I am very happy that the River City/Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown series has continued to this day. River City Ransom was a formative game for my modern tastes. River City Girls, as a game, I don’t love as much. Its art style and soundtr?ack, ??on the other hand, I dig with both hands.

To be honest, I was practically married to the NES/Famicom art style of the series. Whenever it moved away from those rectangular meaty-armed brutes, I always felt like something was lost. However, in recent years, we’ve seen that art style preserved. Some of those games that lean on the old 8-bit art style have even felt a little hollow behind the aesthetic, which is probably why I connected so well with River City Girls.

Mis??ako and Kyoko have evolved from obscure side characters to headliners in their own right, and I love them for it. WayForward took the license, injected their own passion and vision,?? and cut out their own slice of it.

The Art of River City Girls is an incredibly?? well put together demonstration of that.

The Art of River City Girls collects artwork from River City Girls 1 and 2, as well as River City Girls Zero, which was WayForward’s localization of Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio-tachi no Banka. It’s a pretty all-encompassing look at the?? art, with concept art, sprite sheets, illustrations, and even versions of the manga-style cutscenes.

All of this is packaged in a cove??r that resembles a classic? yearbook. On top of that is a plastic slipcase that is a bit more product-y. I guess while we’re on the subject of actual product features, it’s over 300 pages (325 by my count).

It kicks off with a foreword by Adam Tierney. It’s the sort of introduction that starts with “It’s hard to believe,�?but after that, it gets right into some behind-the-scenes facts as it briefly recounts the initial pitch to Arc Systems Works, states that working on the River City/Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown series was a dream project for WayForward and shows off the? very first concept ar?twork depicting Kyoko and Misako (which still gets used in promotions).

The introduction encapsulates what I appreciate in this art?? book. There?’s art, background tidbits, and a vivid taste of the team’s enthusiasm for the property.

There’s another thing I like about The Art of River City Girls: abs. There are more six-packs than a liquor store in this tome, and I am absolutely on board. Of course, there’s Marian’s abs, the former damsel from Double Dragon and playable protagonist in River City Girls 2. There’s Kunio’s rival Riki who is too cool to wear his jacket and instead prefers to keep his midsection warm with worryingly tight sports tape. Really, though,?? I don’t think we get to see enough of Kozuki and her amazing washboard. Damn, girl. Mmm!

Most of the behind-the-scene information is done in brief blurbs alongside the artwork. They’re pretty interesting, providing context and background to many of the characters. This includes Sonny Lee being the third Double Dragon character (the Triple Dragon?) or Crash being based on the box art of Crash ‘N�?the Boys: Street Challenge (Bikkuri Nekketsu Shinkiroku! Haruka naru Kin-Medal).

Another great thing to see is the promotional artwork that introduces us to Pirate Kyoko, Vampi??re Misako, and Santa Abobo. These are pieces that I’m not even sure where they were originally posted or what they were used for, so it’s neat to have them preserved in this book.

When WayForward came to the River City/Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown they brought a lot of their own style, and that’s reflected in The Art of River City Girls. While the overwhelmi??ng majority of the book focuses entirely on WayForward’s work, it helps give context to its place ??within the overall property.

Judging from playing the games, it was the art team that had the most fun making them. The style is incredibly unique while still paying tribute to the games that it sprang from. Characters were pulled from all over the Kunio-verse in a loving depiction of the games. The Art of River City Girls feels like having them in your living room, excitedly pointing out everything you may have miss?ed.

The Art of River City Girls is available at Fangamer.

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Cue-ball Babe

A teasing look at the art book that comes packaged with the Street Fighter 6 Mad Gear Box, (that's a "collector's edition" to you and me), has given SF players a glimpse at some of the cool concept art that has gone into the redesign of the 18 World Warriors that feature in the fantastic-looking sequel. More importan??tly, however, it has offered us the hypothetical pleasures of a bald Juri.

The new images, pulled directly from the final draft of the art book, were shared on Twitter by Street Fighter 6 director Taka Nakayama, and offer a sneak peek at the initial design ideas for new characters such as Jamie and Kimberly, as well as the revitalized drips for veteran?s such as Chun-Li and Ryu. One teased page also features examples of the excellent fan art of th??e characters, drawn by attendees of the 2022 Tokyo Game Show.

All of the above, however, pales in comparison with a concept drawing of my home girl, sporting the shiniest of chrome domes. Shorn of her trademark hair buns, Juri is seen with the most perfectly beautiful orb cranium you ever did see, leaving us all to imagine the joys of a Juri "Cue Ball" outfit. Now, all jesting aside, this is clearly just a piece of concept art, designed purely to show the art team the structure of our favorite Korean buzzsaw �?But still, I've seen it, you've?? ??seen it, and now it needs to become a reality. Bald Juri Alt Now.

The Street Fighter 6 Mad Gear Box is now available to pre-order from select retailers. It contains a copy of Street Fighter 6 on PlayStation or Xbox, the Year 1 Ultimate DLC pass, the art book, steelbook casing, a selection of stickers, and two figurines of Luke and Kimberly, as designed by quality merch-makers Pop-Up Parade. It should also be noted that the set is not cheap, retailing at a princely $249 USD.

Street Fighter 6 launches June 2, 2023 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Be sure to check out the 50 things I loved in the beta, my impressions on the sequel so far, as well as my own suggestions on the 10 World Warriors who would fit right into the new title as post-laun??ch DLC.

