Some Video Game Related Reading to Start the New Year
TL;DR
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to start reading more, but can’t stand to be away from Video Games? Check out my 3 suggestions for Video Game related books to dive into.
Reading Rainbow
While it is undeniable that we share a passion for video games, it’s nice to be able to put the controller down from time to time and settle in with a good book. Sometimes, however, we would like to stay in that video gaming mindset. Whether that be learning about gaming artwork, history, the business side of the industry or classic fiction, it’s good to deepen our horizons in a way that sometimes only longform writing can do.
These are my top 3 recommendations for video game related books to read in 2025, presented in no particular order. Please note that these have been in print for quite some time. The expectation is not to surprise with a new title you have never heard of, though that may occur. Instead, my intent is to shine a line onto a great title that you may have missed back at release but today could provide that easy entry into some 2025 reading.
Art of Atari
by Tim Lapetino
Art of Atari is as much a feast for the eyes as it is a historical tome to educate us on the early days of Atari. Years of research and interviews with illustrators, designers, art directors, industrial designers and more during Video Gaming’s golden era at its largest powerhouse provide a comprehensive picture on how art was used to bridge the gap between yesteryear’s technology and our imaginations. The reproduction quality of the artwork in the hardcover edition that I have is absolutely amazing and may keep you gazing ever after you’ve read the page.
If you are an artist who enjoys video games, I would say this should be required reading, while I could not recommend this one enough to everyone else.
Armada
by Ernest Cline
By pure coincidence, the author or Armada, Ernest Cline, happens to have also written the forward for Art of Atari. Given how prolific he has become in video gamedom, that may not come as a surprise. Armada may be the less likely choice for must read books here, as while I believe it is well known, that may be as ‘the 2nd book from the Ready Player One writer’. Nonetheless, it seemed as though it was written by a gamer, for gamers. I found Armada to be a solid thrill ride throughout, with enough heartfelt emotion to add an endearing quality to it.
Be forewarned, it did not receive stellar reviews upon release. And while I would not say the ending is a cliffhanger, I would put forth that it begs for a follow-up novel that at this point I’m unsure we will ever receive. But I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Super Mario
How Nintendo Conquered America
by Jeff Ryan
If you are interested in the business side of video gaming, I would give Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America a read. It dives into the modern era of Nintendo, its reconstruction of a North American video game industry left in tatters, subsequent ascension to the pinnacle of modern gaming and onto its evolving place in the world today.
One could ostensibly say this is really a book on Nintendo, and they would not be wrong. But this is really true only given how intrinsically linked the two are. What I found interesting about this book was really the focus given to specifically Mario the character and mascot. Though, given its approximately 300 page run time, you will certainly find mention of many other familiar references.
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