BOOKS, MUSIC, MOVIES & TV

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread. 


Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS - and his massive fortune - will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late twentieth century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle.

Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions - and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed.

Masters of Doom - David Kushner

Masters of Doom is the true inside story of the Lennon and McCartney of the video game industry: John Carmack and John Romero. Together they created an empire, ruled a multibillion-dollar industry, and provoked a national controversy. They lived a unique American dream, escaping their broken homes to co-create the most innovative and notoriously successful video games in history - Doom and Quake - until the games they made tore them apart.


David Kushner has been covering the video game industry for ten years and knows all the angles. Even those with no interest in video games will be fascinated by this vastly entertaining tale of friendship, betrayal and the genesis of a multibillion-dollar popular art form.

Going For Goldeneye

The worlds first video game 'Mockumentary' made in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the classic Nintendo 64 game GoldenEye.
www.woodhousepictures.co.uk
 
"Peppered with hilarious dialogue, visual gags & impeccable one-liners which appear out of nowhere & leave you in stitches" 
Nintendolife.com

"Respectful to the source material, that actually has a human element to it. A superb mock-umentary that hits all the right marks in terms of style, pacing and humour" 
N64today.com

"Hilarious & awesome movie, definitely one to watch over & over!"
Goldeneyevault.com

"Spinal Tap meets video-games, It's so funny, I absolutely loved it!"
Glenn Plant N64 youtube

"Laugh out loud funny"
Graeme Norgate, GoldenEye composer

"Goldeneye 007 meets King of Kong, meets Spinal Tap"
David Doak, GoldenEye developer

"Nostalgia, gaming & comedy in one gloriously silly movie"
Retroevents.co.uk

"So many laugh-out-loud moments I can't even begin to list them all!"
Nintendolife.com

"A heartwarming, hilarious story filled with nostalgia, humour & geek references that are spot on!"
Theretrohour.com

"The perfect tribute to Bond's greatest video game!
Nostalgic & hilarious!"
N64 Memories

Memories of a Retro Gamer

Based upon the memories of a Retro Gamer, this coffee table style book reflects upon computing and gaming consoles such as: the C64, Sega Megadrive, Sinclair Spectrum, Arcades, Gameboy and other various memories from what is now known as the golden age of gaming. 

The 200 Best Video Games of All Time

Every website or magazine has their own "Best Video Games of All Times" list - here is ours! From early arcade classics to 3D action games, from text adventures to interactive cinema, this book includes 200 of the best video games ever released, covering over three decades of gaming history, created by developers all over the world. Each entry highlights why our picks are the best examples of their genre, and includes additional recommendations for similar games. Both rookie and veteran gamers will definitely discover some new and interesting games to check out after finishing this book.

1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die - Tony Mott

In fewer than fifty years video games have become one of the most popular forms of entertainment, but which are the best games, the ones you must play? This action packed book presents the best video games from around the world - from 80's classic Donkey Kong to Doom, Frogger and Final Fantasy. Covering everything from old favourites to those breaking new ground, these are the games that should not be missed.

1001 VIDEO GAMES defines arcade experiences that first turned video gaming into a worldwide phenomenon such as Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man - games that made the likes of Atari, Sinclair and Commodore household names. It also includes the games that have taken the console era by storm from Nintendo Wii to Sony Playstation and beyond - games of the modern era that have become cultural reference points in their own right including multi-million selling series such as Halo, Grand Theft Auto and Resident Evil.

For aficionados this is a keepsake - charting the highlights of the past fifty years giving them key information for games they must play. For those just discovering the appeal of gaming this extensive volume will provide everything they need to ensure they don't miss out on the games that revolutionized this overwhelmingly popular medium.

What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning and Literacy - James Paul Gee

A controversial look at the positive things that can be learned from video games by a well known professor of education. James Paul Gee begins his new book with 'I want to talk about vide games- yes, even violent video games - and say some positive things about them'.  Gee is interested in the cognitive development that can occur when someone is trying to escape a maze, find a hidden treasure and, even, blasting away an enemy with a high-powered rifle. 

Console Wars - Blake J. Harris

In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the video game industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But that would all change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a man who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat and bold ideas of his renegade employees, transformed Sega and eventually led to a ruthless David-and-Goliath showdown with rival Nintendo.

Based on over two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the underdog tale of how Tom Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punchline into a market leader. It s the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, birth a $60 billion dollar industry.

Level Up Your Life - Steve Kamb

If you have always dreamed of adventure and growth but can’t seem to leave your hobbit-hole, Steve’s book, Level Up Your Life, is for you. He will teach you exactly how to use your favourite video games, books, and movies as inspiration for adventure rather than an escape from the grind of everyday life. Hundreds of thousands of everyday Joes and Jills have joined Steve’s Rebellion through his popular website, NerdFitness.com, and leveled up their lives--losing weight, getting stronger, and living better.


Reality Is Broken - Jane McGonigal

A visionary game designer reveals how we can harness the power of games to boost global happiness.

