An A-Z List of Notable Books Gamers and Non-Gamers Will Love
The following A-Z list is filled with countless options bound to suit a gamer's fancy. Whether you like traditional card games, action-adventure, Japanese roleplay games, or survival horror this treasure trove has something for you. Even non-gamers will appreciate the stories told in these books or enjoy learning more about gaming history and culture.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Deserted Island Diary. Vol. 1
by Kokonasu Runba
Gamers who love this relaxing yet addicting simulator will love the stories of these islanders in this manga adaption of this Nintendo staple.
Assassin's Creed: Awakening
by Takashi Yano
Ubisoft's time-traveling historical action-adventure series continues in this manga adaptation of the fourth installment. Into this world sails a young, cocky, and fearsome captain named Edward Kenway. His skill with a sword and disdain for authority earn him the respect of pirate legends like Blackbeard, but thrust him into an ancient conflict that threatens to destroy everything the pirates have built.
Board Games in 100 Moves
by Ian Livingstone
From the first board game, Senet made by Egyptians 6000 years ago, to Dominoes in 1150, and the rise of Tarot, this book is a must-read for fans of board games. History fans will also enjoy learning about the invention of games like chess and Monopoly.
Call of Duty: Zombies
by Jason Blundell
Trapped on an unstable and fractured Earth of the future, the Tranzit crew must fight to escape with their lives for fans of this legendary first-person action series.
Death Stranding
by Hitori Nojima
In a tale eerily similar to COVID-19 times, Kojima Production's Death Stranding tells the story of a post-apocalyptic America trying to rebuild itself. Sam Porter Bridges is a legendary delivery man who helps reconnect America by making deliveries while avoiding dangerous otherworldly entities and rain that rapidly ages anything it touches in a tale forewarning the sixth extinction. Gamers and non-gamers will enjoy the novelization of this unique adventure and lesson in building bridges and making connections.
Devil May Cry: The Chronicles of Vergil
by Izu
2000 years ago, a war between demons and humans raged. The Legendary Dark Knight, Sparda, fought and saved humanity, leaving behind two twin sons, Dante and Vergil, who have become legendary swordsmen and each other's rivals as adults. Dante, who has dedicated his life to demon-slaying, has been imprisoned! It is now up to his brother and rival, Vergil, to rescue him. Fans of Capcom's action-horror series will enjoy this novelization and tale of these two brothers.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai. 1, Disciples of Avan I
by Riku Sanjo
One of Square Enix's longest running role-play series is brought to life in this manga adaptation. Fans of the classic Japanese RPG series will enjoy this incarnation of Dragon Quest.
Dungeons and Tombs
by Jim Zub
An introductory guide to the worlds of the leading fantasy role-playing game provides an immersive primer to the prisons, castles, traps, and labyrinths of the Dungeons & Dragons magical worlds. This book is a fit for old and new fans alike or for parents or older players looking to teach a new generation.
Final Fantasy Ultimania Archive
Fans of Square Enix's legendary role-play series will enjoy this version of the Ultimania Archives, which gives all the details and art from the first six Final Fantasy games.
Final Fantasy 7
by Square Enix
This is a must-read for fans of both the original Final Fantasy 7, and those who recently played 2020's remake. Final Fantasy 7 tells the story of Cloud, an ex-soldier now mercenary who has lost his memory. He joins his childhood best friend Tifa's environmental activist group, Avalanche, as they rebel against Shinra, a corporation whose greed in utilizing the planet's lifestream, is killing the planet. Haunting Cloud is Sephiroth, a legendary swordsman as well as the series' most notable villain, whose wishes for the planet are far from honorable.
Five Nights at Freddy's Fazbear Frights: The Fourth Closet
by Chris Hastings
Fans of this horror series will enjoy reading this graphic novelization. In Five Nights at Freddy's, you are a security guard who must last until your shift is over, and all seems well. However, these adorable yet killer mascots of the restaurant you are guarding are sentient.
Fortnite: The Ultimate Locker: The Official Encyclopedia
In Fortnite, it's you against 99 other players as you fight in an epic battle to see who will remain. Fans of this Hunger Games/Battle Royale last-person standing-style video game will enjoy this official guide which will help you become the best of the best.
Game On!: Video Game History from Pong and Pac-Man to Mario, Minecraft, and More
by Dustin Hansen
Learn how videogames have grown since the 1970s with the introduction of Pong, how ET almost destroyed the industry but the birth of Super Mario in the 1980s saved the day!
Game Wizards: The Epic Battle for Dungeons & Dragons
by Jon Peterson
Fans of D&D, Stranger Things, and anyone who loves epic fantastical journeys, will enjoy this detailed history of the early years and drama of the company that started this legendary game beloved by many.
Gears of War: Ascendance
by Jason Hough
Set between Gears of War 4 and Gears of War 5, fans of Xbox's action sci-fi hit will enjoy this prequel/sequel/in-between piece that bridges the gap between the two games.
Halo: Legacy Collection
Experience the story of legendary space warrior Master Chief in this collection written by legends of the comic book industry. Raised and trained from childbirth to be a "Spartan" warrior, 343 Industries' titular mascot is often joined by his companion and assistant, Cortana who guides him on his missions in this new futuristic era.
Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture
by Johan Huizinga
This 1938 classic presents an historical approach to the concept of play as a cultural phenomenon and has been influential on many developers including Hideo Kojima. Fans of the legendary game creator should give this a go, as well as anyone interested in the importance of gaming and play and their relevance today.
