Best books about video games: Minecraft Master Works, SNES Anthology

With a bookshelf packed full of gaming magazines, game guides and chunky hardbacks dedicated to the video game industry, it’s starting to feel like I spend more time reading about my favourite hobby instead of actually playing anything. Whether you want to know more about how your favourite games were made, or some recommendations about what to play next, the following video game books are some personal favourites from my ever expanding collection. And because most of these books can be purchased with next-day delivery via Amazon Prime, check out the link below for a free trial to the popular subscription service.

Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-scrolling Beat-em-Ups

The book that inspired me to write this very article, Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-scrolling Beat-em-Ups is a beautifully crafted and comprehensive love letter to the classic genre. It’s so good that I would recommend reading it, even if you don’t know your Axel Stones from your Ax Battlers.

The genre that defined the 1990s (for me, at least), beat-em-ups fell out of favour during gaming’s transition to 3D polygons, only to make a bit of a comeback in recent times. It’s all chronicled in this book, which explores pretty much every brawler ever made.

This includes arcade favourites such as Final Fight and The Simpsons, to console juggernauts like Streets of Rage and Golden Axe. That’s on top of some of the more obscure oddities from the genre, including the hilarious Knuckle Bash (where the aim is to restore honour to the sport of pro wrestling) and Sonic Blast Man.

It’s a stunning book with lots of colourful screenshots from each game, as well as detailed articles sprinkled with fun facts and opinion. There are even a handful of foldouts, showcasing iconic monsters, maps and pickups.

If you like Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-scrolling Beat-em-Ups, then you might want to check out some of publisher Bitmap’s other books, such as A Guide to Japanese Role Playing Games, and I’m Too Young To Die: The Ultimate Guide to First-Person Shooters. 

Minecraft Master Builds

Inspirational, breathtaking and incredible are just some of the words you could use to describe Minecraft Master Builds, which was released late last year.

Master Builds takes an in-depth look at 16 of the most jaw-dropping and ambitious building projects ever undertaken within the world of Minecraft. So spectacular are some of the cities, that’s it’s hard to believe they’re from the same game most of us have played.

I’m not sure which is my favourite of the builds, but the fantasy fan in me likes ‘Gothencrow’ by Rajkkor, as well as ‘Rich Medieval Town’ by Minecrafttalsi. ‘The Sea Diary’ by Junghan Kim also needs to be seen to be believed.

The interviews with the creators are just as interesting, providing a little background about each project, as well as some of the challenges and processes for crafting such monumental landscapes.

Dark Souls: Beyond the Grave

Perhaps fittingly considering the source material, Dark Souls: Beyond the Grave is a dense tome that’s short on flashy artwork, but big on insight.

The book takes an in-depth look at the original Dark Souls, its sequel Dark Souls 2, and the game that started it all (unless you count King’s Field), Demon’s Souls.

The authors explore the creation of the series, the gameplay mechanics, the themes present in each release, and the legacy of the franchise as a whole.

If you enjoy lore videos from the likes of VaatiVidya and The Ashen Hollow, then you’re sure to be captivated by Beyond the Grave.

Publisher Third Editions has a fantastic selection of in-depth books covering lots of iconic games, including a follow up to Beyond the Grave featuring Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne.

Fact Hunt: Fascinating, Funny and Downright Bizarre Facts About Video Games

Fact Hunt brings Larry Bundy Jr’s YouTube channel to life in a book that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Proving that the video game industry isn’t above making bad decisions, Fact Hunt chronicles some of the strangest stories from the world of gaming.

For example, did you know that the SEGA Master System made its UK debut on Boxing Day, because SEGA left it too late to send over any units? Imagine all of those disappointed children on Christmas Day!

Likewise, have you ever wondered why Timesplitters 4 was cancelled? Apparently it’s because the marketing department couldn’t decide which character to put on the cover!

The chapter dedicated to the stupidest gaming PR stunts is a must read, and I loved reading about some of the most pointless peripherals ever released.

Super Nintendo Anthology – Gold Edition

The Super Nintendo Anthology is an impressively researched book that explores the creation of the SNES, the hardware itself and all of the different accessories (official and unofficial) released during its lengthy lifespan.

However, it’s the software section that takes the Super Nintendo Anthology to a whole new level. The book looks at pretty much every game ever released in the US, Japan, and Europe, making this essential reading for SNES fans and collectors.

With ratings and reviews of varying detail for each release, it’s the first book I turn to when I’m looking for something new/old to play on the Super Nintendo.

While the translation from French to English isn’t always the best, the sheer volume of games featured in the book makes the Super Nintendo Anthology a fantastic reference point if you’re interested in collecting SNES games.

Publisher Geeks-Line has a few similar books dedicated to the NES, Nintendo 64, Gamecube, PC Engine and PlayStation, and I’d recommend reading each one.

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

With nearly 20 games in the mainline Legend of Zelda series, keeping track of the overarching timeline is a difficult task.

Fortunately, this beautifully presented books gives fans a chronological breakdown of the history of Hyrule, beginning with an extended look at the world of Skyward Sword, followed by The Minish Cap and Four Swords.

Things get a lot more complicated when the timeline breaks following the events of Ocarina of Time, which is why this is such a useful guide.

While the story explanation is my favourite part of the book, Hyrule Historia also contains a boatload of artwork and profiles for some of your favourite locations, monsters and characters.

There’s even an exclusive comic towards the end of the book, celebrating what was then the 25th anniversary of the franchise.

Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents

The Hardcore Gaming 101 books are essential reading for fans of retro video games, covering everything from SEGA and Namco arcade classics, to retro-inspired indie games and entire genres such as shoot-em-ups.

As a big fan of games like Super Hang On and OutRun, I’m particularly fond of the two books dedicated to SEGA. Packed with colour images and detailed articles, the books don’t just cover the mainstream releases, but also lesser-known titles like the bizarre Cool Riders, and the bonkers Zunzunkyou no Yabou.

In addition to articles about each game, the books contain interviews with old-school developers, as well as sections exploring non-gaming spinoffs, including comic books and board games. Did you know that there’s an Alex Kidd board game? I didn’t until I read the SEGA book.

While the Kindle editions offer good value for money and look great on an iPad, the paperbacks are a little on the expensive side, so keep that in mind if you want to collect the entire set.

Undisputed Street Fighter: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective

If any gaming series deserves its own dedicated book it’s Street Fighter. This retrospective is packed with everything you need to know about the iconic series, from the creation of the original game, to the inspiration and evolution of each character.

The bumper Street Fighter book doesn’t stop there, featuring entire sections exploring Street Fighter in popular culture, not to mention features on the history of signature moves like the Hadoken.

There’s a brilliant chapter dedicated to the 1994 live action Street Fighter movie, which it accurately describes as a “campy trainwreck”.

Sadly, despite 300 pages of Street Fighter goodness, owning the book hasn’t made me any better at the actual games!