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A big leak springs ahead of the Zelda launch

A heads-up for those looking to stay spoiler-free ahead of the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: it looks like the art book as leaked online.

Over the weekend, over 200 pages of what looks to be The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom art book leaked online and seeped through various channels. W??e won't be sharing any links or posting any of the leak here, though we've taken a look ourselves to verify its existence.

Without divulging any details, it does look like the art book for the upcoming Breath of the Wild sequel. And the nice part is, from a cursory scan, nothing jumped out as an obvious spoiler. Still, it's worth being aware that this info is out there, in case you want to go into Tears of the Kingdom as fresh as possible.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYZuiFDQwQw

Art of the kingdom

It's especially interesting that an art book would leak so far ahead of the release date. We're still a ways out from Tears of the Kingdom's release date of May 12, 2023. This art book is part of what's included in the collector's edition of the game. It is strange that so much info would make it out from the book, three months ahea?d of time.

Still, fans are likely hungry for more information, as it feels like we don't know a ton about this new Zelda. Points like the main antagonist, or the reason why Hyrule is now home to so many floating islands, are all still theories at this time. I'm sure fans are likely to pick this Zelda?? art book apart looking for any? info on what could be arriving in May.

In the meantime, rev up those muted keywords and hashtags if you're looking to avoid all of it. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom arrives on May 12, 2023.

Related: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be 38 ??percent bigger than BOTW as file size revealed on Dot Esports

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Get a closer look at the Lands Between

For super fans, buying an art book can be one of the most gratifying pieces of merch you can collect, whether it's for their favorite show, film, or of course, game. I'm someone who really loves to see how the sausage gets made, and having a book I can flip through from time to time and get a peek at the artistic process behind one of my favorite things is weirdly important to me. If you're a fan of Elden Ring and feel the same way, you're in for a treat, becaus?e FromSoftware has opened the pre-orders for the game's two-volume art ??book.

As the best books usually are, these volumes are both oversized hardbacks at 8.25" x 11.75". There's plenty of content for FromSoft to show off, because the first volume is 432 pages, and the second is 384 pages long. The former will feature art of the game's opening cinematic, as well as key art, concept art, and development design documents focused on the Lands Between, its dungeons, characters, and armor designs. The latter vol??ume will highlight the game's enemies, items, and weapons.

[caption id="attachment_356578" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via FromSoftware[/caption]

It's looking like Amazon is the only place to pre-order the books in the western regions as of now, but there's a chanc??e that they'll be available from other retailers once we're closer to the July 25, 2023 release date. As of now the books are also both listed for $59.99 a pop, so they'll be an i?nvestment for sure.

For a game as big and beautiful as Elden Ring, it would be a real shame for any of the development work to go unnoticed, because the team clearly worked hard to bring its world to life. Like I said, I love art books on principle, but I truly can't think of a property?? that's more deserving of one.

[Featured Image via FromSoftware]

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Clear space on the shelf, you're gonna need it

Elden Ring is a massive game -- not only in its sprawling map that provides hundreds of hours of gameplay, but also in the cultural impact it's had in games this year. It's fitting, then, that FromSoft is releasing an equally massive two-volume art book collection (via PC Gamer), each of which is 400 pages long. They've released a book of concept art for every game since Dark Souls, but this will be the longest one?? in? the collection by far.

Volume 1 will focus on the art of locations, NPCs, and armor, and Volume 2 will feature enemies, weapons, and items. The books are available to purchase individually for $31 each, or if you're an Elden Ring superfan, you can buy the set in the Ultra Edition, which retails for $125 and comes with a box to house the bo??oks, as we??ll as a framed art print featuring everyone's favorite boss, Godfrey.

The Elden Ring art books are out on November 30 in Japan, and while we don't have a releas?e date for other regions just yet, it can't be too far behind.

Something else to look forward to are the interviews with the Elden Ring design team, including?? director Hidetaka Miyazaki, that are a staple of the books.

We haven't had those interviews officially confirmed for the Elden Ring books, but? they've always been a staple, so it would be a surprise if they weren't included. Because the FromSoft ??art books have been such a tradition, a lot of the unknown info feels more like a "when" rather than an "if."

While I don't have any of the Soulsborne art books yet myself, I do have plenty of others. Art in games is always so unique, plus it's cool to see how elements like cha??racters and environments have evolved over the course of a game's devel??opment.

Considering Elden Ring has one of the most beautiful open worlds in games, it??'s pretty much a guarantee that this is gonna be a must-have for art book collectors.

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Dtoid's Got Talent

I don't have to tell you guys this, but I will anyway: Destructoid has the best community on the internet. Over the ten-plus years I've been around and five-plus I've been on staff, I've made friends, colleag?ues, met several community members from far and wide, and even met my wife �?all thanks to the power of community.

So when a community member gets involved in the industry, it's our civic duty to highlight their achievements and shill their wares on the site! After all, you get what you give.

[caption id="attachment_341942" align="alignnone" width="640"] _{They tried to get a new Darkstalkers game but Capcom said, "No, no, no."}[/caption]

Eagle-eyed readers will recall darrenhupke's first project, compiling a sweet coffee table book filled with screenshots from all Sony-published titles on the PlayStation 1. How do I know it's sweet? Duh, I have a copy! Not content to just publish one PS1 compendium, creator Darren Hupke is back at it with another book highlighting all Capcom-published games on Sony's first?? little b?east of a console.

