100 Best Gaming Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Ready Player One

Ernest Cline

5.0

The bestselling cult classic--soon to be a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg.

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut--part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are in

Recommended by Steve Jurvetson, Brian Armstrong, Astro Teller, and 5 others.

Steve Jurvetson

A gift to all of my Apple II programming buddies from high school and Dungeons & Dragons comrades. [source]

Astro Teller

So much fun. [source]

Brian Burkhart

The last novel I read was Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One: A Novel,” because my buddy Mike Maddock said, “You gotta read this book!” And I tore it up. I read the whole book in less than two days. It’s something I wish everyone, including myself, did more of. [source]

2

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made

Jason Schreier

4.9

Preview Summary

Developing video games—hero's journey or fool's errand? The creative and technical logistics that go into building today's hottest games can be more harrowing and complex than the games themselves, often seeming like an endless maze or a bottomless abyss. In Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, Jason Schreier takes readers on a fascinating odyssey behind the scenes of video game development, where the creato

Recommended by Aaron Greenberg, Anoop Anthony, and Cliff Bleszinski.

Aaron Greenberg

@vickyfloresn @kingdiarmuid Great book! [source]

Anoop Anthony

A journalistic masterpiece about the grueling production journeys of some of today's most successful video games. Having worked in video game development for about three years, I know that making video games is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Video games are fun when you play them, but creating AAA titles involves long hard hours, vast budgets, and herculean team efforts. Video game production brings together disparate creative disciplines like no other industry — Coding, AI, Graphics, Music, Sound, Storytelling & Narrative. [source]

Cliff Bleszinski

@dizcrowell Book is great. @jasonschreier [source]

3

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

Suzanne Collins

4.8

WINNING MEANS FAME AND FORTUNE.
LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.
THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and once girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in

Recommended by Bill Gates and Robert Muchamore.

Bill Gates

CEO/Microsoft

On Bill Gates's reading list in 2012. [source]

Robert Muchamore

A brutal, exciting, action-based sci-fi novel. Hugely popular and excellent fun. [source]

4

Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture

David Kushner

4.8

Masters of Doom is the amazing true story of the Lennon and McCartney of video games: John Carmack and John Romero. Together, they ruled big business. They transformed popular culture. And they provoked a national controversy. More than anything, they lived a unique and rollicking American Dream, escaping the broken homes of their youth to produce the most notoriously successful game franchises in

Recommended by Alexis Ohanian, Chris Oliver, Duncan Jones, and 2 others.

Alexis Ohanian

Co-founder/Reddit

Made my co-founder and I think, 'Well, if these guys could do it, why can’t we?' [source]

Chris Oliver

Masters of Doom. Many of us started our careers in programming because we wanted to make games. This book covers the story of John Romero and John Carmack as they created ID software making Doom, Quake, and many other games we grew up playing as kids. It's truly inspiring for any software developer. [source]

Duncan Jones

@dannyodwyer I cant wait to see this. The book is fascinating, and I remember watching with bulging fan-boy eyes during those halcyon days! [source]

5

Theory of Fun for Game Design

Raph Koster

4.8

Preview Summary

Now in full color, the 10th anniversary edition of this classic book packs more insight into what it means to design games for fun. Theory of Fun for Game Design challenges and inspires game designers as well as game enthusiasts looking for products and experiences that are truly fun and entertaining.

The book discusses the impact of designing in a multidimensional landscape, where computer science

Recommended by Bret Victor, Jesper Bylund, and Tom Chatfield.

Jesper Bylund

One of the most important books I’ve ever read is A Theory of Fun by Raph Koster. It creatively describes how “fun” is created and what it is. Which might sound trivial, but as a designer and developer of tools, this is by far the most important design principle I’ve discovered. Basically, why would you do anything if it wasn’t fun? Thankfully, this book describes how to make anything fun.

Tom Chatfield

Today we are seeing a new form of it, but in order to really understand it properly, we need to begin with this really deep evolutionary hold that games have on us. [source]

6

The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, Second Edition

Jesse Schell

4.7

Good game design happens when you view your game from as many perspectives as possible. Written by one of the world's top game designers, The Art of Game Design presents 100 plus sets of questions, or different lenses, for viewing a game�s design, encompassing diverse fields such as psychology, architecture, music, visual design, film, software engineering, theme park design, mathematics, puzzle d

Recommended by Ryan Hoover and Katherine Isbister.

Ryan Hoover

Although it's about gaming, the learnings and tactics in the book can be applied to any product. It's really about psychology and how people think. [source]

Katherine Isbister

This book is written by a very respected game design practitioner and academic, and it is one of the classics. [source]

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7

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

Suzanne Collins

4.7

SPARKS ARE IGNITING.
FLAMES ARE SPREADING.
AND THE CAPITAL WANTS REVENGE.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are wh

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8

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Suzanne Collins

4.7

My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel

9

Player's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition)

Wizards RPG Team

4.6

Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world’s greatest roleplaying game

The Player’s Handbook® is the essential reference for every Dungeons & Dragons® roleplayer. It contains rules for character creation and advancement, backgrounds and skills, exploration and combat, equipment, spells, and much more.

