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Gaming history makes for a fascinating subject to read about, and if you’re looking to dive deep into the hidden stories behind Nintendo’s NES and Game Boy systems, you’ll want to check out these two books. Written by well-known gaming historian Florent George, these are the long-awaited translations of the third and fourth volumes in The History of Nintendo series and are now available through Amazon. The History Of the Famicom/NES is available for $28 and you can pair that with The History Of The Game Boy at the same price.
So what makes these books so different? Gorge’s unofficial history books go deep into the business of Nintendo, covering the company’s origins when it started selling playing cards and eventually rose to prominence as a video game giant. Instead of relying on widely available facts, Gorge unearthed surprising secrets and revelations to explore the secret history of Nintendo.
The History Of the Famicom/NES
$28
This newly translated volume chronicles the rise of Nintendo from 1983-2016, focusing on the Family Computer (Famicom) that would come to be known as the Nintendo Entertainment System in the rest of the world. With over 15 years of research done in Japan, Gorge uncovered exclusive revelations and a totally unknown part of NES history for this book. As an added bonus, you can also read up on the history of the NES in France.
The History Of The Game Boy
$28
Similar to the NES volume, The History Of The Game Boy is a well-researched book packed with information and interviews with the key players behind Nintendo’s successful handheld console. This is a thoroughly investigated look back at the history of Nintendo, and the lasting influence of the Game Boy over several decades.
If you’re looking for a companion piece to go with these Nintendo books, you can also check out The Game Boy Encyclopedia and how it explores the hundreds of games released for the handheld across its lifespan. Written by veteran video game journalist Chris Scullion, this covers every game released in the West for both the Game Boy and its 1998 successor, the Game Boy Color, around 1,150 games in total. You can also read up on the gaming libraries of the NES, SNES, and N64 through Scullion’s other encyclopedias.
It’s worth pointing out that Gorge’s previously published volumes were very well-received and are highly regarded as the books to read if you’re interested in Nintendo’s past. The English translations are sadly out of print, and they’re ridiculously expensive on the reseller market as they can sell for up to $400 for a used copy.
The History of Nintendo 1889-1980 — $100The History of Nintendo 1980-1991 — $400
There’s also some excellent reading material available through Bitmap Books, and if you’re a fan of luxury history tours, these are beautiful tomes to add to your collection. They’re both informative and stylish, covering everything from pixel-art to horror games.
More gaming history books
From Ants to Zombies: Six Decades of Video Game Horror — $41.64N64: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $50NES/Famicom: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $47.11Super NES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $47.60The SNES Pixel Book (Hardcover) — $46Game Boy: The Box Art Collection (Hardcover) — $62The Secret History of Mac Gaming: Expanded Edition (Hardcover) — $50.32Commodore 64: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $48.31Commodore Amiga: A Visual Compendium (Hardcover) — $49Artcade: Book of Classic Arcade Game Art (Hardcover) — $55.42Metal Slug: The Ultimate History (Hardcover) — $59