Capcom's PlayStation: A Chronological Visual Retrospective features over 45 games, 275 pages, and 750 screenshots similar to the first project, now complete with a little writeup and/or trip down memory lane for each game. Included are all-time classics such as Resident Evil (with the book covering all three versions released on PSX), Mega Man Legends, and Dino Crisis, but also some lesser-known titles such as Street Fighter: The Movie (which was Capcom's first PSX release!) and Freestyle Boardin' '99. If Capcom dropped it ??on th?e PlayStation, Darren is here to pick it up.

When asked about the project, Hupke said, "I decided to do this project based on a follow-up from my last project. I’m a hu?ge PlayStation fan ??and nostalgia nerd for this stuff from my childhood and if I’m being honest, I’m doing this for myself! I want this book on my shelf so I can thumb through it and remember and reflect on all these games I loved years ago. I know others will love it, too, but it didn’t exist and since no one else was going to do it this way I decided to do it myself! Looking back at a complete set of games from specific publishers in chronological order is ridiculously niche and nerdy, but it’s rad."

[caption id="attachment_341944" align="alignnone" width="1254"] _{Work-in-progress image of a page from the book. Who else's favorite is Street Fighter Alpha 3?}[/caption]

Th??e most impressive part of all of this is the work that went into it. Instead of relying on ancient press screens, scans from magazines, or random internet searches, Hupke pulled each and every screenshot manual?ly.

"I wanted to keep the '??visual' part of the book as the driving reason to dive in to it. So the screenshots are all a majority of the page real estate and each game has a minimum of 16 screenshots, one of which is a giant double page spread. For technology reasons I emulated the games and captured thousands of screens shots mapping a snapshot button to my controller. I’d play through most games as much as I could and use communi??ty saves to find key moments and late game scenes, secrets and bonus content, as well."

If you're interested in this Capcom book, or just here to support your fellow Dtoider, check out the book's Kickstarter page. Lord knows I will.

_{[Disclaimer: The author supported the creator's first book, but has not yet backed this particular work.]}

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New printings of the Dark Souls: Design Works trilogy are now available from Udon

It's been a good long time since we've had a reason to bring up Dark Souls: Design Works �?and it's amusing to go back and read Chris' thoughts about the art book from 2014. If you're in the mood to look at some badass dark-fantasy imagery, it's never too late. Udon Entertainment has issued reprints of the Design Works books for the whole trilogy.

The main difference with these reprints is that they sport new cover art. I'm sure some readers will prefer the original tome-like cover design, which is classy, but I'll admit that I'm a sucker for the cr??azed Gwyn concept art �?that ?fiery backdrop really pops.

These hardcover books focus on concept art, key visuals, and character and monster designs, but there are interviews with From Software developers, including big boss Hidetaka Miyazaki. So if you want to see the Ca??pra Demon ??up close, this is your chance.

[caption id="attachment_335188" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The new covers use "production artwork."}[/caption]

Where to buy 'em

• Dark Souls: Design Works on Amazon for $33.08
• Dark Souls II: Design Works on Amazon for $44.99
• Dark Souls III: Design Works on Amazon for $44.99

At 128 pages, Dark Souls: Design Works is the lightest of the group; the scattershot Dark Souls II has 240 pages, while Dark Souls III comes out on top with 336 pages.

Remember the first time you gazed out on Irithyll of the Boreal Valley? An unforgettable sight, f??or sure. (Followed by an equally unforgettable go??tcha moment.)

According to Udon, the three Dark Souls: Design Works books are now ba?ck in stock "while supplies last." The original printings "may still be available at some retail outlets."

If you've already been there and done that with the Dark Souls trilogy, it's worth reminding everyone that Elden Ring will be getting a pair of official guide books �?the Books of Knowledge �?from Future Press later this year. I'm imagining some?? future grandkids unearthing a whole shelf full of From Software art books in a cluttered storage unit.

The post Dark Souls: Design Works art books are ??back with new covers appeared first on Destructoid.

Art Attack

This year saw the wild, off-the-wall Danganronpa franchise celebrate its 10th anniversary. And Monokuma and friends certainly did so in style, with mobile remasters,  a fresh in-house publisher, and an excellent web series, shining the spotlights on the grisly-yet-gripping murder myster??y anthology.

Spike Chunsoft isn't quite done just yet, as pre-orders are now open on Danganronpa Decade, a lavish art compendium that reflects on every entry in the cult gaming franchise. Danganronpa Decade compiles several previously released tomes, housing a total of four titles and a whopping 1,500 pages of artwork, concept sketches, storyboards, and more - all pulled from the twisted minds of Danganronpa directo??r Kazutaka Kodaka and series designe??r/artist Rui Komatsuzaki.

In addition to the reproduced artwork, each book features production notes, fan surveys, and developer interviews - though unfortunately Danganronpa Decade is only available in Japanese. If you want to pick up a copy for your own bookshelf, then pre-orders are open right now at various importers. Retailing for ¥18,700, or roughly $170 USD, Danganronpa Decade is admittedly quite expensive, but is certainly an opulent piece of merchandising for the dedicated Danganronpa fan.

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Two decades of art and insight into Double Fine Productions

I kind of can't believe Double Fine has been around for 20 years. Where were you when you first heard about Psychonauts? At this point, I'm not even sure – but maybe a slick art? book will jog my memory.

In collaboration with Indie By Design, Double Fine Productions is coming out with 20 Double Fine Years, a history-recapping art book "with over 280 pages of commentary, con?cept art, and key visuals.??"