Use this book to create exciting characters from among the most iconic D&D

10

Ender's Game

Orson Scott Card

4.6

Once again, Earth is under attack. An alien species is poised for a final assault. The survival of humanity depends on a military genius who can defeat the aliens. But who?

Ender Wiggin. Brilliant. Ruthless. Cunning. A tactical and strategic master. And a child.

Recruited for military training by the world government, Ender's childhood ends the moment he enters his new home: Battle School. Among the

Recommended by Mark Zuckerberg, Ev Williams, Timothy Ferriss, and 5 others.

Mark Zuckerberg

Founder/Facebook

Oh, it’s not a favorite book or anything like that, I just added it because I liked it. I don’t think there’s any real significance to the fact that it’s listed there and other books aren’t. [source]

Timothy Ferriss

Author & Entrepreneur

At one point, this was the only book listed on Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook page. If it’s good enough to be the sole selection of the founder of Facebook, maybe there’s something to it. The plot: In anticipation of another attack from a hostile alien race, the search for a brilliant military strategist has led to Ender Wiggin. In space combat school, Ender stands out, demonstrating exceptional leadership and unconventional strategy. But it is lonely at the top for Ender, as he struggles with relentless pressure from his instructors. Through Ender’s journey, you’ll learn how to capitalize on your strengths and those of your teammates, as well as exploit your adversaries’ weaknesses. Ender is a futuristic Level 5 Leader we can all learn from. [source]

Travis Kalanick

About a kid who is trained by the military to play video games … But he realizes at the end that the video games he was playing were an actual war. [source]

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11

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World

Jane McGonigal

4.5

More than 31 million people in the UK are gamers. The average young person in the UK will spend 10,000 hours gaming by the age of twenty-one. What's causing this mass exodus? According to world-renowned game designer Jane McGonigal the answer is simple: videogames are fulfilling genuine human needs. Drawing on positive psychology, cognitive science and sociology, Reality is Broken shows how game d

Recommended by Bogdana Butnar and Xi-Wei Yeo.

Bogdana Butnar

I thought I might put my money where my mouth is. I keep whining that young people are not in touch with some essential books on advertising that have helped me shape the way I practise my trade today, but I never did anything about it. So I am starting here the ultimate books to read list. I will add to it as I get suggestions and as more good books get written. [source]

Xi-Wei Yeo

If you’re into gamification, like myself and my team, I highly, highly recommend Reality is Broken, by Jane McGonigal, Actionable Gamification by Yu-Kai Chou, and Gamify: How Gamification Motivates People to do Extraordinary Things, by Biran Birke. Jane McGonigal is essentially the Martha Stewart of gamification (sans prison sentence), and Yu-Kai Chou is doing great things in the field, pioneering great frameworks like the Octalysis. Can’t wait to get more of their books. [source]

12

Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals

Katie Salen Tekinbas and Eric Zimmerman

4.5

An impassioned look at games and game design that offers the most ambitious framework for understanding them to date.

As pop culture, games are as important as film or television--but game design has yet to develop a theoretical framework or critical vocabulary. In Rules of Play Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman present a much-needed primer for this emerging field. They offer a unified model for looki

Recommended by Bret Victor.

13

Call of Cthulhu: Horror Roleplaying (Call of Cthulhu RPG)

Sandy Petersen, Lynn Willis, John Snyder, Paul Carrick

4.4

CALL OF CTHULHU is Chaosium's classic roleplaying game of Lovecraftian horror in which ordinary people are confronted by the terrifying and alien forces of the Cthulhu Mythos. CALL OF CTHULHU uses Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying System, easy to learn and quick to play. This bestseller has won dozens of game-industry awards and is a member of the Academy of Adventure Game Design Hall of Fame. In 2001

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14

The Ultimate History of Video Games: From Pong to Pokemon - The Story Behind the Craze That Touched Our Lives and Changed the World

Steven L. Kent

4.4

Inside the Games You Grew Up with but Never Forgot
With all the whiz, bang, pop, and shimmer of a glowing arcade. The Ultimate History of Video Games reveals everything you ever wanted to know and more about the unforgettable games that changed the world, the visionaries who made them, and the fanatics who played them. From the arcade to television and from the PC to the handheld device, video game

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15

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #1)

Chris Grabenstein

4.4

A New York Times Bestseller

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of th

16

Dungeon Master's Guide (Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition)

Wizards RPG Team

4.4

Everything a Dungeon Master needs to weave legendary stories for the world's greatest roleplaying game

The Dungeon Master's Guide provides the inspiration and the guidance you need to spark your imagination and create worlds of adventure for your players to explore and enjoy.

Inside you'll find world-building tools, tips and tricks for creating memorable dungeons and adventures, optional game rules,

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17

The Player of Games

Iain Banks

4.4

The Culture--a humanoid/machine symbiotic society--has thrown up many great Game Players. One of the best is Jernau Morat Gurgeh, Player of Games, master of every board, computer and strategy. Bored with success, Gurgeh travels to the Empire of Azad, cruel & incredibly wealthy, to try their fabulous game, a game so complex, so like life itself, that the winner becomes emperor. Mocked, blackmailed,

Recommended by Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.

