Montfort, Nick

Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System (Platform Studies)

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ISBN 13:
9780262539760
author:
Montfort, Nick
format:
Paperback / softback
publisher:
MIT Press
language:
English
Publication Year:
2020
Pages:
192
Dimensions:
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 centimeters
Genre:
Computers, Entertainment & Games, Computers,
Condition:
New
Availability:
Item usually sent within 15 working days
£18.31

Description

The Atari Video Computer System was a groundbreaking console that dominated the home video game market in the 1970s and 1980s. Its influence can still be seen today, with many of its game cartridges remaining iconic and influential. This book offers a detailed study of the Atari VCS, exploring its cultural and technical significance through the lens of six famous game cartridges: Combat, Adventure, Pac-Man, Yars' Revenge, Pitfall!, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The authors examine the technical constraints and affordances of the system, tracing developments in programming, gameplay, interface, and aesthetics. They show how the Atari VCS was more than just a retro console - it was a platform that enabled the creation of new genres and techniques. By examining the Atari VCS and its game cartridges, the authors demonstrate its enduring importance in the history of video games. From the first game to represent a virtual space larger than the screen, to the early instance of interaction between media properties and video games, the Atari VCS is revealed to be a fascinating and influential piece of gaming history.

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