New interviews were conducted with Tim Schafer, current and former staff members, and "many of the studio's long term collaborators." Game-wise, the book covers everything from Psychonauts and Brutal Legend to Iron Brigade and Costume Quest to the Day of the Tentacle and Full Throttle remasters.

The price is reasonable enough: $50 for the basic version??, $65 for the Legend Edition with a cloth cover and gold-foil logo, and shipping is free the US and UK, so the bill won't jump when you checkout.

20 Double Fine Years will be released in Q2 2021.

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Almost Ret-2-Go

It's taken some time to hit the shelves, but it seems that publisher Udon is now accepting pre-orders for The Art of Shantae, which was first announced way back at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017, when Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was still a brand new release!

The Art of Shantae is a hefty 224-page hardcover that will be no doubt packed full of colourful artwork, designs, concepts and sketches of WayForward's wonderful platforming ?series. Fans can expect images of Shantae and her pals Rottytops, Sky, Bolo, and Uncle Mimic, as well as enemies and frenemies such as The Squid Baron, the Seven Sirens, Giga Mermaid, and the notorious pirate, Risky Boots.

The Shantae franchise is renown for shaking up its art style with each new release, and this visual compendium will spotlight the ever-changing worlds and characters of Shantae (2002), Shantae: Risky's Revenge (2010) Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (2014) Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (2016) and Shantae and the Seven Sirens (2019)

The Art of Shantae is available to pre-order now over on Amazon at a cost of around $50 USD, with a tentative release date of December 1, 2020. It's taken its sweet time to arrive, but this meaty tome looks set to deliver for all die-hard fans of the half-genie hero. I can't wait!

The Art of Shantae available to pre-order [@Wario64]

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Shepard.

While things have been very quiet on the Mass Effect front as of late, fans will be pleased to hear that publisher Dark Horse has opened pre-orders on a surprise release in its range of video game tomes: The Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition.

As spotted by Eurogamer, this new coffee-table tome is a bumper edition of the original art book released by Dark Horse back in 2012 and will boast 272 pages crammed full of sketches, design concept, speed-paintings, and portraits of the ch??aracters and l?ocations that made BioWare's holy trinity such a memorable and indelible RPG experience.

The Expanded Edition will feature all of the art from the original release, but will also include new chapters featuring latter-day DLC expansions such as ME 2's Lair of the Shadow Broker and ME 3's amusing Citadel. I'm a big fan of the original release - currently staring at me from my bookshelf as we speak - and I'm definitely in the market for a revision. Penguin House currently has listed a r??elease date of Febr?uary 23, 2021.

Now... about that trilogy remaster...

Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition book pops-up ?for pre-order [Eurogamer]

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This is never leaving my coffee table

It's known far and wide that Destructoid has hands-down the most open, welcoming, talented, and excellent community on the internet. And whenever possible, we like to showcase readers' industry exploits to give bac??k to the readers that have given so much to us.

So of course when Dtoid member dar??renhupke let us know he was making a book compiling screens from the PS1-era, we jumped righ?t on board to show him some love.

Sony's PlayStation: A Chronological Visual Retrospective of SCEA Published Games from 1995-2005&nbs??p;is one hell of an undertaking, and one hell of a cool concept. Creator Darren Hupke has compiled screenshots for every SCEA-published game in the original PlayStation's catalog in chronological order -- that's over 150 games, 700 pages, and 1,000 screenshots of games we know and love.

And by compiled, I mean he did this all himself. Darren pulled his own screenshots from each and every game, resulting in consistency with the quality and theme. Each title contains the title screen and at least six screens, with a? select number of games (usually the bigger releases) seeing even more space to show off the nostalgic goodness.

So, why games published by Sony Computer Entertainment of America? "I singled Sony out, as they are the publisher who had the best variety and represented what the PlayStation was over anyone else." While some notable releases didn't make the cut, many bigger titles such as Final Fantasy VII did, as Squaresoft had a publishing deal with Sony at the time. If a??ll goes well, future projects could see games from different publishers such as Capcom or Konami.

If you're interested in the book, or even just helping out a fellow Dtoider, check out the book's Kickstarter page.

_{[Disclaimer: The author of this article has not backed this or any other Kickstarter project, but plans to change that with this one.]}

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Plus, a mega-expensive bust

Atreus' journal comes to life later this year. As Kratos battled through Norway in God of War, his son diligently kept track ??of their travels. You'll be able?? to get your hands on it in the fall.

God of War is celebrating its second anniversary today, and Sony Santa Monica figures it's a good opportunity to remind everyone that God of War: Lore and Legends is still on its way. Published by Dark Horse, this hardcover tome is a tangible recreation of the diary Atreus kept during God of War. The 120-page book is also said to have a?n expanded bestiary, character dossiers, and new lore detai?ls. It's currently scheduled to release on September 9 at a price of $35.

For anyone who likes their merch less discreet and way more expensive, Sony Santa Monica also revealed a 25-inch Kratos bust made by Gaming Heads. It's ultra-detailed, super realistic, and hella expensive. This grizzled Kratos runs $800, and is limited to 500 units. Take a good look because we all know y??ou're not?? plunking down that kind of cash:

God of War: Lore and Legends HC [Dark Horse]

God of War: Kratos Life Size Bust (Norse) [Gaming Heads]

The post This new God of War book is all from the son’s perspective appeared first on Destructoid.