Elon Musk

Founder/SpaceX

Compelling picture of a grand, semi-utopian galactic future. Hopefully not too optimistic about AI. [source]

Mark Zuckerberg

Founder/Facebook

This is a change of pace from all the recent social science books. Instead, it's a science fiction book about an advanced civilization with AI and a vibrant culture. [source]

18

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

Patrick Thorpe

4.4

Dark Horse Books and Nintendo team up to bring you The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, containing an unparalleled collection of historical information on The Legend of Zelda franchise. This handsome hardcover contains never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, the official chronology of the games, and much more! Starting with an insightful introduction by the legendary producer a

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19

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Players Handbook

Gary Gygax, David C. Sutherland

4.3

This is the first of the series of the world famous AD & D role-playing aids. To complement the original version we've asekd new cover art. It is the ideal vehicle of imagination for intermediate through advanced players, ages 10 and up. #2010 1978 TSR By Gary Gygax illustrations by David C. Sutherland III

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20

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

Blake J. Harris

4.3

"A mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the videogame industry--in development as a feature film from Sony PicturesIn 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the videogame industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering

21

Monster Manual (Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition)

Wizards of the Coast

4.3

A menagerie of deadly monsters for the world’s greatest roleplaying game

The Monster Manual presents a horde of classic Dungeons & Dragons creatures, including dragons, giants, mind flayers, and beholders–a monstrous feast for Dungeon Masters ready to challenge their players and populate their adventures.

The monsters contained herein are culled from the D&D game’s illustrious history, with easy-to-

Cover unavailable

22

Dungeon Masters Guide (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition)

Gary Gygax, David D. Sutherland III

4.3

23

Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq

Thomas E. Ricks

4.3

This is the Story of The American Military Adventure in Iraq. The Heart of the story Fiasco has to tell, which has never been told before, is that of a Military occupation whose leaders failed to see a blooming insurgency for what it was and as a result lead their soldiers in such a way that the insurgency became inevitable.

Recommended by Bryan Callen, Jeremy Greenstock, and Patrick Cockburn.

Bryan Callen

Bryan Callen recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show". [source]

Jeremy Greenstock

Ricks writes fluently and eloquently. His book shows what the Americans thought about Iraq, and what they thought the Iraqis thought. [source]

Patrick Cockburn

When you read about Iraq, you need to know that it is a country more divided than almost anywhere else in the world. [source]

24

Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess

Bobby Fischer, Stuart Margulies, Don Mosenfelder

4.3

This book is essentially a teaching machine. The way a teaching machine works is: It asks you a question. If you give the right answer, it goes on to the next question. If you give the wrong answer, it tells you why the answer is wrong and tells you to go back and try again. This is called "programmed learning". The real authors were experts and authorities in the field of programmed learning. Bob

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25

Playing at the World: A History of Simulating Wars, People, and Fantastic Adventure from Chess to Role-Playing Games

Jon Peterson

4.3

Explore the conceptual origins of wargames and role-playing games in this unprecedented history of simulating the real and the impossible. From a vast survey of primary sources ranging from eighteenth-century strategists to modern hobbyists, Playing at the World distills the story of how gamers first decided fictional battles with boards and dice, and how they moved from simulating wars to simulat

Cover unavailable

26

Replay: The History of Video Games

Tristan Donovan

4.3

A riveting account of the strange birth and remarkable evolution of the most important development in entertainment since television, Replay is the ultimate history of video games. Based on extensive research and over 140 exclusive interviews with key movers and shakers from gaming's past, Replay tells the sensational story of how the creative vision of game designers gave rise to one of the world

27

Hoyle's Rules of Games

Albert H. Morehead, Geoffrey Mott-Smith

4.3

In 1742, Edmond Hoyle published the definitive book on whist, the most popular card game of his day.

More than 250 years later, Hoyle is still the definitive name when it comes to the rules of games, from bridge to backgammon, Scrabble to blackjack. This handy reference guide has now been updated and expanded and includes rules, strategies, and playing odds for more than 250 games.

Readers will

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28

Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players

Stefan Fatsis

4.3

SCRABBLE may be truly called America's game. But for every group of "living-room players" there is someone who is "at one with the board." In Word Freak, Stefan Fatsis introduces readers to those few, exploring the underground world of colorful characters for which the Scrabble game is life — playing competitively in tournaments across the country. It is also the story of how the Scrabble game was

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29

Player's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons Edition 3.5)

Wizards Team

4.3

Core Rulebook I

Tools and options to create characters for Dungeons and Dragons Role Playing Game. Updates bard, druid, monk, paladin, and ranger, spell lists and levels, skills, more feats.

Cover unavailable

30

Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture

Johan Huizinga

4.2

In Homo Ludens, the classic evaluation of play that has become a "must-read" for those in game design, Dutch philosopher Johan Huizinga defines play as the central activity in flourishing societies. Like civilization, play requires structure and participants willing to create within limits. Starting with Plato, Huizinga traces the contribution of Homo Ludens, or "Man the player" through Medieval T

Recommended by Tom Chatfield.

