful to both academics and game development professionals. Understand Spatial Design Principles for Game Levels in 2D, 3D, and Multiplayer Applications The book presents architectural techniques and theories for level designers to use in their own work. The author connects architecture and level design in different ways that address the practical elements of how designers construct space and the experiential elements of how and why humans interact with this space. Throughout the text, readers learn skills for spatial layout, evoking emotion through gamespaces, and creating better levels through architectural theory. Create Meaningful User Experiences in Your Games Bringing together topics in game design and architecture, this book helps designers create better spaces for their games. Software independent, the book discusses tools and techniques that designers can use in crafting their interactive worlds.

Video games are considered by many to be just entertainment-essentially void of skillful, artistic intervention. But as any gamer knows, there's incredible technical and graphic talent behind even a flickering Gameboy screen. You may have never heard Shigeru Miyamoto's name, but you've probably spent many a lazy afternoon absorbed in his work. Joining Nintendo as a video game designer in the late 1970s, Miyamoto created the powerhouse franchises Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong-games so ubiquitous that Miyamoto was named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in 2007. Combining critical essays with interviews, bibliographies, and striking visuals, Shigeru Miyamoto unveils the artist behind thousands of glowing gaming screens, tracing out his design decisions, aesthetic preferences, and the material conditions that shaped his work. With this incredible (and incredibly unknown) figure, series editors Jennifer DeWinter and Carly Kocurek launch the Influential Video Game Designers series, at last giving these artists the recognition they deserve.

Have you ever played Super Mario Brothers, Donkey Kong, or The Legend of Zelda? Learn about Shigeru Miyamoto, the Japanese designer who created these famous games.

Power up your child's reading with Mario, Luigi and their friends in the Super MarioTM first-ever Step into Reading level reader! Nintendo and Super Mario fans ages 5-8 will love to meet Mario, Luigi, and all their friends and foes in this Step 3 Step into Reading level reader. Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics. For children who are ready to read on their own. Mario first appeared in 1981 with the arcade classic Donkey KongTM, and has since gone on to star in many adventures, allowing him to evolve into the beloved icon he is today. He is a video game sensation, appearing across all genres--from action-platformers to sports, kart racing and beyond.