5 comments about Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered The World.

1. I thought that this book was great. it told all about the pros and cons of nintendo and how they started out back in the late 1800's. It also tells about there rivals like Atari, and major computer companys. If your like me and love video games form nintendo you love this book. it may seem like a supprise at first since there are no pitures but it is still a very good book. they tell about how they started making trading cards in the east back in Japan, and how they made a deal with disney to make cards for them with pitures on them like mickey mouse. and how they started moving up and made millions of dollars by making the 8-bit classic NES, (nintendo entertainment system)
   and where they got the idea of Mario. This video game empire I learned in the book, all started from an ape named donkey kong and a carpender (later turned into a plumber) named Mario. who was a bad guy and tried to save his girlfreind princess peach.



2. I thought that this book was great. it told all about the pros and cons of nintendo and how they started out back in the late 1800's. It also tells about there rivals like Atari, and major computer companys. If your like me and love video games form nintendo you love this book. it may seem like a supprise at first since there are no pitures but it is still a very good book. they tell about how they started making trading cards in the east back in Japan, and how they made a deal with disney to make cards for them with pitures on them like mickey mouse. and how they started moving up and made millions of dollars by making the 8-bit classic NES, (nintendo entertainment system)
   and where they got the idea of Mario. This video game empire I learned in the book, all started from an ape named donkey kong and a carpender (later turned into a plumber) named Mario. who was a bad guy and tried to save his girlfreind princess peach.



3. I thought that this book was great. it told all about the pros and cons of nintendo and how they started out back in the late 1800's. It also tells about there rivals like Atari, and major computer companys. If your like me and love video games form nintendo you love this book. it may seem like a supprise at first since there are no pitures but it is still a very good book. they tell about how they started making trading cards in the east back in Japan, and how they made a deal with disney to make cards for them with pitures on them like mickey mouse. and how they started moving up and made millions of dollars by making the 8-bit classic NES, (nintendo entertainment system)
   and where they got the idea of Mario. This video game empire I learned in the book, all started from an ape named donkey kong and a carpender (later turned into a plumber) named Mario. who was a bad guy and tried to save his girlfreind princess peach.



4. While it is not entirely up to date, going only to just past the N64, this book is extremely informative as to the origins of the entire video game industry. It is not limited only to Nintendo, but stretches to every facet of what we know and love today. From the humble beginning of Nolan Bushnell to the era in which Nintendo was lord, ending with the fierce competition between Sony, Sega and Nintendo; it is all very well written without bias or lack of basis. A very worthwhile read for any true gamer.



5. Oh this book is great. Anyone who grew up in the 80s and took sides in the early video game wars will love the behind-the-scenes look at what was really going on.

1 comments about Pikachus Global Adventure: The Rise and Fall of Pokémon.

1. The previous reviewer must have been brain dead herself when she read the book. There is no other way she could have so completely misread this text. The authors are not opponents of Pokemon -- as if that was even the point. In excerpting the statements from Tobin about the "evil" empire of Pokemon, she completely misquotes him. He CLEARLY argues in his introduction that this represents one of the perspectives on Pokemon and then goes on to lay out other perspectives. In the chapter about anti-Pokemon websites, the author is describing the discourse of these websites, not advocating for them. In fact, the author describes these as "moral panics". A moral panic is a misplaced fear that sweeps a society. If this reviewer knew anything at all about the scholarship of the people represented in this book or about the language of cultural studies, she would realize that her reading of them as children's pop culture haters is absurd. I DO use chapters from this book in my children's media studies class exactly because it represents thoughtful and sophisticated scholarship. To look at the complicated ways the Pokemon as one representative of children's popular culture circulates both as part of the global economy and as part of the childhood identity economy, I recommend this book.

4 comments about Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. Good overview and strong strategy guide of this latest expansion to Age of Empires III. Overall game play strategy for each of the 3 Asian nations as well as for each scenario in campaign mode.



2. This is the worst strategy book I have ever seen. I can't understand why a company like Ensemble Studios/Microsoft approved this book by BradyGames.
   
   I have read every book since Age of Empires II and strategy guides for several other games. This is the worst I have ever seen.
   