Tom Chatfield

It’s a book about the way that play precedes culture, and is a distinct and very complicated human phenomenon, which the author sees as giving rise to much that we think of as civilisation… [source]

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31

Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter

Tom Bissell

4.2

Tom Bissell is a prizewinning writer who published three widely acclaimed books before the age of thirty-four. He is also an obsessive gamer who has spent untold hours in front of his various video game consoles, playing titles such as Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, BioShock, and Oblivion for, literally, days. If you are reading this flap copy, the same thing can probably be said of you, or of someone yo

32

Finite and Infinite Games a Vision of Life as Play and Possibility

James Carse

4.2

A fascinating meditation on life as a contest of games to be completed and games to be continued--and on what lies beyond winning and losing.

Recommended by Andra Zaharia, Ashley Hathaway, Graham Duncan, and 5 others.

Andra Zaharia

While I was thinking of the best books to add to this short list, I realized that not even half of them are directly related to digital marketing. This is because I believe that the best marketers are people who understand human nature deeply and aim to bring out the best in it. Call me naive, but that’s how I see it. If I were to want to pursue a career in marketing, I’d read … Finite and Infinite Games. [source]

Ashley Hathaway

I’d say Finite & Infinite games was my favorite & quite impactful. They were all impactful, actually. I read my altMBA books on a beach in Kauai (highly recommended). It was odd though because I was by myself and it was just- total knowledge bombs all over the place. Reading the altMBA books in rapid succession like that took a few months to digest honestly. [source]

Graham Duncan

I like this book which has been going around a lot. [source]

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33

Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and the People Who Play It

David M. Ewalt

4.2

The Hobbit meets Moneyball in this definitive book on Dungeons & Dragons—from its origins and rise to cultural prominence to the continued effects on popular culture today. Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: The game has had a profound influence on our culture. Released in 1974—decades before the Internet and social media—Dungeons & Dragons is one of

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34

Player's Handbook (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Stock #2101)

David "Zeb" Cook

4.2

This is the indispensable encyclopedia of fantasy role-playing and also the perfect companion to the referee's 2nd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide. Everything players need is here: how to determine a character's Strength, Wisdom, Charisma, and other abilities; the difference among the various fantasy races, from elves and halflings to dwarves, gnomes, and others; complete rules for character improv

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35

Ender's Shadow (The Shadow Series, #1)

Orson Scott Card

4.2

Welcome to Battleschool.

Growing up is never easy. But try living on the mean streets as a child begging for food and fighting like a dog with ruthless gangs of starving kids who wouldn't hesitate to pound your skull into pulp for a scrap of apple. If Bean has learned anything on the streets, it's how to survive. And not with fists. He is way too small for that. But with brains.

Bean is a genius wit

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36

Dungeon Master's Guide (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Stock #2100)

Gary Gygax, David Cook, TSR Staff

4.2

This is the complete guide to being an AD&D game Dungeon Master. Whether you're running a single adventure or masterminding a complete fantasy campaign, the Dungeon Master's Guide is an absolute necessity. The 2nd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide puts all the information you need right at your fingertips - in a fresh, new format, fully indexed for your convenience. Here you'll learn all there is to

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37

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

James Paul Gee

4.2

James Paul Gee begins his classic book with "I want to talk about video games--yes, even violent video games--and say some positive things about them." With this simple but explosive statement, one of America's most well-respected educators looks seriously at the good that can come from playing video games. In this revised edition, new games like World of WarCraft and Half Life 2 are evaluated and

Recommended by Katherine Isbister.

Katherine Isbister

This book is probably the book that launched the tremendous interest in games for learning. [source]

38

Level Up! the Guide to Great Video Game Design

Scott Rogers

4.2

Update to include:

Expansion on themes

Touch and touch screen controls

AR enabled games & incorporating real-world camera in to your game

Motion controls

Designing an app icon

Real world level design

Voice over for games and much more...

"Level Up! "covers the entire video game creation process. Readers will learn how to develop marketable ideas, learn what perils and pitfalls await them during a game's p

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39

Monster Manual (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition, Stock #2009)

Gary Gygax

4.2

This is the source to be used by referees and players for creating imaginative situations while playing the AD&D game. To compliment the original version, we've added new cover art! This manual is ideal for intermediate through advanced players,ages 10 and up.

"This is the original source used by Dungeon Masters and players to create challenges and combat scenarios"

Within the covers of this book lu

40

The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher (The Witcher, #0.5)

Andrzej Sapkowski

4.2

A special collector's edition of the New York Times bestselling novel that inspired the international hit video game: The Witcher.

Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin.

And a cold-blooded killer.

His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world.

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good. . . and in every fairy tale t

Recommended by Rachel Miner.

Rachel Miner

@tenoko1 @audible_com Feel ill equipped to answer as I have not read most of these, I am currently on book 4 of the Witcher series, I did enjoy book 1, I like the world and found some of the commentary of magic especially to be inspired, but it is flawed, you have to be forgiving to enjoy the journey [source]

41

Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America

Jeff Ryan

4.2

The story of Nintendo's rise and the beloved icon who made it possible.

Nintendo has continually set the standard for video-game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape.

The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan sha

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42

Mass Effect: Revelation (Mass Effect, #1)

Drew Karpyshyn

4.2

Every advanced society in the galaxy relies on the technology of the Protheans, an ancient species that vanished fifty thousand years ago. After discovering a cache of Prothean technology on Mars in 2148, humanity is spreading to the stars; the newest interstellar species, struggling to carve out its place in the greater galactic community.