With 174 million gamers in the United States alone, we now live in a world where every generation will be a gamer generation. But why, Jane McGonigal asks, should games be used for escapist entertainment alone? In this groundbreaking book, she shows how we can leverage the power of games to fix what is wrong with the real world-from social problems like depression and obesity to global issues like poverty and climate change-and introduces us to cutting-edge games that are already changing the business, education, and nonprofit worlds. Written for gamers and non-gamers alike, Reality Is Broken shows that the future will belong to those who can understand, design, and play games.

The Proteus Paradox

Though online games evoke freedom and escapism, Yee shows that virtual spaces perpetuate social norms and stereotypes from the offline world, transform play into labor, and inspire racial scapegoating and superstitious thinking. And the change that does occur is often out of our control and effected by unparalleled-but rarely recognized-tools for controlling what players think and how they behave. Using player surveys, psychological experiments, and in-game data, Yee breaks down misconceptions about who plays fantasy games and the extent to which the online and offline worlds operate separately. 

You - Austin Grossman

Russell, Lisa, Darren and Simon created the Realms as teenagers in the eighties - hacking together a video game at a time when no one really knew what that meant.

Years later, Lisa and Darren still work at Black Arts, where the original game has expanded into a dozen spin-off hits. Russell attempted a more conventional career path. And Simon is dead.

When Russell gives up his 'real life' and returns to the company, he soon finds himself in a race to save his job, Black Arts' legacy, and the people he's grown to care about. There's a weird glitch in the software: a bug that holds answers to an old mystery, a secret that could change Russell's past - and ruin everyone's future.

You is a story of facing dangers, realising that the most obvious path isn't always the best one to follow, and learning that playing a game can sometimes save your life.

The Wizard

Some see it as Nintendo's longest running advert based on the movie 'Rainman', but it can't be ignored as it's Retro Gaming Nostalgia at it's best. The Wizard is about a  boy and his brother who run away from home and hitch cross country with the help of a girl they meet to compete in the ultimate video game championship.

Hacking the Curriculum

Ian Livingstone is one of the founding fathers of the British gaming industry. In Hacking the Curriculum, he and Shahneila Saeed explain the critical importance of coding and computing in modern schools - and offer teachers and school leaders real practical guidance on how to improve their current provision to a generation of youngsters for whom digital skills are critical.

Code Elektro - Superstrings

CODE ELEKTRO - MUSIC FOR CYPERPUNKS!

CODE ELEKTRO is a Danish electro band formed in 2012. The music is characterized by the use of analog and digital synths - arpeggiators and sound design. It could sound like something from a modern Blade Runner, Matrix or TRON.

In 2015 Code Elektro released the critically acclaimed debut album, SUPERSTRINGS, on Iceberg Records (vinyl and digital). The album has been nominated for a GAFFA AWARD for Best Danish Electronic Album 2015. Also the track "Cyber Dreams" was used for a PUMA commercial.

On June 3rd 2016 Code Elektro will release the album: "WOLF".

Visit the website for more details ... http://www.codeelektro.com/

Arcade Ambience Project - Andy Hofle

As a children of the 80s, we will never forget the feeling of walking into a crowded arcade -- the sounds, smells, excitement, etc. Andy's Arcade Ambience Project  is dedicated to recreating the audio portion of that experience in the form of a long, non-looping ambient audio track. Great for listening to in the background whilst Retrogaming.

"If I close my eyes while listening to Arcade Ambiance, I can clearly envision myself hanging out at the local Golfland Arcade circa 1983 sporting the latest in early 80's fashion (camouflage Vans and a Members Only jacket), while feeding quarter after quarter into Dig Dug, Galaga and Phoenix. Thanks for taking me back to a happier time." --David

Visit: http://arcade.hofle.com/

Kung Fury

The short film Kung Fury is a homage and a love letter to the 80's from the director David Sandberg. From Kickstarter to Netflix, this indie movie became an instant cult hit.

Miami Police Department detective and martial artist Kung Fury time travels from the 1980s to World War II to kill Adolf Hitler, a.k.a. "Kung Führer", and revenge his friend's death at the hands of the Nazi leader. An error in the time machine sends him further back to the Viking Age.

Micro Men

Affectionately comic drama about the British home computer boom of the early 1980s. Legendary inventor Clive Sinclair battles it out with ex-employee Chris Curry, founder of Acorn Computers, for dominance in the fledgling market.

The rivalry comes to a head when the BBC announce their Computer Literacy Project, with the stated aim of putting a micro in every school in Britain. When Acorn wins the contract, Sinclair is furious, and determines to outsell the BBC Micro with his ZX Spectrum computer.

The IT Crowd

Deep in the sub basement of the ambiguous company of Reynholm Industries, are not one, but two socially awkward IT guys. Moss, an electronics wizard and overly naive man and Roy, a lazy disgruntled co-worker have to provide support for Reynholm Industries with their inept boss, Jen, who doesn't know the difference between hardware and software. The show revolves around Moss and Roy's antics both at work and out socially, which always ends badly.

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