Art and Culture # 107: The Game Guide
The Game Guide. It’s a millennial staple of approaching a video game, and whenever at school, you were seen reading the guide, like Mortal Kombat, you looked like an intellectual and that meant your parents were rich. Anyone who has owned games before the Internet know what I’m talking about. The aspiration of being the smartest and handsomest like I am, I always had the ire of the neighborhood kids. They all came over to play video games, but when I had the guide, they were like, “Hey, I want to learn some moves,” and even one time, I played Mortal Kombat against one of my friends with my eyes closed.[1] It was pretty great.
So, video game guides, before the Internet, including any Nintendo Power magazine, was the only way to go before the advent of the Internet. It was like staring at a professional player that I wanted to be. In the guides, they give off the pointers of a a different fighter, too. And the game didn’t do that on a Super Nintendo or a Sega Genesis. This mattered to the millennial generation. Finding the right codes or the right strategy mattered in video games. The impossible question is answered: Video game guides. It mattered because we wanted to show our friends where the mystery level of Toe Jam and Earl was.[2] Also, I had to know how to beat all my friends in Mortal Kombat, too, because of game guides. I couldn’t use scorpians spear, as the buttons are back, back, (B), and he yells “GET OVER HERE!” I had to know or at least marvel at all the pictures of Master Chief kicking the shit out of the Covenant in Microsoft’s blockbuster series, HALO. Those guides weren’t that good. But also, when I looked to a game guide, it was like I was holding the Bible to become the next great talented game player. To beat every single opponent that I could, as I might have friends on Saturday, game guides made sure I didn’t have any by Monday.
(This is from https://blog.pricecharting.com/2012/08/stevesesy-collecting-video-game.html. I do think a lot of guides were warranted for Role Playing games that required repetitious game play but also grinding to find items to help level up your character on a vast map. Guides, at their time, did take away that pain momentarily)
So, game guides, in their own way, represented a generational wealth but also appreciation for the game, too. I remember gamestop would sell the game guides with the games, too, so that they would get more points, maybe, IDFK[3]. But after the early 80’s and 90’s, video game guides, after the games became more cinematic, you didn’t really need to buy huge large game guides, because video games became more advance to give away secrets with little in game cues. Like a highlighted item can help the player see it, and now, it’s so visual, the hints appear without breaking the immersion or opening up a book to do so.
The best game guides, for me, were connected to a childhood where I could disappear into video games and realize all your friends were jealous of you. It was amazing, but also, when the friends disappeared, the gaming guides of the late 80’s to the early 2000’s. Also, the connection to video game guides proved abundant, but when the Internet happened, they still came out, but you know what’s funny, being able to reflect and see the art and nice fine finished pages that a cover artists spent so much time on. Probably never seeing their families, and they look at the shelves. Just like I do. And realize that video game guides existed, and it was a beautiful time. Now people, like myself, just use Youtube to cheat my way through video games. That’s what Art coffee table books are for.
[1] If you want the story of whether not we’re friends anymore, don’t worry we’re not. Also, I beat him at split screen HALO match to which he signed that I beat him. Man, I have to find that now.
[2] I will spoil it for you. You needed the Icarus wings. Jump off the edge of each level, listen to them scream, and then end up at the first level. Surrounded by water. You use the Icarus wings, fly to the bottom left side of the screen, and then you take a elevator to the level. Where you’re on a private level where ToeJam and Earl sit and regenerate their health, get a few power ups, and sip some wine with some Honolulu hawain bitches in a hot tub. I couldn’t make this up.
[3] I Don’t Fucking Know.
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 21 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline Part 2: Chaos, The Data Chase, The Disintegrating Bloodline part 3: Solvè, The Disintegrating Bloodline (and the original text re-released in 2019), Apocalypse Soldier, The Data Chase, Selection: The First Book of the Life and Death Saga, and Blinking Eyes: The Second Book of the Life and Death Saga, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep, The City of Sand, The God of Curiosity, To the Moon and Back, The Villain Lives and The Villain Lives: The Divided Pinpoint, Come Home, Young One, City of Sand: Book 1: The Holy Terror, and The Voices Are Alive, and The City of Sand: Book 2: Jerusalem Ignited. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Phoenix. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouisBr88881650. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. His two newest books, The City of Sand: Book 2: Jerusalem Ignited, and The Savior, the Flood, and the Beast: Three Plays are out now: https://www.amazon.com/City-Sand-Book-Jerusalem-Ignited/dp/1365979660/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G8HAWZP73ZFO&keywords=Louis+Bruno+City+of+Sand+book+2&qid=1675772880&sprefix=louis+bruno+city+of+sand+book+2%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-1. https://www.amazon.com/Savior-Flood-Beast-Three-Plays/dp/1088120997/ref=pd_ybh_a_sccl_4/140-0249150-4265358?pd_rd_w=W5fsa&content-id=amzn1.sym.67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_p=67f8cf21-ade4-4299-b433-69e404eeecf1&pf_rd_r=2E73RTDRBVPZEY5D77V2&pd_rd_wg=69KGI&pd_rd_r=59d8721c-bf89-4fa7-bd88-7a072004a89f&pd_rd_i=1088120997&psc=1.
My most memorable game guide was for Mega Man 3. I felt like was walking up to the register with classical literature under my arm. Lol I even bought the PlayStation magazine, but just for the cover art. They had some of the best artists doing covers. But mostly the guides were a sort of Art/Lore book before there was any other way to get art or lore anywhere else.
I did read them though. Probably not cover to cover, but I felt I had to read at least a little of it to justify the expense.