   Multiplayer strategy
   It basically contains one short page with multiplayer strategy. Advice like: "Share your resources with your teammates to make them build whatever they need." Is that supposed to be helpful? How about some tips regarding, booming, rushing, turteling, special strategies, etc. There in NOTHING in this book regarding these important issues.
   
   Strategy on different maps
   Age of Empires III, The Asian Dynasties includes 36 maps (including the ones from AoE3 and The War Chief expansion). This guide has a very short strategy for 27 of them! Most strategies for these maps are only one sentence long! Where is the description for the rest of the maps? (Andes, Auraucania, California, Upper Himalayas, Northwest Territory, Orinoco, Ozarks, Painted Desert and Plymouth)
   
   Civilizations
   This book have basically unit tables for the three new civilizations and for the reference tables for the Europeans too. Where is the reference for the Aztecs, Iroquois and the Sioux? There in no reference to the natives either. Actually they are not even mentioned. There is no strategy in this book for any civilization!
   
   Overall
   This book include 174 pages. It is basically divided this way:
   7 pages of basic game information
   73 pages of unit tables for the three new Civilizations
   31 pages of "Walkthrough" single player campaigns
   3 pages of information regarding single player skirmishes. No strategy.
   1 page multiplayer strategy
   7 pages with poor maps strategies containing 1-2 sentences for each 27 maps
   46 pages with European unit tables
   1 page with single player 11 cheat codes
   3 pages covering the Scenario Editor
   
   Conclusion
   How can they call this "Official Strategy Guide - Age of Empires The Asian Dynasties"? It contains basically lots of unit tables and "walkthrough" single player campaigns. There in only a few pages with poor strategy included. I will NOT recommend this book to anyone else than those who need a "Walkthrough" single player campaigns.



3. You can get most of the same information from the internet and the official website under forums. Barely mentions MultiPlayer. The walk-thru of the 3 new civs was informative but nothing I did not know from just playing a few times. Some of the numbers were not correct.



4. This book is not very helpfull. I don't know why they are using "Brady Games" instead of Sybex, but it was a bad choice.
   
   The information listed in this book can all be found in the game itself. Unlike previous strategy guides which at least provide you with statistics on imporvements, such as percentages on economic upgrades. Plus, there are several mistakes.
   
   If you want a quick reference guide for some in-game information then go ahead and buy it. But don't expect to learn anything you don't already know.

5 comments about EverQuest II (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. I'm sorry that some people feel Prima has ruined the startegy guide industry but I think that of all their guides this one is perhaps one of the best, not the worst. I don't see how anyone could look at this guide and think it wasn't made by people who love videogames, and who love EQ.
   
   I recently purchased the eguide version for $10 at the official Prima site. It's the exact same thing as the print guide, in PDF format. All 336 pages. So that is what I'm basing this review on right now because the content is identical for the most part.
   
   First, although there is a large section dedicated to "the basics" a lot of the information will still be extremely helpful to new EQ or MMO players. Not all of us have been playing EQ Live for the last five years. EQ2 was my first foray into the world of MMO's, personally. There are many things in the basic sections of the guide that give a lot of insight into the game mechanics and fundamental ways in which things work, like the economy, crafting, magic, armor, classes, jargon, and so forth. Yes, you could figure out most of this on your own but for someone who only has a couple hours a night to play, this guide speeds up the learning process and makes the play time more enjoyable - and that's what really important. I don't really feel that it destroys the magic of the game in any way - in fact it increases it, by removing some of the hampering frustrations/confusions due to details left out of the manual.
   
   Second, and more importantly, the quest listings are extensive and well documented, and well laid out. The guide only goes to level 30 (by which point we'd hope most players get a grip and are comfortable on their own anyhow). It isn't trying to direct players if they don't want to be directed, it's simply pointing them in the right direction if they (like me and most people who work for a living) don't have the six hours a night to pour into the game looking for obscure NPC's and locations using the game's subpar journal/map/waypoint feature.
   
