Gamers, beware—your video games can think for themselves! Ever wondered what's inside the plastic of your video game console but don't want to crack it open to find out? Crack open this book instead! You'll learn what computer code looks like, how a game console's "brain" makes decisions, and how its memory allows you to return to play each day without starting from scratch.

You might think that working in the video game industry is all fun and, well...games. Jobs like combat designer and animator sound pretty exciting. But do you know what it really takes to do one of these jobs? Do you have the skills? The knowledge? Are you ready to work hard? Game designers create the images, sounds, and action that gamers enjoy. Find out if you can handle a job in this fast-paced industry.

Do you think you know everything there is to know about video games? Think again! Find out all the lesser-known details that every gamer craves!

Collecting bugs, drawing cartoons, writing plays, studying robotics—these are just some of the hobbies that inspired the creation of video games such as Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda. Who are these men and women who helped launch the gaming industry from private computer labs to widely available popular entertainment? Read this book to find out who and what inspired your favorite video games!

The Video Games Textbook takes the history of video games to another level, with visually-stimulating, comprehensive, and chronological chapters that are relevant and easy to read for a variety of students. Every chapter is a journey into a different era or area of gaming, where readers emerge with a strong sense of how video games evolved, why they succeeded or failed, and the impact they had on the industry and human culture. Written to capture the attention and interest of both domestic and international college students, each chapter contains a list of objectives and key terms, illustrative timelines, arcade summaries, images and technical specifications of all major consoles. Key Features Explores the history of video games, including the social, political, and economic motivations Facilitates learning of material with illustrative timelines, arcade summaries and images Highlights the technical specifications of all major consoles Illustrates the breakthroughs and trends of the gaming market

Just how dedicated can gamers be? Video games inspire people to write fan fiction, draw characters, and even dress up in costume to act out video game scenes. Read this book and dive into gaming culture. Whether you like to read comics, write stories, perform in plays, make music, create movies, or dress up in wacky outfits, video gaming culture has got something for everyone!

Has anyone ever told you gamers out there that your time would be better spent studying? Well, don't let go of that joystick just yet! Turns out, advancing to that next level of Super Mario Brothers has a similar effect on your brain as getting an A on your spelling test. Video games have been successful at training elite groups in the U.S. military and future doctors. Discover how they can help boost your brain power too!

Since its release for Apple's iPhone in 2009, Angry Birds has been one of the most successful video games in history. Although Angry Birds seemed to be an overnight success, the game was actually the result of years of struggle by Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish company that created it. The company's founder, Niklas Hed, his cousin Mikael Hed, and Peter Vesterbacka have established not just a profitable video game but a cultural phenomenon. In this thrilling narrative, readers examine the challenges and triumphs of building a company while keeping the spirit of fun behind the development of new products.

"Introduces readers to media, who creates it, and why. Straightforward text and clear photographs gives readers the tools needed to evaluate and understand all types of media. Includes a hands-on activity related to media literacy"--

Have you ever wished you could use technology to improve people's lives? Ever since he was a teenager, Sebastian Thrun wanted to build machines that helped people. So far, Thrun has developed robots that can be tour guides and nurses and can help save miners trapped underground. In 2004, he won a US Department of Defense contest by building a car that could drive itself. Since then, the self-driving cars he developed have been tested on more than 140,000 miles (225,308 kilometers) of road without fail! Thrun more recently developed a free website for online education and worked on Google Glass, a computer that can be worn like a pair of eyeglasses. But how did he get involved in all these cool projects? Follow his rise from a computer enthusiast to robotics innovator!