N64: a visual compendium

N64: a visual compendium tells the fascinating story of a console that changed the gaming world. Inside its pages you’ll find a rich written history of a machine that marked the moment Nintendo moved to fully embrace 3D, resulting in some of the best games ever made – and a turbulent period for one of the globe’s most celebrated entertainment companies.

Continuing Bitmap Books’ visual compendium series, this unofficial chronicle of Nintendo’s remarkable console doesn’t only share a riveting, in-depth account of the gaming giant’s move to keep pace with the rise of 3D. It is also packed with meticulously realised screenshots and game art, which accompany profiles of over 150 titles that defined the N64, from Super Mario 64 and GoldenEye 007 to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Banjo-Kazooie. You’ll also find spotlights of lesser-known titles such as Beetle Adventure Racing, Mischief Makers, World Driver Championship, and Body Harvest. And every one of those profiles is written by a developer involved in the game, or a game journalist with a deep connection with the N64.

As well as a foreword penned by GoldenEye 64 and Perfect Dark’s David Doak, N64: a visual compendium is filled with exclusive interviews with game industry luminaries such as Jim Wornell (Nintendo), Michael Mendheim (BattleTanx), Kevin Bayliss (Diddy Kong Racing), Remington Scott (Turok) and Julian Eggebrecht (Star Wars). As such, the book brings a bounty of unique insight, unearthing parts of the console’s story not told elsewhere. It also includes a number of rigorously researched features, zeroing in on everything from the iconic N64 controller to the sought-after 64DD disk drive peripheral.

Being a Bitmap Book, you can expect the highest standards of design and production throughout its 436 pages. You’ll find numerous professionally shot photographs of Nintendo hardware and peripherals. We’ve used the very best lithographic printing techniques, with every page brought to life through vibrant Pantone inks, meaning everything looks and feels fantastic. Your copy of N64: a visual compendium will also come packaged in a sturdy 3mm protective board slipcase sporting an animated-effect lenticular cover. And with four bookmark ribbons inspired by the N64 logo, you can find favourite pages lighting fast.

The 1990s was a wildly innovative time for video games, with new players, new technologies, and new audiences presenting Nintendo with tremendous opportunity and challenge, as it readjusted to a new era. N64: a visual compendium offers an unmissable profile of that period. If you adore Nintendo, or retro gaming history, it’s an essential addition to your bookshelves.

Includes contributions from:
Eiji Aonuma, Marc Aubanel, Hal Barwood, Kevin Bayliss, Gary Brandy, Andrew Brown, Dallan Christensen, Samuel Claiborn, Nick Clarke, David Doak, Yasuo Daikai, Jonathan Davies, Paul Davies, David Dienstbier, Julian Eggebrecht, Brian Fehdrau, Will Freeman, Hiroki Fujimoto, James Gale, Dave Gatchel, Neill Glancy, Mark Green, Jaime R. Grieves, Andrew Hayward, Martin Hollis, Kazutoshi Iida, Pauline Jacquey, Steve Jarratt, Kurt Kalata, Kouji Kenjo, Sam Kennedy, Grant Kirkhope, Jon Knoles, Amir Latif, Gonçalo Lopes, Graeme Mason, Yasuhiro Maekawa, Steve Malpass, Chris Marlow, Steve Mayles, Michael Mendheim, Guy Miller, Shigeru Miyamoto, Paul Mountain, Ian Osborne, Sean Patten, Matthew Paul, Ste Pickford, Julian Rignall, Brad Robnett, Takashi Saito, Masahiro Sakurai, Hiroyasu Sasano, Remington Scott, Stew Shearer, Henry Sterchi, Mark Stevenson, Ben Stragnell, Saul Trewern, Mark Turmell, Obbe Vermeij, Martin Wakeley, Jim Wornell and Chris Zimmerman.