On the edge of colonized space, ship commander and Allia

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43

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons: Fiend Folio

Gary Gygak

4.2

The Fiend Folio is a collection of monsters for use with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, similar in format to the original Monster Manual and effectively a supplement to that book.

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44

Legends and Lore: Cyclopedia of Gods and Heroes from Myth and Legend (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition)

Rob Kuntz, James M. Ward, et al.

4.2

Cover unavailable

45

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook

Jason Bulmahn

4.2

Enter a fantastic world of adventure!

The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game puts you in the role of a brave adventurer fighting to survive in a world beset by magic and evil. Will you cut your way through monster-filled ruins and cities rife with political intrigue to emerge as a famous hero laden with fabulous treasure, or will you fall victim to treacherous traps and fiendish monsters in a forgotten du

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46

Dungeon World

Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel

4.1

Combining high-action dungeon crawling with cutting-edge rules, Dungeon World is a roleplaying game of fantasy adventure. You and your friends will explore a land of magic and danger in the roles of adventurers searching for fame, gold, and glory.

Dungeon World rules are easy to learn and always drive the story forward in unexpected ways. A missed roll is never a dead end--failure introduces new co

47

The Theory of Poker

David Sklansky

4.1

Discusses theories and concepts applicable to nearly every variation of the game, including five-card draw (high), seven-card stud, hold 'em, lowball draw, and razz (seven-card lowball stud). This book introduces you to the Fundamental Theorem of Poker, its implications, and how it should affect your play. Other chapters discuss the value of deception, bluffing, raising, the slow-play, the value o

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48

Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games

Tracy Fullerton

4.1

Master the craft of game design so you can create that elusive combination of challenge, competition, and interaction that players seek. This design workshop begins with an examination of the fundamental elements of game design; then puts you to work in prototyping, playtesting and redesigning your own games with exercises that teach essential design skills.

Workshop exercises require no backgroun

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49

The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia

Bernard Suits, Frank Newfeld, Thomas Hurka

4.1

Recommended by David Papineau and Nigel Warburton.

David Papineau

The overall argument of the book is that in utopia, where humans have all their material needs satisfied at the push of a button, what we would do would be play games. [source]

Nigel Warburton

Suits thinks games are the highest intrinsic good and he’s found a light-hearted way of getting to that conclusion – by using arguments and considering counter-examples. [source]

50

World of Warcraft Chronicle: Volume 1

BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT

4.1

World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 is a journey through an age of myth and legend, a time long before the Horde and the Alliance came to be. This definitive tome of Warcraft history reveals untold stories about the birth of the cosmos, the rise of ancient empires, and the forces that shaped the world of Azeroth and its people.

This beautiful hardcover features twenty-five full-page paintings by

51

Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System

Nick Montfort, Ian Bogost

4.1

A study of the relationship between platform and creative expression in the Atari VCS.

The Atari Video Computer System dominated the home video game market so completely that "Atari" became the generic term for a video game console. The Atari VCS was affordable and offered the flexibility of changeable cartridges. Nearly a thousand of these were created, the most significant of which established ne

52

Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History

Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Sam Witwer, Joe Manganiello

4.1

An illustrated guide to the history and evolution of the beloved role-playing game told through the paintings, sketches, illustrations, and visual ephemera behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity.

Dungeons and Dragons is the most iconic and pervasive gaming franchise in the world. It is a seminal RPG (role-playing game) and the inspiration for video games like World of Warcraft and Ze

Recommended by Pascal Blanché.

Pascal Blanché

@Vaughan3D Funny you ask me that, bought that amazing book a few weeks ago :) https://t.co/4b9ATIi4iJ [source]

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53

Player's Handbook: Core Rulebook 1

Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams

4.1

The Dungeons & Dragons core rulebook has been revised and updated for clarity and content. Each revision integrates user feedback received since the original product release so as to address the specific wants and needs of the player and Dungeon Master audiences. The overall rules system remains intact, with changes targeted specifically at elements of game play that were considered under-powered

54

Blood of Elves (The Witcher, #1)

Andrzej Sapkowski

4.1

For more than a hundred years humans, dwarves, gnomes and elves lived together in relative peace. But times have changed, the uneasy peace is over and now the races once again fight each other - and themselves: Dwarves are killing their kinsmen, and elves are murdering humans and elves, at least those elves who are friendly to humans... Into this tumultuous time is born a child for whom the witche

Recommended by Emanuela Zaccone.

Emanuela Zaccone

@denvercoder @CDPROJEKTRED @Xbox @XboxAmbassadors I can't stop! #RPG is my favorite genre and I love #TheWitcher since the first page of the first book. I played all the games of the series, but THIS ONE...is like the best game I've ever played 🤩🎮❤️ [source]

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55

Characteristics of Games

George Skaff Elias, Richard Garfield, K. Robert Gutschera, Peter Whitley, Eric Zimmerman

4.1

"Characteristics of Games" offers a new way to understand games: by focusing on certain traits--including number of players, rules, degrees of luck and skill needed, and reward/effort ratio--and using these characteristics as basic points of comparison and analysis. These issues are often discussed by game players and designers but seldom written about in any formal way. This book fills that gap.

