Book Review: Phoenix (2nd Edition) (originally for Suite 101)

[Suite 101 articles introduction]

In 1994 Leonard Herman wrote a first-of-its-kind book called Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Home Videogames. It simply covered, one chapter per year, the entire history of home video games through to 1993. He has recently released a second edition titled Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Videogames (ISBN 0-9643848-2-5), which covers some coin-op history in addition to the original history of home consoles. I had the pleasure of being among the earliest ones to receive it.

First, let's get the most important part of the book out of the way: the acknowledgments. Near the end, Mr. Herman includes me in the list of people thanked, even though I'm not entirely sure what I did for him. Nevertheless, let me state that I have no financial arrangements with Mr. Herman or Rolenta Press and receive absolutely nothing for any sales made. Therefore, I will do my best to keep this review unbiased.

This edition is largely unchanged from the first. The additions primarily consist of more information on arcade games, three new chapters (covering 1994, 1995, and 1996) and black and white photographs throughout. The photos definitely add much to the book and I am glad Mr. Herman added them for this edition.

As for the book itself, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Only those that have a bit of interest in video games will find it fascinating, but that is the audience it was written for! The book is somewhat dry as it simply relates the facts of video game history. It's hard to build much suspense for the reader when he already has an idea of what's going to happen. In a few places, Mr. Herman attempted to have some suspense by describing a system or game before actually naming it. I found this annoying, but perhaps that's because of my familiarity with video game history.

While the book is a bit dry to read through, it is an excellent reference for video game history. The index is incredibly complete, plus there is a separate photo index. Mr. Herman also makes excellent use of comparisons between new systems and those that came before. This ensures the reader, or even the casual browser, doesn't forget facts such as that the Game Boy was not the first programmable, portable system. (Regardless of what Nintendo would like you to think.)

There are other books written on the history of video games, notably David Sheff's Game Over and J.C. Herz' Joystick Nation. I haven't read the latter (only read negative comments about it from other collectors), but the former is focused on Nintendo, its business dealings, and the people behind them. Phoenix, on the other hand, focuses on the actual systems, peripherals, and games that people enjoy playing. If you want to know about a specific slice of video game history, you might try another book, but Phoenix is the best at covering the whole pie.

In the final analysis, I give Phoenix three stars out of four. It is the best overall history of video games you'll find. You'll be amazed by some of the things you learn reading it. Quite frankly, if you're a classic video game collector, you can't do without it.

Related links:

• Ordering Information
• GameSpot Review
• GamePro Review

Copyright 1997 i5ive communications inc. Used with permission.

[2013-04-29: You can currently order the third edition of Phoenix directly from Rolenta Press. Mr. Herman is currently busy working on the fourth edition.]

System Spotlight: Magnavox Odyssey (originally for Suite 101)

[Suite 101 articles introduction]

This is the first in an irregular series I'll be doing. Every so often (when I can't think of anything else to write about), I'll give some history and Web sites for a specific system. For the first spotlight, I've decided to honor the one that started it all: the original Magnavox Odyssey. You might also see it referred to as the Odyssey 1 (to differentiate it from the other Odyssey systems) or, incorrectly, the Odyssey 100. The Odyssey 100 was actually one of several dedicated, pong-type systems Magnavox released in the mid-1970s.

Ralph Baer of Sanders Associates developed the system that would become the Odyssey from 1966 to 1967. Although he began trying to sell it to a larger company in 1968, it was not until 1970 that Magnavox bought the rights. In January 1972, they began production and presented the system in May of that year. Magnavox sold 100,000 units in 1972, but discontinued the system by the end of 1973.¹

The Odyssey used traditional, full-sized components because Intel had just released the first microprocessor in 1971 and they were still incredibly expensive. It was not a sophisticated system, even by Atari 2600 standards. The system was programmable, but the game cards were merely jumpers that completed various connections. There were no electrical components on them and the system was packaged with six different ones.

