Boss Fight Books: Difference between revisions

'''Boss Fight Books''' is a [[Los Angeles]]-based book publisher and its eponymous series of books about [[video games]]. Similar to the style of [[33⅓]], a series of books about individual record albums, each book focuses solely on one video game. The company was founded by Gabe Durham in June 2013, and following a successful [[Kickstarter]] campaign in July, they released their first book, ''[[#EarthBound|EarthBound]]'' by [[Ken Baumann]] in January 2014.<ref name=about/>

 

 

 

==List of books==

 

===Season 1===

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! No.

| {{ISBNT|978-1-940535-00-5}}

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Cameron Kunzelman, writing for ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'', gave the book a mixed review. He found Baumann's portrayal of the game and its characters evocative, managing to "render the strangeness of [the] game into graspable language", but criticised the self-indulgence of certain autobiographical sections.<ref name=PasteEB/> On the other hand, in a review at ''The Collagist'', Ian Denning found the autobiographical sections an "emotional high point", passages on Baumann's relationship with his brother were described as "interesting, sometimes tender and funny". It was Baumann's analysis of the game that drew complaint from Denning, who criticised his scattershot approach, and questioned the value of its tangential references. Still, Denning deemed the book an accomplishment, "a book that argues that video games—a medium once considered cultural garbage—can be important catalysts in an artist's aesthetic development".<ref name=Collagist/> Reflecting on the polarised reception of the autobiographical sections, Baumann said "I kind of love both reactions, and still do. I just like the strength of the reaction. I'm happy that I used personal stuff if it incites that much love or hate."<ref name=Joystiq/>

| {{ISBNT|978-1-940535-05-0}}

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In his review at ''Nintendo Life'', Tim Latshaw commends Irwin's ability to weave seemingly "ridiculous tangents" like ''[[One Thousand and One Nights]]'' into an exploration of the game and Nintendo's philosophy. He describes the book as "required reading for game historians", and for those curious about the game, "Irwin's relatable writing and healthy seasoning of humour make it an engrossing and enjoyable read."<ref name=NLifeSMB2/> In Kunzelman's review at ''Paste'', he too noted how Irwin managed to craft a book in which its tangents "impossibly, flow together", he compared this quality favourably to ''Galaga'' and ''Chrono Trigger'', earlier books in the series. Kunzelman saw weakness in Irwin's moments of literary excess, such as an interlude on the death of the author's grandmother, which he found strange and clichéd. Still, he concluded that the book was "an excellent example of the Boss Fight Books model of game criticism", and was "very excited to see what happens during season 2".<ref name=PasteSMB2/>

 

===Season 2===

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| {{ISBNT|978-1-940535-10-4}}

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| style="text-align: center"| '''11'''

 

===Season 3===

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===Season 4===

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! No.

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| style="text-align: center"| '''22'''

| style="text-align: center"| David Sudnow

| style="text-align: center"| February 26, 2020

 

===Season 5===

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! No.

 

===Special===

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! No.

 

===Season 6===

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! No.

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| style="text-align: center"| '''31'''

| style="text-align: center"| Kyle Orland

| style="text-align: center"| July 12, 2023

| ''[[Day of the Tentacle]]''

| style="text-align: center"| Bob Mackey

| {{ISBNT|978-1-940535-33-3}}

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| ''[[Animal Crossing (video game)|Animal Crossing]]''<ref name="30 Nintendo Life"/>

| style="text-align: center"| Kelsey Lewin

| {{ISBNT|978-1-940535-34-0 }}

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| colspan=5 class="description" style="background:#FFFFFF; border-bottom:3px solid #CCCCFF"|

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===Anthologies===

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{{reflist|refs=

<ref name=about>{{cite web| url=http://bossfightbooks.com/pages/about| title=About| work=Boss Fight Books| accessdate=June 8, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=GT>{{cite video| url=http://www.gametrailers.com/full-episodes/s8ji1m/invisible-walls-episode-257--the-cold--console--war-is-heating-up| title=Episode 257: The Cold (Console) War Is Heating Up| series=[[Invisible Walls]]| minutes=15| date=June 7, 2013| accessdate=June 2, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=FP>{{cite web| url=http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/13/boss-fight-books-brings-the-video-game-nostalgia-in-paperback-form/| title=Boss Fight Books brings the video game nostalgia in paperback form| author=Matthew O'Mara| work=[[Financial Post]]| date=June 13, 2013| accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=PasteMGS>{{cite web| url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/08/metal-gear-solid-by-ashly-and-anthony-burch-review.html| title=Metal Gear Solid by Ashly and Anthony Burch Review| author=Cameron Kunzelman| work=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]| date=August 17, 2015| accessdate=September 26, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=IGMGS>{{cite web| url=http://indiegames.com/2015/08/metal_gear_solid_book_review_-.html| title=Metal Gear Solid Book Review - Of Two Minds| author=Joel Couture| work=[[Gamasutra#IndieGames.com|IndieGames.com]]| date=August 10, 2015| accessdate=September 26, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=Dublin>{{cite web| url=http://totallydublin.ie/more/features-more/critical-hit-boss-fight-books/| title=Critical Hit: Boss Fight Books| author=Aidan Wall| work=[[Totally Dublin]]| date=February 1, 2016| accessdate=April 3, 2016}}</ref>

<ref name="NLife 007">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/06/boss-fight-announces-new-documentary-book-focused-on-goldeneye-007 |title=Boss Fight Announces New Documentary Book Focused On GoldenEye 007 |last=Gray |first=Kate |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |date=June 23, 2022 |accessdate=July 8, 2022}}</ref>

<ref name="30 Nintendo Life">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/02/animal-crossing-is-the-latest-game-to-get-the-boss-fight-books-treatment |title=Animal Crossing Is The Latest Game To Get The Boss Fight Books Treatment |last=Hagues |first=Alana |work=[[Nintendo Life]] |publisher=[[Hookshot Media]] |date=February 15, 2023 |accessdate=February 23, 2023 }}</ref>

<ref name="31 Axios">{{cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/2023/02/21/minesweeper-game-microsoft |title=Minesweeper's history of controversy |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |work=[[Axios (website)|Axios]] |publisher=[[Cox Enterprises]] |date=February 22, 2023 |accessdate=February 23, 2023 }}</ref>

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