56

Rise of the Videogame Zinesters: How Freaks, Normals, Amateurs, Artists, Dreamers, Drop-outs, Queers, Housewives, and People Like You Are Taking Back an Art Form

Anna Anthropy

4.1

Part critical essay, part manifesto, part DIY guide, and altogether unprecedented, Rise of the Videogame Zinesters shows why the multi-billion dollar videogame industry needs to change—and how a new generation of artists can change it. Indie game designer extraordinaire Anna Anthropy makes an ardent plea for the industry to move beyond the corporate systems of production and misogynistic culture a

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57

Dungeon Master's Guide (Dungeons & Dragons Edition 3.5)

Wizards Team

4.1

Core Rulebook II

Create detailed worlds and dynamic adventures. Run game, non-player characters, magic items (including intelligent and cursed items, and artifacts), dictionary of special abilities, item pricing, and more.

58

Game Feel: A Game Designer's Guide to Virtual Sensation

Steve Swink

4.1

Game Feel exposes feel as a hidden language in game design that no one has fully articulated yet. The language could be compared to the building blocks of music (time signatures, chord progressions, verse)—no matter the instruments, style or time period—these building blocks come into play. Feel and sensation are similar building blocks where game design is concerned. They create the meta-sensatio

59

The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts

Nintendo

4.1

The Legend of Zelda(TM) Art and Artifacts contains over four hundred pages of fully realized illustrations from the entire thirty-year history of The Legend of Zelda(TM) including artwork from the upcoming The Legend of Zelda(TM) Breath of the Wild! Every masterwork is printed on high-quality paper in an oversized format so you can immerse yourself in the fine details of each piece. This book incl

60

The Legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia

Nintendo

4.1

This 320-page book is an exhaustive guide to The Legend of Zelda from the original The Legend of Zelda to Twilight Princess HD.

A comprehensive collection of enemies and items, potions to poes, an expansion of the lore touched upon in Hyrule Historia, concept art, screencaps, maps, main characters and how they relate, languages, and much, much more, including an exclusive interview with Series Prod

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61

The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary

Merriam-Webster

4.1

This NEW Edition features more than 100.000 playable two- to eight-
letter words. Hundreds of new words added from a variety of fields including facepalm, listicle, bitcoin, and emoji. Main entries include a brief definition, a part-of-speech label, and inflected forms for fast, easy word validation. Endorsed by the North American SCRABBLE Players Association for recreational and school use.

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62

Mass Effect: Retribution (Mass Effect, #3)

Drew Karpyshyn

4.1

Humanity has reached the stars, joining the vast galactic community of alien species. But beyond the fringes of explored space lurk the Reapers, a race of sentient starships bent on “harvesting” the galaxy’s organic species for their own dark purpose.

The Illusive Man, leader of the pro-human black ops group Cerberus, is one of the few who know the truth about the Reapers. To ensure humanity’s surv

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63

Monster Manual (Dungeons & Dragons Edition 3.5)

Skip Williams

4.1

Core Rulebook III

Fearsome and formidable foes lurk within. Encounter a horde of monsters armed and ready to battle your boldest heroes or fight alongside them. The fully illustrated pages of this book are overrun with all the creatures, statistics, spells, and strategies you need to challenge the heroic characters of any Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.

Over 200 creeps, critters, and creatures

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64

Challenges for Game Designers

Brenda Brathwaite, Ian Schreiber

4.1

Welcome to a book written to challenge you, improve your brainstorming abilities, and sharpen your game design skills! Challenges for Game Designers: Non-Digital Exercises for Video Game Designers is filled with enjoyable, interesting, and challenging exercises to help you become a better video game designer, whether you are a professional or aspire to be. Each chapter covers a different topic imp

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65

Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames

Ian Bogost

4.0

An exploration of the way videogames mount arguments and make expressive statements about the world that analyzes their unique persuasive power in terms of their computational properties.

Videogames are an expressive medium, and a persuasive medium; they represent how real and imagined systems work, and they invite players to interact with those systems and form judgments about them. In this innova

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66

The Night Circus

Erin Morgenstern

4.0

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, wh

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67

Go for Beginners

Kaoru Iwamoto

4.0

Go is an ancient, subtly beautiful game of territory. But with its nearly endless possibilities and challenges, it is more than just another game; it is a way of life for tens of millions of players throughout the world. Embodying four thousand years of Oriental thought and culture, go is the oldest game in the world still played in its original form.

Go is the kind of game that one can learn in a

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68

A Gamut of Games

Sid Sackson

4.0

"A genuine milestone in the literature of both games and mathematical recreations." — Martin Gardner, Scientific American
An authority on game history selects 38 of his all-time favorite amusements, including 22 of his own remarkable creations. Sid Sackson presents solitaire, strategy, and party games that can be played by children or adults with such common items as cards, checkerboards, dice, pen

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69

Mass Effect: Ascension (Mass Effect, #2)

Drew Karpyshyn

4.0

When they vanished fifty thousand years ago, the Protheans left their advanced technology scattered throughout the galaxy. The chance discovery of a Prothean cache on Mars allows humanity to join those already reaping the rewards of the ancient high-tech wizardry. But for one rogue militia, the goal is not participation but domination. Scientist Kahlee Sanders has left the Systems Alliance for the

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70

Halo: The Fall of Reach

Eric Nylund

4.0

As the bloody Human-Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest with one warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle... the desperate, take-no-prisoners struggle that led humanity to Halo--the fall of the planet Reach. Now, brought to life for the first time, here is the full story of that glorious, doomed conflict.