   I give it four out of five because of course it isn't perfect. There are some mistakes and the print guide will certainly have more, but I suspect the publishing delay is an attempt to make sure the print version is as up to date as it can be. Yes, if you buy the guide six months from now there will be many discrepancies - but my bet is that most people buying the guide are buying it NOW specifically for that reason - they want to get ahead early and while it's accurate. Also, it would have been nice if the quests had been laid out in order of difficulty for each section, rather than simply alphabetized. This would have made it easier to do the easy ones first, gain the experience, and then move on to the harder ones. Yes, you can use the game's journal to tell which will be difficult, but if the guide had done that it would have made it that much more intuitive.
   
   Overall a really great effort and Prima should be proud of having taken on such a massive project and getting it done more or less right. I'd recommened this guide to any player who wants the most from EQ2; it's an entirely new game and whether you're familiar or not with the original this guide will help you out a lot.



2. It seems that Prima guides have definately turned a corner in a good direction. I played EQ a long time ago, but had moved on to other games in between. It was very helpful to have this guide so I could find my way around quickly and easily. I only play for a couple hours a night, and the guide really does help me maximize that time. Maybe they'll come out with an expanded guide that goes past lvl 30. ;)



3. "EverQuest II: Prima Official Game Guide" is one of the best commercial guides I have ever seen.
   
   I find most guidebooks, and especially those from Prima, very poor. They are inaccurate and seem to condescend to the reader. Online guides, fan sites and forums always seem to have better content and be more up-to-date. I received this - a gift from my wife who knew how excited I was to start playing Everquest II - with about the same enthusiasm as receiving a bar of soap. (She thought it was a comic book set in an everquest genre.)
   
   I was pleasantly surprised how good the guide has been. The book has been very helpful in getting up and running in the game. Everquest II is very complicated and a bit daunting to start playing especially as I only play a few hours a week. The maps are especially helpful in getting oriented.
   
   Yes, all guidebooks are spoilers, but while there are a lot of quest walk-throughs there are plenty more to discover. Also, the guide doesn't have much content for characters over the mid 20's - leaving a lot of game for you to discover.
   
   I think the guide really helped get my head "into" the game.



4. This guide is easily the best investment any EQ2 gamer can make. On the whole I tend to find Prima's guides to be slightly awkward and unattractive. But this is definitely the exception to the rule. I only wished I had this guide by my side weeks before when I was wasting hours upon hours finding my way around in this massive world and calling for help constantly for the location of stores and NPC's. A good section of the beginning of this book is a beginners guide and a walkthrough of the newbie Isle of Refuge. Any old EQ gamer won't really find anything new or helpful here. In fact, anyone not entirely new to MMO's could probably do without those pages.
   
   However, the rest of the book is absolutley essential. The maps are very accurate (for now at least, until SOE decides to make changes) and the Spell lists and Armor/Weapons charts are top notch. This guide has raised my game immensely. I'm completeing quests quicker and I'm leveling faster.
   
   From a standpoint of style, this guide is above and beyond any other that's on the market today... including Prima's other guides. In fact, I was considering picking up the matrix Online to try out, but after seeing how relatively unattractive and uninteresting the Prima book had presented it, I decided not to.
   
   This guide is well designed and laid out, and easy to read, not to mention one of the best looking guides to come from Prima in years. For the folks at Prima, give your EQ2 team a big 'Thank You' and tell your other teams to get on the ball.



5. This is an excellent companion for anyone starting EQ2. Maps, quests, and much more useful reference info is included. Unlike the old guides I'd seen for EQ1, the maps are actually useful and include where to find certain mobs and NPCs. Although Sony has historically been difficult in allowing print books to be published with maps of Everquest zones, it looks as if they've lightened up on their requirements, giving the player customers actual useful information for a change. Also, the book is extremely well organized and written making it a constantly consulted desk fixture.
   
   This book won't be as much use to you if you're above level 25-30 and looking for help in finding your way around new zones. Let's hope they continue the trend and make another guide for the higher level players.

