Few things beat retro gaming, but when you want to switch things around a bit, reading is one of the best alternatives, and Bitmap Books are hard to beat.
They’ve listed a new book on their website, 50 Indie Games That Changed the World, and many of the titles within the volume have a heavy retro feel, either aesthetically, or in terms of gameplay.
Indies are perhaps the most important aspect of the video game industry, the developers and publishers people turn to not only when they want something a bit different, but when the giants start to churn out the same old thing over and over.
It was indies that overcame the crash of the 1980s, and it will be again, should another crash occur.
Bitmap Books’ new title synopsis
We’re big fans of these publications — we loved Game Boy: The Box Art Collection — so this should be a treat,
Here’s how the book is described:
Exploring the inception, development, and legacy of some of the most important titles of the digital download era, 50 Indie Games That Changed the World is the ultimate celebration of what it takes to get a video game made outside of the typical AAA studio system. Penned by experienced video game journalist Aaron Potter, this beautiful hardback book takes an analytical deep dive into each featured game’s production, speaking to the small teams and solo creators responsible for making them via original interviews that aim to bring a new perspective to the wider game development conversation across 50 insightful chapters.
With an opening guest foreword by an indie game veteran in Thomas Was Alone’s Mike Bithell, you’ll discover the stories behind 50 of the most influential indie games released in the past two decades – from pixelated classics like Shovel Knight and Dead Cells to early masterpieces like Super Meat Boy and Limbo. Each game’s chapter is also accompanied by a raft of behind-the-scenes concept art and high-quality screenshots that further showcase the level of variety only possible in indie games that are able to span a wide range of excitingly fresh genres and unique art styles.
If ever you’ve wondered how hard it is to develop a video game and bring it to market without the support of a major publisher in the era of easy-to-access game engines and flooded digital storefronts, 50 Indie Games That Changed the World will provide an illuminating journey throughout all 450+ of its pages. This isn’t a classification of the ‘best’ indie games of all time, but rather a fascinating look into the ways that 50 boundary-pushing indie games (plus 16 honourable mentions) changed the world in ways both big and small by believing in their own.
These books are not cheap, but they are worth every penny. 50 Indie Games That Changed the World is presented with embossed gold text on the cover, with a design by Roberto Zurdo. The book is printed lithographically on premium paper stock, and ships with a PDF copy for electronic reading.
You can order 50 Indie Games That Changed The World on the Bitmap Books website from August 20th.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