While the brutal Covenant juggernaut sweeps inexo

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71

Minecraft: Guide Collection: Exploration; Creative; Redstone; The Nether & the End

Mojang Ab

4.0

The ultimate gift for any Minecraft fan--a box set featuring definitive guides to four different aspects of the blockbuster videogame, packed with insider info and tips from the experts at Mojang.

- The world of Minecraft is waiting to be explored, but danger lurks around every corner. The official Minecraft: Guide to Exploration will help you survive. Learn how to find resources, craft equipment

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72

Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Wizards RPG Team

4.0

Explore a plethora of fantastic new rules options for both players and Dungeon Masters in this supplement for the world's greatest roleplaying game

The Xanathar...
Waterdeep's most infamous crime lord, and a beholder to boot...
You'd be shocked to discover just how much he knows about you...
Yes, you... adventurers.

Assembled here for the first time is new information on adventurers of every stripe. In

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73

Monster Manual (Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition)

Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams

4.0

This book, the third core rulebook for Dungeons & Dragons, contains stats for various monsters for the DM to use in his or her campaign.

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74

BioShock: Rapture

John Shirley, Jeffrey Kafer, et al

4.0

It's the end of World War II. FDR's New Deal has redefined American politics. Taxes are at an all-time high. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has brought a fear of total annihilation. The rise of secret government agencies and sanctions on business has many watching their backs. America's sense of freedom is diminishing . . . and many are desperate to take that freedom back.

Among them is a gr

75

Sword of Destiny (The Witcher, #0.75)

Andrzej Sapkowski

4.0

The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Last Wish, in the series that inspired The Witcher video games.

Geralt is a witcher, a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack t

76

Doyle Brunson's Super System

Doyle 'Texas Dolly' Brunson, Chip Reese, et al.

4.0

Twice-world champion and Hall of Famer Doyle Brunson and five leading experts in their various specialties tell you when to raise, call, bet, and fold at hold 'em (limit and no-limit), 7-stud (high and low), draw poker, and lowball.

Collaborators David "Chip" Reese, Mike Caro, David Sklansky, Joey Hawthorne, and former world champion Bobby Baldwin. This treatise on professional-level poker is the r

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77

Spelunky (Boss Fight Books, #11)

Derek Yu

4.0

When Derek Yu released Spelunky for free in 2008, his roguelike-inspired platformer took the indie game community by storm with its combination of classic platform mechanics, extreme difficulty, and random level generation. Four years later, Spelunky's HD remake went on to become PC Gamer's Game of the Year and earn perfect scores from Polygon and Eurogamer. But how is a "perfect" game made?

Spelu

78

The Official Stardew Valley Cookbook

ConcernedApe, Ryan Novak

4.0

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first official cookbook from the immensely popular Stardew Valley, featuring more than 50 delightful recipes straight out of the video game.“Hungry? Thirsty? I’ve got just the thing!”—Gus Welcome to Stardew Valley, where each season brings a new crop of bountiful food to make for friends and family. From farm staples like veggies, fruit, milk, and eggs to foraged mu

79

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth

4.0

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For

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80

Game Over, Press Start to Continue: How Nintendo Conquered the World

David Sheff, Andy Eddy

4.0

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81

The Stolen Throne (Dragon Age, #1)

David Gaider

4.0

The thrilling prequel to Dragon Age: Origins, the hit role-playing video game from award-winning developer BioWare!

Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

After his mother, the beloved Rebel Queen, is betrayed and murdered by her own faithless lords, young Maric becomes the leader of a rebel army attempting to free his nation from the control of a foreign tyrant.

His countrymen live in fear; his commanders

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82

Uncertainty in Games

Greg Costikyan

4.0

In life, uncertainty surrounds us. Things that we thought were good for us turn out to be bad for us (and vice versa); people we thought we knew well behave in mysterious ways; the stock market takes a nosedive. Thanks to an inexplicable optimism, most of the time we are fairly cheerful about it all. But we do devote much effort to managing and ameliorating uncertainty. Is it any wonder, then, ask

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83

Game Programming Patterns

Robert Nystrom

4.0

Game Programming Patterns brings the benefits of reusable design patterns to the world of game programming. Commercial game development expert Robert Nystrom presents an array of general solutions to problems encountered in game development. For example, you'll learn how double-buffering enables a player to perceive smooth and realistic motion, and how the service locator pattern can help you prov

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84

Warcross (Warcross, #1)

Marie L

4.0

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a c

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85

Learn to Play Go: A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game (Learn to Play Go, #1)

Janice Kim, Jeong Soo-Hyun, a lee

4.0

86

How to Reassess Your Chess: Chess Mastery Through Chess Imbalances

Jeremy Silman

4.0

How to Reassess Your Chess has long been considered a modern classic. This 4th edition takes Silman's groundbreaking concept of imbalances to a whole new level. Designed for players in the 1400 to 2100 rating range and for teachers looking for a ready-made chess curriculum, the author shares a mind-expanding journey that takes the reader through imbalance-basics, ensures that every detail of all t

Recommended by Daveed Gartensteinross.