5 comments about Sims 2 Bon Voyage: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. i was very excited when this ep came out and hurried out to buy it. it has its glitches and changes. no longer can one delete various custom content as before in eyes, makeup..., problems like sims being stuck on vacation, beach towels multiplying over the entire vacation lot,ordering and paying for room service food but none shows up, vacation lot became corrupted, unusable, it would take up space to list it all, but they all do spoil game fun.
   
   the biggest problem is the use of an anti piracy sony securom7, which lodges in ones computer with hidden files, registry keys which need hi tech knowledge to remove due to remaining after the game is uninstalled. many including myself have had our norton firewall quietly disabled , other reports have been disabled cd devices, unable to access email, sluggish internet to computer crashes. i have had some these problems myself and a search of other securom protected software have experienced these same problems and more.
   
   i have uninstalled it as the glitches, in game errors, and securom7 do not equal enjoyment nor money well spent for me.



2. I have been playing the Sims 2 since it first came out and have purchased all of the E.P.'s and mini E.P.'s. Bon Voyage is by far the one of the most enjoyable E.P.s . Not only do your Sims get to go on vacation to one of 3 exotic locations, but they get treasure hunt, dig for treasure maps and collectables, shopping for souveniers, and visiting each locations secret lots. There's lots to do and each location has it own unique style of hotels/camp grounds and locals who can teach your Sims a multitude of new interactions and skills. One even has a ninja that can teach your Sim how to "teleport" and make travelling from within a lot much faster. Also, there's "Big Foot" whom your Sims can meet at one of the secret lots and can befriend him, maybe even move in with your Sims. These are just a few of the many fun things to do with your Sims in this E.P.
   I give it * * * * *



3. This is even better than I expected; it is my favorite expansion back. I highly recommend this one to all Sims players.



4. I just got this game today and have just ordered the strategy guide from this site because it's no longer carried in stores.I'm really looking foward to getting this guide because I want to see where all the new stuff is located.Prima is usually pretty good at listing new stuff like funiture,electronics,plumbing etc.I'm also getting this guide to find out which motels have the best stuff with them.There is a patch that has just been released for this expansion pack so most of the problems listed by other reviewers should be fixed with it.From starting the game today this ep has new hairstyles,new turnons and turnoffs,you can get married and go on a honeymoon at one of the vacation locations,you can buy vacation homes etc.I really like that Maxis added the ability to swim in the ocean.I also like the new vacation tourist clothes they thru in.I've only been to 2 locations so far but there are 3 and after the install you can install all 3 of them at your location at one time.Example Pleasentville.I like the Tikki Beach area best because of the ocean and one of the vacation homes are located on the beach.If you don't have the money use the motherlode cheat to buy the vacation homes.You must get on the computer at your home and click on realestate then buy the vacation home.You can't do it while your on the island.I bought one of these homes their nice they have huge bedrooms and a big interior.I will probebly buy one at the other locations too.Their the same price as most homes in the neighborhoods.More info will be forthcoming when I get the guide.



5. Sims 2 Bon Voyage: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) (Prima Official Game Guides)I have bought all the guides for the Sims2 games. This one is the best so far. In fact, I doubt I could play the "vacations" strategy very well if I did not have it. The information and instructions are also very well laid out. For example, the user needs to know how to set up, save money for and establish a "home base" for his or her vacation. Choices for the three vacation sites and what to do, if you have Seasons 2 loaded, are helpful too. Otherwise, much time will be lost trying to figure it all out. This manual includes enhancements to Sims2 game play which are great! Buying this guide is a must!

1 comments about The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition Player's Strategy Guide.

1. This guide is not super in-depth and so it should be concidered more a collectible than a guide ...
   
   First off, it is way too compressed to cover the four games (I, II, Ocarina & Majora) as deep as I believe it should have. In my opinion this guide should be twice as thick as it is (especially concidering it's selling price). It honestly seems like a bit of a rush job. There are a number of small errors throughout the guide and quite a few omissions of pertinent info. There should have been a competent editor on hand to put in a good final inspection before release.
   The overworld maps are less than stellar and Zelda artwork/illustrations are minimal. This guide gives you the basic meat and potatoes (for the most part) and leaves everything else to speculation and exploration on your own.
   
   If you are looking for a highly indepth guidebook this is not it ... I suppose some people like info kept to a minimum, but I would have preferred a book worthy of being concidered "collectible". I honestly believe the creators of this guide had zero passion for the project, or were put in a stranglehold by the upper-crust, because this guide could have been so much richer in content ... you'd think with the fact these games have played such a large part in the success of Nintendo that they would have at least invested a little more in it.
   