This is going to be a treasure trove

It's tough to fully appreciate the craftsmanship in Cuphead's art design when you're battling bosses or running and gunning through foe-filled gauntlets. With that in mind, I'm looking forward to cozying up with The Art of Cuphead, a 264-page hardcover art book f?rom Studio MDHR and Dark Horse.

We've known about the book for quite a while – pre-orders opened all the way back in October 2019 – but this week, there's a neat (albeit slight) update. The game's creators preview??ed several pages.

The first excerpt from The Art of Cuphead ?delves into the red-nosed hero??'s design philosophy.

And the second set covers Elder Kettle's house, complete with a nod to dear ??old Cranky Kong.

I'm excited to glean more behind-the-scenes details in the full book, which is due out March 17, 2020. If you're thinking of pre-ordering, Amazon has The Art of Cuphead listed for $27.99 – that's 30% off.

Studio MDHR [Twitter]

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Remember when the internet lost its mind over Bowsette?

Has there been enough of a gap that you could head back into Super Mario Odyssey and experience it with mostly fresh eyes? I think I'm about at that point. Some key moments in the game – a certain musical number, a world fueled by pure nostalgia, and a painful gauntlet – will have lost their original impact, but? otherwise? The rest feels like a blur. I'm ready to play this precious adventure again.

If and when that time comes for you, it might be worth picking up The Art of Super Mario Odyssey to supplement your playthrough. Following its release in Japan last year, the English-language version of the book is finally out this week in North?? America courtesy of D?ark Horse. I didn't end up importing it.

The 368-page art book goes on sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble starting November 5. It'll normally cost $49.99, but right now, retai??lers have it for $34.99. An early Christmas present, perhaps. (Just in case Santa's helpers are reading, I have an extra-wide stocking to accommodate cool gifts like this.)

Along with concept art, sketches, and notes, The Art of Super Mario Odyssey offers "insight into some early ideas that didn't make it into the game itself." One high-profile example: Bowsette.

I sincerely hope Nintendo explores some of its unused concepts in a Super Mario Odyssey sequel.

The Art of Super Mario Odyssey hardcover [Dark Horse]

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A look behind-the-scenes at the remade classics

A listing has appeared on retail website Amazon for an art book based on Activision's 2018 remake Spyro Reignited Trilogy. The listing expects that the 240-page tome will be publ?ished in? July 2020 and retail for around $45.

There are currently no images of the book's contents, but the listing notes that "The Art of Spyro is a meticulously crafted compendium filled with in-depth behind-the-scenes content, insightful quotes from top illustrators in the industry, anecdotes from the game developers, and a dazzling assortment of incredible concept art, some of which has nev??er been seen by the public."

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a title that doesn't just re??create the classic PlayStation titles, but imbues them with new life and character, redesigning many of Spyro's pals such as Sheila, Bianca, Hunter and Elora from the ground-up, while fleshing out its colourful kingdoms with gorgeous detail. It stands to reason that this upcoming book will celebrate Toys for Bob's work on giving these beloved titles a fresh l?ook for a modern audience.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is available now on P??S??4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

The Art of Spyr??o Reignited Trilogy se?t for release July 2020 [Go Nintendo]

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Egghead likes his booky-wook

Publisher Mondo Books has partnered with UK publisher Bitmap Books to bring the latter's range of retrospectiv?e tomes to North America, following on from their previous success in Europe. Available to purchase now from the official MondoTees website, the collection includes the following titles:

The CRPG Book: A Guide to Computer Role-Playing Games, a 500-page guide to over 400 classic adventure games, dating as far back as 1975. Titles featured include the Ultima series, Wizardy, Fallout and Mass Effect.

The Art of Point-and-Click Adventure Games, a 460-page hardback which looks at the history and legacy of titles in the amazing LucasArts series, as well as games such as King's Quest, Myst and Blade Runner.

Neo Geo: A Visual History, containing page after page of colourful artwork from SNK glut of arcade shmups, fighters and sports titles, including franchises such as Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown and The King of Fighters.

Finally, The Super Famicom Box Art Collection is a clas??sy hardback tome that selects 250 of the very best Japanese b??ox offered the Super Famicom, complete with a small write up on each release.

Mondo also re-released the popular NES/Famicom: A Visual Compendium and SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium titles, but sadly both of these titles are already out of stock. I have picked up a few Bitmap Books in the past, and have always found them a wonderful way to spend a lazy afternoon. If you're interested in purchasing any of these books, then head on over to the MondoTees website.

This month in books: Classic video game art [Mondo]

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Objet D'artsiders

THQ Nordic's recent release Darksiders III may not have quite set cash registers ringing as planned, but at least made a name for itself with its heavy metal, super-edgy atmosphere and art style. It's a style that the Darksiders series is particularly adept at, all twisted monsters, beef??y heroes and spiky shoulder pads.

Publisher Udon has collected the artwork of said game in a new hardback tome. The Art of Darksiders III is 208 full-colour pages of concept, interim and final art, featuring our anti-hero Fury, her companions and enemies, as well as the hellish landscapes that ??she traverses throughout her violent adventure.

If that wasn't enough for any budding Darksiders aficionado, then Udon is also re-issuing the long out-of-print Art of Darksiders and Art of Darksiders II books, also in sleek hardback form. Each of these ?volumes features of 200 page of images, covering the j??ourneys of Fury's buddies War and Death, respectively.

The Art of Darksiders reissues on May 7, to be followed by The Art of Darksiders II on June 4 and, finally, The Art of Darksiders III on July 9. Each volu???me will retail for around $50 USD.

