Unboxing
Live Stream Review!
By - Robert Bannert / Christine Bauer
Hey Gamerz,
Welcome to the review of The Unofficial SNES Pixel Book from Pixelcrib.com.au, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
First, I’ll start with the brief description from the hard cover.
'The definitive pixel art book for collectors, connoisseurs and fans, with hundreds of exclusive images, screenshots, maps and articles about the most beautiful video game classics of an unforgettable Era.
What an unforgettable era, I literally sit here and scroll my eye over the content of games and I try to limit myself to talk about only 5..... I know this is a hard task, but I have to. 4 attempts later and I have myself down to 24ish games, I don’t even try again as I know I will add more. Something about the SNES era has a deep place in my heart.
When questioned on our page or podcast what is my favourite gaming era, I always have to argue whether its PlayStation 1, or Super Nintendo. Super Nintendo definitely paved the way in the RPG era.
If you notice the bellow 24ish (I lost count every time I did a new read through) games, most are in that RPG category.
· Aladdin - page 20, 101, 120
· Lion king - page 118
· Bahamut Lagoon- page 242
· Battletoads - page 220
· Breath of Fire 1 / 2 - page 68, 84, 86
· Castlevania Vampires Kiss - page 18, 129, 154
· Chrono Trigger - page 61, 64, 69, 76 - 81
· Donkey Kong Country - page 113, 126
· Dragon Quest VI - page 60, 62, 63, 65, 69, 70
· Earth Bound - page 61, 88, 90
· Earthworm Jim - page 156
· Final fantasy IV, VI - page 69, 82, 83,
· Fire Emblem - page 254,255
· Flintstones - page 100, 113
· Illusion of Time - page 33, 48, 54
· Legend of Zelda - page 30,32-36, 42, 43, 48, 61
· Secret of Mana - page 33, 35, 42, 43, 48, 50, 61
· Star fox - page 198 - 200
· Super Mario World - page 98-100, 104, 112
· Super Mario Karts / rock and roll racing - page 260, 261
· Street fighter/s Turbo - 218 - 223
· Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- page 213, 216, 232, 233
I remember the first time slid the book out of its hard cover and just shook my head in awe. Unlike the last final fantasy XV artbook which Designed to be a coffee table piece, this books hard case puts it on the next level for a display piece. It makes the book super easy for showing off in a bookcase or a gaming room.
Unlike the last book review for PixelCrib.com.au which was Final Fantasy XV, being solely dedicated to the one single game, every single page full to the brim about a single item. This book is a Super Nintendo fans dream come true. Every page is full of retro goodness. To see cleaned up pixelated pictures that we all grew up with really digs deep into the heart strings.
The description of the book from pixelcrib.com.au goes on to explain -
Long before giant polygonal ships populated by gamer avatars soared through the digital cosmos, or highly tuned 3D race cars hurtled across photorealistic open-world landscapes, gaming was all about pixels.
At first, they were clunky affairs, made of simple forms and abstract shapes, barely recognisable as their real-world counterparts. But as gaming hardware became more powerful, so the artist’s craft began to take shape, producing beautiful, timeless artwork that reached its peak on Nintendo’s 16-bit Super Nintendo.
Created in collaboration with German publisher, Elektrospieler, the SNES Pixel Book is a lavish, 272-page volume celebrating the golden age of 16-bit gaming on Nintendo’s ultra-popular home console.
The book, which has been painstakingly translated from the original German text, features in-depth articles exploring the major genres to be found in the SNES’s huge portfolio of games. This is accompanied by tens of thousands of screenshots, specially taken, composed and selected for this volume, with a combination of single images, cut-outs, sprawling montages and gigantic level maps.
So, whether it’s a colossal spaceship, multi-screen boss monster, giant fortress, or a comprehensive level overview, you can admire your favorite games and characters in ways rarely seen before.
The book features a huge number of titles, from obscure oddities to the biggest classics, including Street Fighter II, Super Mario World, Super Castlevania IV, Axelay, Chrono Trigger, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Final Fantasy VI – all beautifully presented and preserved for eternity.
The many games have been divided into classifications, with thoughtful and fascinating insights into the evolution of genres and design trends, including their impact on today’s video game landscape. Overall, the project represents the culmination of many years of work by its authors, Robert Bannert & Christine Bauer, and translator Thomas Nickel.
The book is full colour throughout, beautifully printed on high quality paper, and sumptuously illustrated by some of the very best game artwork on the SNES. For connoisseurs of pixel art, fans of the Super Nintendo, or anyone simply wanting to reminisce about the 16-bit era, ‘The SNES Pixel Book’ will be a fine additional to your retro-gaming collection.
Specifications:
Hardback format with sewn binding.
Lithographic printing and comes with a spot-varnished, heavy board slipcase.
So I open the book and begin my hunt for goodies
The book is divided into sections
· Adventures and RPGS
· Platform games
· Platform action
· Platform adventures
· Action games
· The fighting game
· Other game genres (puzzle fun with Mario and friends)
· Strategies, Simulations and Oddities
· Athletes and asphalt warriors
But I can’t just hand pick where to begin so I just turn over the next page and work my way to the back. I repeat this action about half a dozen times, stopping only to smell the new pages every now and then. Much to my partners demise. (and Admin Larmans demise as well)
Hours later I realise its pitch black, my eyes are straining to read the words. How much time has gone by since I started even reading? I don’t even have a concept of time; I slide the book into its hard case and shake my head in awe
Pixelcrib.com.au has done it again, they have itched that certain scratch us Gamerz get every now and then.
If you have a loved one, a friend or even yourself your thinking of spoiling for Christmas then log into pixelcrib.com.au and get shopping.
Thanks a lot for having a read guys, I’m off to do a bit more shopping myself, who knows maybe something else from PixelCrib will arrive under my Christmas tree from Santa..... here’s hoping
Just remember gamerz,
- Gamerz Gotta Game, and It Will Never Be Game Over.
Written by Steven Dalzell
Hi there! Thank you for your great coverage of our book – really touched us! We hope that you are well and that you are not sitting in any region affected by the current fires! We are really looking forward to your reports on our upcoming books!