The Odyssey was only capable of displaying a vertical line and three squares (two players and a ball) in black and white. In order to add the illusion of color, an overlay was included for each game. These translucent overlays were simply taped to the screen to provide a playfield that the screen objects shone through. For example, the tennis overlay was green with tennis court lines and two stick figures for players. Each game actually included two overlays, one small and one large, for different size TV screens.

The Odyssey came with two large controllers. Each had three knobs and a button. The button served the ball. Two of the knobs controlled horizontal and vertical movement, while the third allowed the last player that touched the ball limited control over its movement. As you can imagine, these three controls made Magnavox's tennis was a bit more challenging than what would become standard "pong." The system also came with several games, some of which relied more on board game components than video ones. These components included dice, poker chips, a United States map, a cardboard football field, and lots of cards. Magnavox also released a separate light rifle and two game cards for shooting games. Besides these, Magnavox also released some additional games. Some of these contained new game cards, but many simply used one or more of the original six game cards and added new overlays and playing pieces.

Most collectors treasure this system when they find it because it was the first. For a while, the system seemed rather rare, but in recent years it seems more and more collectors are finding them. I have found three in various states of completeness, myself. Although you won't spend a lot of time playing it, it's certainly a nice piece of history to add to your collection.

Links:

I'm afraid there is a lack of sites covering the Magnavox Odyssey in detail. The one I recommend is Inherent Mirth. Check it out!

1. This information was taken from Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Videogames, second edition by Leonard Herman (Rolenta Press, ISBN 0-9643848-2-5). Look for a review next month!

Copyright 1997 i5ive communications inc. Used with permission.

[2013-04-29: If I had to recommend a Mangavox Odyssey site today, it would be Pong Story. That footnote was linked in the original article, but Blogger doesn't seem to provide an adequate way of doing that.]

Preview: Atari Gaming HQ (originally for Suite 101)

[Suite 101 articles introduction]

The creators of one of my five top picks, Atari Gaming Headquarters (AGH), have agreed to give Suite 101 users and exclusive preview of their newly redesigned web site! (The above link is for the frames version. There is also a non-frame version.) Before you start looking around, though, let me hit some of the highlights for you.

First, a small disclaimer. (Every one has them these days, so why should I be any different?) As of last report, the new site was 95% done. These means it's still possible to find a link or page that's not quite done yet. Please be understanding if you do find such an occurrence.

The Atari 2600 and 7800 section of AGH has been expanded. The previous version was a little lacking, but no longer. One of my favorite features is the Histories of Third Parties. I don't believe anyone has attempted to chronicle the 2600 third-party game companies before...but they should have!

The Atari 5200 section is still as strong as ever. The makers of AGH still have the Atari 5200 FAQ and other useful (and useless) information galore.

An interesting feature in the Other Sections is one of the first bits of the site AGH let me in on, the Puffer Project. This has to do with Atari's plans to create games for their consoles that would hook up to exercise equipment in the home, such as an exercise bicycle. There were also plans to put such devices in arcades and health clubs. In the end, the whole project was axed. Interestingly, I saw such a device some months ago that hooked up to a NordicTrack skier and either a Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo Entertainment System. And of course, there's also been a game called Prop Cycle in the arcade that has the player riding a device much like an exercise bike in order to control his on-screen counterpart.

Okay, now I'll leave it to you to explore the rest. There's plenty of information and pictures to keep you busy for days to come. I'd like to give special thanks to Keita Iida for being my point of contact with AGH and providing the information that made this article possible.

Here are the URLs to keep in mind:

• Suite 101 preview URL (frames): http://www.atarihq.com/index2.html
• Suite 101 preview URL (no frames): http://www.atarihq.com/aghmain.html
• Permanent URL upon official opening: http://www.atarihq.com/

Copyright 1997 i5ive communications inc. Used with permission.

[2013-04-28: Wow, the first Suite 101 article where all the links (except the frames one) still work!

