“Loguidice and Barton prove that excellent research and technical accuracy can make for delightfully easy and fun reading. Vintage Games takes us through gaming's evolution one exemplary game at a time. Charting the history of dance and music games with the first Dance Dance Revolution; Roberta Williams’ game design work as it leads up to King's Quest and King's Quest's place within the history of adventure gaming and even within Sierra's game guide market; and the place of many other games as articulated within the overall gaming history.”
“While some of these titles won't seem old enough to be ‘vintage’ to seasoned players, these games are like good wine—their vintage is one of quality as it relates to a particular place in history. Not only are the games featured in Vintage Games historically important for the qualities they possess, so too is writing like that by Loguidice and Barton. The pair has written extensively on games and gaming history, most notably for Armchair Arcade, and their writing time and again shows that quality writing crosses normal boundaries, engaging scholars, fans, and even casual readers.”
—Laurie N. Taylor, Digital Library Center, University of Florida
“I've seen dozens of video gaming books over the years, but rarely do you find one that is almost as fun to read as the games they talk about. Historically accurate, written with an obvious passion that never leaves the reader feeling left out or belittled. A must-read for anyone even remotely interested in video gaming history—from the hardcore to the casual, this is a book that anyone that has ever held a joystick would enjoy. Vintage Games is highly recommended to my listeners.”
—Shane R. Monroe, Host of RetroGaming Radio/Monroeworld.com
“While calling games from the last two decades of the twentieth century ‘vintage’ might not sit well with thirty-something gamers, in so doing Barton and Loguidice remind us (through superb detail and smart, conversational prose) of the enormously rich history that games have already enjoyed and the rapidity with which they have reached the very core of popular culture. Barton and Loguidice will please scholars with their comprehensive research and excellent detail, but Vintage Games doesn't feel ‘researched’: the authors’ love of the games is also clearly apparent. And that makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read. The book is smart and fun—much like the games it addresses.”
—Dr. Matthew S. S. Johnson, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
“They say you can't go back again, but reading Vintage Games comes close. Open the book, and I'm back in the video arcades of my youth. Turn the page, and I'm in college again, discovering the secret joys of the early PC games. Turn the page again, and I'm back in my living room, playing Mario with my young kids. But Vintage Games is more than just a trip down memory lane, because the authors analyze each game in ways that bring fresh insights to those nostalgic memories.”
—Steve Meretzky, Veteran Game Designer
“An interesting and insightful trip down a gamer's memory lane, focusing on titles that have become benchmarks in videogame history.”
—Didi Cardoso, Managing Editor, Grrlgamer.com
“The videogame industry has a poor track record when it comes to preserving its history. Fortunately, scholars and enthusiasts have stepped in to fill the void, and Vintage Games is an essential contribution to this effort. Loguidice and Barton are to be commended for documenting the history of gaming's greatest landmarks.”
—Michael Abbott, The Brainy Gamer Blog and Podcast and Professor of Theater and Film Studies, Wabash College