Hello there, friendly GameSpite support subscribers whose generosity continues to keep this site ad-free. You’ll be happy to know I’ve placed the print order for the next bonus book, which means your respective copy should be in the mail by mid-January. Of course, this makes the “Fall 2010” date on the label something of a lie, but the best-laid plans and all that. The next book definitely will go out in the actual spring of 2011. Fer reals.

This book, as you can see, is called “An Oral* History of Games,” though as usual with the book subtitles around here it features an asterisk to denote the inaccuracy of the name. In this case, we really have more of a verbal history of games than an oral one, what with this being printed rather than spoken and passed down through the generations among a preliterate society. But anyway.

This volume is a sort of test run for an idea I’ve had in mind for years — hardly a revolutionary idea to be sure, but one that I’ve never quite seen executed in this particular manner. Each entry (about a specific game) consists of an illustration, an anecdotal piece about my most memorable experiences with said title, and a more objective critique/retrospective. A trifecta of content, if you will. The games remembered in this book are:

• Pong
• Ms. Pac-Man
• Donkey Kong
• Tempest
• Zaxxon
• and Final Fantasy III (VI)

One of these is not like the others! Because I wanted to mix things up a bit.

I really enjoyed putting this book together and hope that you, the audience, also enjoy it. Because I would like to create many more of these. You guys need to let me know what you think this time, instead of just suffering my random whims in silence.

And just for posterity, here’s a sample (sketch and anecdote) spread about Final Fantasy VI:

No, it’s not especially legible. Gotta keep anticipation high, after all. And maybe inflict eyestrain so you’ll think my out-of-practice doodles are better than they actually are.