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From Viz Media

Akira Toriyama is arguably the most well-known artist out of Japan. His name is synonymous with two of the most popular franchises in the world: Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest. The former is his own creation, one that came to life over 11 years in the pages of Weekly Shoñen Jump and created a massive media empire that's given us anime, movies, and one of the best fighting games ever ma??de.

The other is a series he initially didn't want to work on, as I found out in the preamble to Dragon Quest Illustrations, a new art book from Viz Media encompassing 30 years of the franchise. He had to be begged to give the project a shot back when Enix and Yuji Horii were trying to get it off the ground. Now, it's a series that just wouldn't look the same without his artistic input. Dragon Quest Illustrations is an illustrious look at all the creations Toriyama has introduced into the Dragon Quest franchise, and while it succe??eds at showcasing his talent and creativity, it's pretty barebones as an art book.

The book cover for Dragon Quest Illustrations is a great indication of what you'll find on most of the 240 pages within: character art on plain white backgrounds. The art is presented chronologically, with each game getting its own set of pages dedicated to the characters and creatures Toriyama created for it. Going back to the earliest games and reading through to the most recent is a wonderful glimpse at how he has come into his own as an artist and how his creations have really shaped the world of Dragon Quest. 

There are also a few pages dedicated to the box art Toriyama created as well as some magazine covers. Characters and creatures from Dragon Quest spin-o?ffs are her??e as well, but their sections are quite short and limited to just a few characters each.

If you're expecting some sort of glimpse into Toriyama's creative process, you may be disappointed. There are no rough drafts or early concepts of characters. All of the illustrations included here are of the final art found in the various game manuals and promotional materials. There are some alternate color patterns for enemies in Dragon Quest and a few cute examples of unused pixelated designs from Dragon Quest II, but most e??verything in here is the cleaned up/ready-for-display artwork that we've been admiring for the past thr??ee decades.

Maybe I've been spoiled by other art books that really go deep into the process, but as I perused the pages of Dragon Quest Illustrations I couldn't rid myself of the nagging feeling that it was a bit underwhelming. Toriyama's art is strong enough to stand on its own and maybe that's why Viz Media decided to put his work on plain white backgrounds, but something that's supposed to be covering 30 years of a celebrated franchise, one famous for its character illustrations, should have a bit more production value. There are small notes written by Toriyama on some of the pages, a few different character expressions for a couple of his creations, and? a handful of the designs here ultimately went unused, but other than that it's al??l just art we've all seen before, presented without an ounce of grandeur.

It's also without his most recent work. Though the hero from Dragon Quest XI appears on the cover, there is no dedicated section for the game. This book was originally published in 2016 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the series. Dragon Quest XI didn't come out until 2017 and as such, the only included art is that of the protagonist. Now in 2018, with the game available for fans worldwide, nothing has changed. More art from the most recent title could ??have been added to this international release to keep it current with Toriyama's contributions ?to the games, but it seems that wasn't in the cards.

Despite sounding a bit down on the book, I still do like Dragon Quest Illustrations because I am first and foremost a fan of the franchise and Mr. Toriyama's contribution into making it the iconic RPG it is today. It doesn't tell me anything about how he went through the process of making each and every character, but it does give me a crystal clear look at the gorgeous final product. Dragon Quest Illustrations&n??bsp;is available starting today with an MSRP of $34.99.

_{[This impression is based on a retail version of the book provided by the publisher.]}

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Minit anyone?

I've always been a collector. I think it's something I get from my father. He has a massive sports card and memorabilia collection kept away in boxes in mint to near mint condition, accumulating value until he's able to retire, sell all of it, and use the proceeds to take my mom on trips around t?he country. Collecting sports souvenirs has been his hobby as long as I can remember.

I don't have much in the way of sports tchotchkes, only the occasional Seahawks collectible. My passion for collecting has always been a bit geekier. It started with keychains, then X-Men car?ds -- lord I had and probably still have hun??dreds of those -- before moving onto video games. During the Wii and DS eras, I bought every game I could. When I realized I would never have time to play all of those games, nor want to for many of them, I shifted my focus to video game action figures.

My toy collection is weak compared to others on staff at Destructoid, and by others I mean Chris Carter, but it's growing slowly with each new Link and Ness figure that is released. Growing far more rapidly than that collection is my library of art books. Starting with The Art of Splatoon, my art book collection has expanded to command its own shelf in my library. Splatoon, Zelda, Mario, Warriors Orochi and more make up my collection and it'll grow even bigger next month when Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Editi?on releases on December 11.

That book covers 30 years of Dragon Quest games, but really you can make a worthwhile artbook using the art of a single game, and 2018 has had some amazing looking games. From the straight-up anime Dragon Ball FighterZ to last month's Red Dead Redemption 2, the art direction, character designs, and landscapes found in this year's releases have been nothing short of amazing. Thinking about Dragon Quest Illustrations got me wondering which titles from 2018 I'd love to see an art book of. So many are already available, including God of War, Spider-Man, and Assassin's Creed Odyssey, but for my money, I'd love to see Onion Games put out a book on Black Bird.

Really, the entirety of the Onion Games library should be put on paper, but Black Bird is truly a magnificent work of art. It's only four levels long, but each level is bubbling with detail, secrets, and designs that prove there is still so?? much power in perfect pixel art. The third stage of that game is without a doubt the most beautifully designed 2D level I've ever seen and I'd like nothing more than to get a massi?ve art print of it framed and hanging from my bedroom wall.