Keita's name originally linked to his e-mail address. That's probably no longer valid, but I removed it, just in case.]

Thought (leather leisure suit)

Current thought: Say "leather leisure suit" fast five times.

My wife was telling about one of her co-workers wearing a leather leisure suit for some reason. She had such difficulty saying it, it took her several tries before she did so successfully. She discovered a new tongue-twister!

[From my "Past Tips of the Moment and Past Thoughts" page. This was the fifth "thought" and 11th post overall. I didn't keep track of the dates beyond the year, so the date is an estimate. — 28 May 2009]

Thrifting: A Definition (originally for Suite 101)

[Suite 101 articles introduction]

thrifting (thrift' ing) vi. 1. To visit many thrift stores during a day in search of certain items, particularly classic video games. 2. To regularly visit thrift stores in search of certain items.

In the United States and Canada, there are stores called "thrift stores," "thrift shops," or "those smelly places with a bunch of junk." They sell used items (primarily clothing) and are often run as money-makers for charities. Perhaps two of the best known organizations that run thrift stores are Goodwill and the Salvation Army. The items they sell are usually donated by individuals. They also tend to be a good source of classic home video games.

Hard-core collectors will visit as many local thrift stores as possible daily in search of new games. This is not entirely unreasonable, since a) thrift stores get new donations daily, b) competition for classic video games seems to be increasing as the supply decreases, and c) it will please Bira Bira, the guardian of the Reef Store and patron little-wooden-icon of classic video game collectors. Collectors who either have lives or are no longer in college are more likely to go semi-weekly, weekly, or just whenever they can. Making a round of local thrift stores is called "thrifting."

The two most common uses of the word are illustrated by the following typical conversation between collectors:

Collector #1: "I went thrifting yesterday and found [long list of unbelievably rare items]."
Collector #2: "I haven't had a chance to go thrifting lately."

In this case, Collector #2 has actually been thrifting regularly, but hasn't been finding anything. The one day he decided not to bother going, Collector #1 went. If it weren't for the fact that Collector #2 actually met him, Collector #1 might be "Sum Guy." Sum Guy has been reported all across the country, buying every classic video game in sight. Other collectors never see him, but always hear about him. Visit a thrift store or yard sale and ask if they have any old video games. There's a good chance you'll get the reply, "We did, but Sum Guy was here 15 minutes ago and bought 'em all."

If you don't let this discourage you and you begin thrifting, you'll discover that thrift stores come in a wide range of types, from "clean and organized" to "smell funny and things strewn everywhere in no recognizable pattern." The best stores for finding things, of course, are the latter, assuming a) you have time to dig for them and b) you don't let the smell get to you. It is recommended that you slowly work up your tolerance before spending a long time in such a store.

Here are a few helpful rules to remember when thrifting:

1. Cartridges are priced by size. Therefore, a 5200 cartridge might cost three times the price of an Intellivision cartridge.
2. Never let the employees send an item back to be priced. You will never see it again.
3. The less money you have when you go, the more items you'll find.
4. The nicer the cartridge label, the more grease pencil marks the store will have used to price it.
5. If you only find part of a group of items, you will not find the rest of them that day. Either come back next week (or even next month) or look in a thrift store on the other side of town. That is where the other half is.

Good luck!

Copyright 1997, i5ive communications inc. Used with permission.

[April 27, 2013: Ah, Bira Bira.  That's kind of a long story.  The short of it is, it was a small tiki carving that became a meme among collectors on rec.games.video.classic and was believed to bring good luck when thrifting.  Robert Batina, who ran the page the Bira Bira link used to go to, is still around, but unfortunately the Bira Bira pages seem to be no more.  "Sum Guy" was another meme that developed there; you can find more details on it at the bottom of my August 5, 2003 post.

Sadly, with the rise of ebay and just the general march of time, thrift store have become less and less a source for classic video games.  Sure you can still find PlayStation 2 games and such, but Atari 2600 cartridges, not so much.]