   3 stars because it does help and also because I'm feeling generous today ;)

2 comments about Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 Official Strategy Guide.

1. There are just so many classic video games these past coupke of years that have arguably revived and remastered, but for guides to help you whip those games into full force, that is another story. Super Mario Brothers 3: Mario Advance 4 for the Game Boy Advance, is one game that has been a constant for fans of the original NES version. The guide for the Game Boy Advance version really does deliver with each map and skill of the highly challenging 80+ levels, and even the hidden levels for those who have the now no longer issued e-reader applicator. It works out well, but for anybody that has defeated the game from its days on the NES, or the Super NES with Super Mario All-Stars in 1993, well this one isn't as much of a necessity at all.
   
   Cover: B+
   
   Maps: B+
   
   Overall: B 1/2+



2. If you played Super Mario Bros. 3 back for the NES, and you still remember it, chances are this guide isn't really needed at all. Likewise, if you've got the original Nintendo Power Guide from back in the day... well... this is virtually the same thing. Nearly.
   
   As with your basic strategy guide, there's all that game basics stuff. Here the game basics not only include the basic controls and tips, but also a list of enemies and the solution to the matching card game. Most of us probably won't even need it, and anyone who mastered even Mario one will probably find the game basics to be a waste of paper. Still, you never know, there are many new gamers out there who are actually playing Super Mario Bros. 3 for the first time, so these basic tips might be useful to them.
   
   The walkthrough is where all the dirt is at. A complete walkthrough locating every hidden box, every mushroom, flower power up and every tip. Written in Nintendo Power's pattented style, each section begins with a map, across the map are bubbles with numbers in them. Find that same number in the text outside the map and you're well on your way to mastering the game.
   
   However, this is the problem with the guide. There are actually two. The biggest one: Are you going to need this thing? If you're like me, you found every hidden block, every warp whistle, every hidden secret back when the game debuted in 1990. For a gamer like me, the strategy guide is basically a collectors item, and it's not such a bad one in a way. Yet, I can't help but admit that the game itself is almost a straight on port. You won't find anything out that you probably didn't know before from this guide.
   
   The other big problem actually stems from the quality of the guide itself. There's nothing on the e-card levels. Not that it matters anymore (since the e-reader is discontinued), but back when the game first came out, this would be a big deal.
   
   Overall it's a fantastic guide. The two major cons, as I've said, aren't really cons. Since the e-reader is discontinued, it doesn't matter that the guide didn't dive into them (though Prima's did), and if you're already an expert, you can easily solve your problem by not picking up the guide. Yet for Mario purists and collectors, this will look good in your collection.

5 comments about Home Hacking Projects for Geeks (Hacks).

1. Home Hacking Projects for Geeks is a really fun book to read which also provides instructions on how to perform some very interesting home improvements. This book reminded me a little bit of O'Reilly's other book "Smart Home Hacks", only the hacks in this book are not all specifically smart-home related. In any case, some of the hacks in the other book mentioned are also found in this book. "Home Hacking Projects", however, does contain some fun projects I haven't seen anywhere else.
   
   Some of the more interesting projects in this book include how to remotely monitor your pet, creating time shifted radio, and how to make your home talk. One thing I really enjoyed about this book is that examples are provided for both a Linux and Windows environment. Additionally, configuration information is provided for your router, if the completed project is to be accessible from outside your home network.
   
   While there are some projects included in this book that you might find elsewhere, this book does an excellent job of providing clear and detailed instructions, including wiring diagrams (if applicable), screen shots of configuration information, and a lot of other things that make the successful completion of these projects much more likely. You'll have a blast automating your home with this book.



2. A great deal of the projects in this book are basically various forms of X10 module automation. The projects include how to automate a light with motion sensing, how to remotely monitor your pet, creating a whole house audio or time shifted audio, a keyless entry system, and intrusion detection and deterrence. For each project the items are detailed, the software described in detail, information is included on where to locate them, assembly instructions, scripts, and everything else you need to complete it. Only basic skills are needed for each project. Each project includes information on estimated cost, time and difficulty ratings so you can easily decide which ones you will tackle and which ones you may not want to. Home Hacking Projects for Geeks is recommended to anyone wanting to have a little fun with home electronics.