Daveed Gartensteinross

@timmathews @TheGreatCourses Thanks. Silman is phenomenal. In my opinion, his book "How to Reassess Your Chess" may be the best chess book ever written. https://t.co/2vigWWB0Ut [source]

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87

Dungeons and Dragons Basic Rules

Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Tom Moldvay

4.0

88

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – The Complete Official Guide – Expanded Edition

Piggyback

4.0

The Expanded Edition Guide to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a 512-page hardcover guidebook covering everything in the main game as well as the two Expansion Pass DLC packs “The Master Trials” and “The Champions’ Ballad”.

INCLUDES: Expansion Pass concept art gallery; dedicated chapters covering both Expansion Passes; Reference and Analysis chapter; Maps chapter; all-new hardcover and a

89

Harrington on Hold 'em: Expert Strategy for No-Limit Tournaments, Volume I: Strategic Play

Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie

4.0

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90

Monster Manual II (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition, Stock #2016)

Gary Gygax

4.0

This is the third of the series of world famous AD&D role-playing aids. It is the ideal vehicle of imagination for intermediate through advanced players and referees, ages 10 and up.

"the most complete alphabetical listing and description of the latest AD&D game creatures"

A must for the serious AD&D gameplayer. This manual contains all the new members,from Abishai to Zygom, including new creatures

91

Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions

Ben Mezrich

4.0

An exclusive blackjack club came up with a system to take the worldUs most sophisticated casinos for all they were worth. In two years, this ring of card savants earned more than three million dollars. Filled with tense action and incredibly close calls, this is a real-life adventure that could have stepped straight out of a Hollywood film.

Recommended by Howard Marks.

Howard Marks

Howard Marks has this book on his shelf. [source]

92

Super Mario Official Sticker Book (Nintendo)

Steve Foxe

4.0

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93

How to Do Things with Videogames

Ian Bogost

4.0

In recent years, computer games have moved from the margins of popular culture to its center. Reviews of new games and profiles of game designers now regularly appear in the New York Times and the New Yorker, and sales figures for games are reported alongside those of books, music, and movies. They are increasingly used for purposes other than entertainment, yet debates about videogames still fork

94

The Legend of Zelda™: Tears of the Kingdom – The Complete Official Guide: Collector's Edition

Piggyback

4.0

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95

Pokémon Sword Pokémon Shield: The Official Galar Region Pokédex

The Pokémon Company International

4.0

Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield: The Official Galar Region Pokédex has details on the Pokémon you can encounter and catch in the Galar region.

With entries spanning from your first partner Pokémon to mysterious and powerful Legendary Pokémon, you’ll discover what you need to know to build the team that’s right for you—where to find elusive Pokémon, the moves they can use, how to evolve them, and mor

96

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Creating a Champion

Nintendo

4.0

This oversized hardcover is the ultimate companion to the award-winning video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and includes material from its DLC packs. Witness the making of a champion!

This book features:

• Nearly 50 pages of sketches and official illustrations from Takumi Wada

• 296 Pages of design artwork and commentary about the making of the game from creators

• 55 Page historical

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97

Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (Assassin's Creed, #1)

Oliver Bowden

4.0

Betrayed by the ruling families of Italy, a young man embarks upon an epic quest for vengeance. To eradicate corruption and restore his family's honour, he will learn the art of the assassins. To his allies, Ezio will become a force for change, fighting for freedom and justice. To his enemies, he will become a threat.

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98

Game On! 2020

Scholastic

4.0

Get ready for another awesome year of gaming with this ultimate guide to all your favorite games, including a definitive list of the biggest games of the past year and hot new ones coming in 2020!

Game On! 2020 is the most comprehensive guide to all the best games, tech, and streamers, featuring some of the year's greatest gaming moments and exclusive interviews with Twitch stars, YouTube legends,

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99

Arthas: Rise of the Lich King (World of Warcraft, #6)

Christie Golden

4.0

Frostmourne. It was caught in a hovering, jagged chunk of ice, the runes that ran the length of its blade glowing a cool blue. Below it was a dais of some sort, standing on a large gently raised mound that was covered in a dusting of snow. A soft light, coming from somewhere high above where the cavern was open to daylight, shone down on the runeblade. The icy prison hid some details of the sword'

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100

The Kobold Guide to Board Game Design

Mike Selinker, David Howell, Jeff Tidball, Richard C. Levy, Matt Forbeck, Richard Garfield, Steve Jackson, Dale Yu, James Ernest, Rob Daviau

4.0

The Kobold Guide to Board Game Design gives you an insider's view on how to make a game that people will want to play again and again. Author Mike Selinker (Betrayal at House on the Hill) has invited some of the world's most talented and experienced game designers to share their secrets on game conception, design, development, and presentation. In these pages, you'll learn about storyboarding, bal