That's me, now I want to know what y??ou have to say. Which game from 2018 do you think would make for the best art book? Let me know in the comments b??elow.

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The Art of Super Mario Odyssey

Talk about uncanny timing. Just as the princess fan art movement ensnares the internet, a new art book called The Art of Super Mario Odyssey released this week in Japan. There are already a few notable discoveries in its pages, but it doesn't get much more double-take-inducing than this: Nintendo toyed around with the idea of Bowser using a cap to take over Princess Peach's body in Odyssey.

That's right. Ther??e's a Princess Bowser concept straight from the minds at Nintendo.

So in THE ART OF SUPER MARIO ODYSSEY that came out in Japa?n today, there's an scrapped concept of Bowser taking over Peach's body with his own version of Cappy.

Kind of surreal how there could have been an "official" Bowsette long before the fan one took over the internet. pic.twitter.com/gSMOqNDKKf

— Nao (@Sakusuru) September 28, 2018

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I want to see Nintendo use this stuff in a game.

Odyssey was overflowing with creative i?deas as is, so it makes some sense that the Princess Bowser scene from this concept art didn't make the cut. I mean, you have to save something for the sequel.

Sakusuru [Twitter] [Thanks, Zero Star]

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Learn the origin of Revali's assholishness

_{[Header courtesy of sandara]}

[Update: Amazon now currently has the Hero??'s Edition available for reservation.]

A few months ago, Dark Horse Comics announced it would be releasing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion in the West. The book is a translation of the Japanese Breath of the Wild - Master Works design document that includes interviews with developers behind the game and artwork from the title's development period. It will fit right at home with the previous Hyrule Historia, Arts & Artifacts and Zelda Encyclopedia books that fans have.

If you were curious when that was actually coming, we now have an official release date. Creating a Champion will hit store shelves on November 20 and it will be packing a very fetching deluxe edition package. Sporting a lovely blue color scheme, the "Hero's Edition" variant also includes a c??loth map of Hyrule, a replica glass spirit orb and a photo of Link standing with the guardians at his home in Hateno Village.

The regular edition will be going for $39.99, while the deluxe version is sitting at a cool $99.99. Both are currently available for pre-order from Dark Horse Comics while Amazon only has the regular edition.

Dark Horse Comics [Twitter]

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But where's that spinning G-Loc cab?

Pop-up books were all the rage back when I was a kid. They were a lot of fun, ??until they got replaced by... I dunno... Screamer videos? Regardless, it was a lot of fun turning the page slowly an??d watching all of the cleverly-constructed paper models transforming before your very eyes.

Over on Kickstarter, an independent publisher are hoping to keep the dream alive with Sega Arcade: Pop-up History, a fun tome that will feature cool 3D models of five of the developer's best remembered cabs: Hang-On, Space Harrier, Out Run, Thunder Blade and After Burner. Each page will feature detailed information about each title, alongside a beautifully? paper-crafted mode??l of the cabinet.

The project is already halfway to its goal of £40,000, though it must be noted that all designs are subject to approval by Sega themselves I think this is a really neat a?nd would make for a very unique addition to your gaming bookshelf. Here's hoping the team find funding soon, allowing us all to travel back to a time when the cabinet design was a large part of the game's appeal.

Sega Arcade: Pop-up History is currently crowdfunding over on Kickstarter.

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Dark Horse Comics are at it again!

Released late last year in Japan, Breath of the Wild - Master Works was a collection of design documents around 2017's smash hit that included art work, developer interviews and a whole lot more. It basically followed in the vein of things like Hyrule Historia and Arts & Artifacts, just with ?a focus on a single game instead of the whole franchise. Thanks to Dark Horse Comics, that book is now heading West under a brand new title.

Dubbed Breath of the Wild - Creating a Champion, the book is currently up for pre-order on Amazon (US and Canada) with a price of $3??9.9?9/$53.99 CDN. The official description for the book reads:

This book features nearly fifty pages of sketches and official illustrations from Takumi Wada, two-hundred and ninety-six pages of ?design artwork and commentary about the making of the game from the creators, a fifty-five-page historical section that divulges the history of Hyrule as it is known in-game, and interviews with key members of the development team–Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Satoru Takizawa, Takumi Wada, and Eiji Aonuma. Witness the making of a champion!

I've greatly enjoyed the previous offerings Nintendo has made, so count me in for this. There isn't an official release date yet, but we can probably expect it to land before 2018 is over. We're still waiting for the Zelda Enclyclopedia, so I wouldn't expect this to hit shelves soon.

The West is getting The Legend of Zelda: Master Works under a new name [Zelda Universe]

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Sounds like a glorious compilation

It looks like Dragon Quest XI isn't the only thing in the franchise we can look forward to owning later this year. During Anime Boston '18, Viz Media announced its plans to release Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition in Engl?ish. Judging by its title, it seems like the perfect art book for anyone who enjoys the series.

Considering this book contains around 500 illustrations by Akira Toriyama, we may be getting the best artwork from every game in the series. Even though his stuff suffers from having too many similar characters (such as Dragon Quest VIII's Angelo resembling Dragon Ball Z's Trunks), I've always enjoyed the whimsical feel his design?s give? off. 

Despite my experience with Dragon Quest being VIII and the DS remake of IV, it's one of those series that I know I'll lo??ve as I journey through the rest of them. Overall, their traditional aspects and comedic nature rubbe??d me in the right ways, so I hope to catch up one day.

Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition hits North America in December 2018, which sounds like a great thing for players who may finish Dragon Quest XI by then. 

Viz Media [Twitter]

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Now available to order from Japan

A new book was released in Japan this week celebrating thirty years of Capcom's incredible, genre-defining fighting game franchise, Street Fighter.

The Street Fighter Memorial Archive: Beyond the World is a 256-page tome packed full of artwork and info from three decades of digital f??ighting action. Although the text is obviously in Japanese, the book is filled with pictures from some of the franchise's legendary artists, such as Akiman, Murata and Fuzichoco.

This is the second 30th Anniversary compendium to date, as Capcom themselves put out their own 250+ page celebration, Dynamite publishing's Undisputed Street Fighter, in December 2017.

Street Fighter Memorial Archive, which is available to purchase from Amazon Japan and Play-Asia, is pric?ed at ¥4000, or abo??ut $38. This obviously doesn't include shipping costs or any customs charges.

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Free admission, too!

Sega will be holding a Yakuza 6 art exhibit at the Nucleus Art Gallery in Alhambra, California from March 17 until April 1. Admission will be free to all with no RSVP required for the opening day. The event will include various pieces of fan tribute art, game artwo??rk, exclusive themed prints and even a recreation of the famous "Kamurocho Gate" from the series.

General producer of the Yakuza series, Daisuke Sato, will be present on opening day alongside renowned tattoo artist HORITOMO (the man who has designed all of the tattoos in each game) and both will be signing limited edition copies of the art book from the "Essence of Art" edition of Yakuza 6 for anyone that pre-orders the game at the event. The two will also be holding a Q&A with a "special announcement" to be given. ??Other goodies include an amazing looking T-shirt for sale at the event and a free "Ono Michio-kun" pin for the first 200 attendees.

I really wish I could get my hands on that t-shirt, but?? I won't be able to attend this event. It sounds like it will be awesome and I'd love to get to know more about the art behind each tattoo in the series. For anyone that is able to attend, make sure to send me pictures. I'm definitely envious of any native Californians right now.

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Off the Hook or Over the Hill?

An art-book for Nintendo's colourful shooter, Splatoon 2, was released in Japan this week, with page upon page of neon nightmares. More importantly, we finally got a canon answer to the question that's been bothering fan-fic writers worldwide: How old are Marina and Pearl?

The duo, collectively known as dreadful rap-rock outfit Off The Hook, were named Splatfest hosts earlier this year, replacing classy squid-sisters Callie and Marie.? When revealed, fans mocked Pearl for her gremlin-like qualiti?es, whilst fawning over her lovely Deejay partner. These fans are wrong, incidentally, Pearl is Queen of the World.

So, how old are Marina and her grumpy, pint-sized buddy? Well, according to the new book, Marina is eighteen, which figures, given her trendy millenial qualities. That just leaves Pearl, who I always assumed was probably ?about nine/ten, right?

Try twenty-one.

TWENTY ONE.

To be honest, the clues were there all along. You need a bit of life experience under your tentacles before you know the correct way to hang toilet paper, or time to develop a hard-edged cynicism of the world before you abandon that healthy bowl of Bran Flakes for a shit-ton of bacon and eggs. At least she can go on a U.S.-based bar crawl with you, even if? she is doomed? to get carded at every stop.

There we have it, what must surely be one of?? 2017's biggest video game controversies can finally be put to rest. Now we can all go back to ragging on Electronic Arts and loot boxes.

And remember: Don't ??get?? cooked, stay off the hook. BUH-BAM!

Iida (Marina) 18, Hime (Pearl) 21 pic.twitter.com/7jOWbpGSYJ

�?Eric B. Prater (@RecRoulette) November 30, 2017

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Remember when Mercy was a huge dude?

Overwatch's popularity is in no small part related to its bright, colourful and fun cast of heroes (and anti-heroes). The roster and surrounding universe of Blizzard's arena-shooter has helped to make the ??game a smash hit worldwide, as well as inspiring cosplayers, fan-artists and Rule 34 aficionados everywhere.

Now you can see all of the artistic decisions and creative choices that went into forming the Overwatch universe, thanks to the release of The Art of Overwatch, a huge tome from Dark Horse publishing. The new book features just over 350?? pages o?ver preliminary sketches, concept art and alternate designs for the game's locations, weaponry, vehicles and, of course, characters.

The book is available i?n a standard hardback edition and a Limited Edition featuring a magnetic clamshell cover, an acetate slipcover featuring Tracer, and three glossy prints. For all you Kindle-lover?s, the book is also available in digital format.

The Art of Overwatch, from Dark Horse, is available now.

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BUH-BLAM!

As tweeted out by GaijinHunter, it seems that Nintendo Japan are to release an art book this November featuring the stars of their competitive shooter Splatoon 2.

There is little information on the publication in the way of images, or ??the possibility of a localisation in the West, but we do get to see the cover in the migraine-inducing advert, which featured in Famitsu magazine.

Funnily enough, I think all the best Splatoon art is generally fan-art, there'????s some brilliant pieces out there and I'd like to see some of that collected in a volume. I'd post some, but twitter might shout at me again, so you'll have to go and take a look yourself.

The Splatoon 2 art book launches in Japan on November 29

New splatoon official art book coming Nov 29 pic.twitter.com/A87EmQD4n7

— Gaijinhunter (@aevanko) 18 October 2017

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