3. Nothing in the splash page, back cover or anywhere with info letting you know it is almost 100% about the X10 hardware. I already own a house full of X10 stuff, so the fact that I wasted money on this book burns my soul. Not one thing deals with how to set up, rig or configure any of the projects without having to spend money on whichever X-10 product will do the job. If I wanted that I would just buy the product and read the installation guide that comes with it.
   The author suckered me into buying the book... don't let him sucker you!



4. Since I am a computer engineer I was hoping to find that this book offered some home projects let alone hacks. First let me state that this book doesn't offer any "Hacking Projects". To be honest it barely offers any "Home projects". Fortunately for me I have a friend who is an electrical engineer. This book is extremely misleading. More than half of the projects listed in this book simply can not be accomplished because the projects mentioned severely lack the required information or were never honestly tested to see if the might actually work. A good part of this book suggests you will need a skill set of 3 out of 5 to accomplish a given task. What it doesn't say it that you will need significantly more money and electrical knowledge than this book will ever provide. Many of the projects listed here are extremely costly and provide little advantage to some running it through a computer. In addition, you will have to know a computer language [Pearl] in order to get remote benefit from any project. Having looked over the Pear scripts I have found some mistakes in the programming. It seems to me that O'Reilly just wanted to sell a book.



5. I thought this was an amusing book that described a collection of neat ideas. Most of them are not too technically sophisticated so that you could have come up with the design yourself if you are a technical person, using web resources, but the value was in the idea itself and the way it is suggested.

5 comments about From Barbie® to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games.

1. I enjoyed this book very much, and am glad I own a copy. It addresses a fundamental problem in the computer industry: the fact that computer games are almost exclusively made by and geared towards men. The book addresses this question through a variety of articles and interviews. The best point of the book, I felt, was that it left you pondering a fundamental question: is the small gaming industry that caters to "Girl Games" a good one, even though it possibly reinforces gender stereotypes that can be detrimental? Or is it better for girls to play "male" games, and be forced to bear the homosexual tags that go along with it? The book strives to find a balance to this problem and makes the reader wonder what, indeed, that balance is. As an afterthought, the recent demise of Purple Moon, a company well documented in this book, question what the future for girls and computer games is. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who has played a computer game -- it quite possible might make you see them in a different light.



2. What a pretty fine job! I'm copiling my thesis at university about the topic of videogames. Well, if you are in the same conditions of mine do not miss this book. It is not only a good example of understandable writing but it focuses on important topics too many times left in a corner. Of course, everyone who would approach a study of videogames phenomenon should consider that since they see the light, videogames were full of masculine points of view (and the relative effects whose they carry with them). Despite some relatively non fundamental mistakes, I think that the book hit the bull's eye: attracting the reader inside a new perspective by which he/her can consider the whole subject. The result, in my personal opinion, was a more complete and clear idea about videogames world. After I've finished to read the last line my feeling was the awarness that I didn't miss any aspect of a topic (which still complex, from a social-cognitive point of view). [p.s.: I hope my English is enough understandable]



3. I found the first few chapters very helpful when writing my final paper for a graduate class in computer games and simulations. I was surprised when I conducted a survey for my paper that very few of the mostly female respondents supported use of computer games designed for girls in the classroom. They thought software should be free of gender bias. Of course, they didn't realize that much of the software being used in the classroom now was designed for boys!

   Ann Williams




4. This collection is truly thought-provoking and insightful. It dares to tackle one of today's most challenging issues -- the relationship between gender and technology. The book is worth owning for the first chapter alone, Cassell and Jenkins' "Chess for Girls? Feminism and Computer Games."

   For video game programmers and toy designers, this book should be required reading, especially for those who wish to be conscious of their contribution to gender differences in society. And a must read for parents and video game enthusiasts alike.




5. Would that every game development professional would read this book! Well written, thought provoking and presented in a straightforward, non-confrontational manner. Thanks!

1 comments about Quake 4 (Xbox 360) (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. Excellent game., a lot of mystery , suspense, fear, etc.
   
   beautiful color, great animation. Some parts are very difficult, but all in all, what a great game.