Kingdom Hearts
by Shiro Amano
Kingdom Hearts, created by Square Enix in the early 2000s, chronicles the story of Sora, the chosen wielder of the keyblade. One night, his home island gets destroyed by evil shadow monsters called the Heartless, and he ends up in a completely different world. While there, he teams up with Disney characters Donald Duck and Goofy, who are also on their own quest to find Mickey Mouse, their king who has gone missing. Together the trio travel across many Disney worlds to help Sora find his missing friends, find King Mickey, and figure out the mystery of the Heartless.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
by Akira Himekawa
This legendary Nintendo classic finds a new life in this manga adaptation of Ocarina of Time, a game beloved by many Zelda fans. The main character is Link, a silent but brave hero who often finds himself on a quest to save Zelda, the princess of the land of Hyrule. In this incarnation, the fairy, Navi helps Link on his journey throughout time to save his world.
Life is Strange
by Emma Vieceli
Life is Strange may be the ultimate time-traveling, coming-of-age, lesbian, mystery story in gaming of all time. Without giving spoilers, this graphic novel continues the story of the "bae" ending of Square Enix's choose-your-own adventure video game.
Little Book of Video Games: 70 Classics That Everyone Should Know and Play
by Melissa Brinks
What are video games and why are they so popular right now? For non-gamers looking for a crash course, or fans who want to see if their beloved titles are mentioned, this little book of video games has something for everyone.
Little Nightmares
by John Shackleford
Little Nightmares took the indie gaming world by storm with its puzzle platformer-like ways when it first came out in 2017. You are Six, a little girl who wakes up in a mysterious ship known as the Maw, filled with creepy and hungry tenants. In this horror journey, you must try to escape the Maw as Six faces horrifying obstacles; will she make it or not?
Magic: the Gathering: Generation Decks: The Unofficial History of the Gaming Phenomenon
by Titus Chalk
An unofficial history of the mold-breaking fantasy card game Magic: the Gathering for anyone who has always wanted to know more about the classic adventure game.
Minecraft
by Sfé R Monster
Mojang's classic world builder, Minecraft, comes to life in this graphic novelization that explores the story of Tyler, a kid who goes on an epic quest in the Overworld to face off the ender dragon.
Plants vs. Zombies: Dream a Little Scheme
by Paul Tobin
Plants versus Zombies is what the title says: zombies are trying to invade your home and your plants are protecting you. In this Nightmare on Elm Street-inspired adaptation, the Zomboss is trying to hypnotize humans by invading their dreams into approaching zombies instead of running away.
Persona 5 (Vol. 1)
by Hisato Murasaki
Fans of this JRPG series by Atlus, will enjoy the manga adaptation of Persona 5. After being arrested for trying to protect a neighbor from getting assaulted, Akira Kurusu is sent to live a new life in Tokyo, where all is not what it seems. On his first day in his new school, Akira is transported into another world with fellow trouble maker, Ryuji Sakamoto. where their high school has turned into a castle reigned by their corrupt gym teacher. The only way to escape is to awaken and use their Persona to change the hearts of corrupt adults around them.
Pokemon Adventures: Collector's Edition
by Hidenori Kusaka
This manga adaptation tells the story of Pokemon Trainer Red as he does his best to be the greatest Pokemon master ever. It will surely will be a great read for any aspiring Pokemon lover or trainer! Did you know that a couple of NYPL libraries are Lure Spots in Pokemon Go?
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy
by SD Perry
July, 1998. Alpha Team members of Raccoon City Police's Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S) team, are sent to the Arklay Mountains to find out what happened to their colleagues, Bravo Team, who had gone missing. Bravo Team had been sent to investigate a chain of bizarre murders in the outskirts of their mid-western city, where victims were apparently eaten. Upon arrival, they are attacked by dogs and are forced to take shelter at the Spencer Mansion, which is full of hungry monsters. It is also owned by Umbrella, a pharmaceutical company that runs Raccoon City. Fans of this survival horror franchise will love this novelization of the title that started it all.
Roblox: Inside the World
by Alexander Cox
Why are all the kids these days playing Roblox? For starters, it provides an avenue of creativity for players to be their favorite anime characters. This creative world-building aspect is what drives players. This book will help you learn more about the Roblox platform and community.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Fallout!
by Ian Flynn
Sega's speedy blue hedgehog comes to life in this graphic novelization of Sonic the Hedgehog. After defeating Dr. Eggman, Sonic must receive the help of his friends Tails, Knuckles, and Amy to help protect various small villages being ravaged by robots.
Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia: The Official Guide to the First 30 Years, 1985-2015
by Nintendo
Known for saving the gaming industry in the 1980s, this is the story of the legendary Super Mario games. Fans of this classic series will love seeing all the content and artwork of its first 30 years—there's even an explanation of glitches! This is the definitive guide for casual and hardcore fans alike.
Tomb Raider: Volume 1: Season of the Witch
by Gail Simone
Meet Lara Croft, best known to gamers as the thoughtful and brave British archeologist and explorer extraordinaire. Lara will venture into any tomb and face anyone who may attempt to harm or use ancient artifacts for evil purposes. This graphic novelization continues where Square Enix's adaption ended, where Lara must deal with horrific visions she has been receiving after the events of the Lost Kingdom of Yamatai.
The Ultimate History of Video Games, Volume 2: Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, and the Billion-Dollar Battle to Shape Modern Gaming
by Steve L. Kent
Steve Kent has been playing video games since Pong and has been writing about video game history for ages. Volume 2 of his ultimate history series chronicles the industry's foray into the 21st century. Learn about franchises that defined the past 20 years of video gaming, the capabilities of modern consoles, and more.
Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration of Video Game Cities
by Konstaninos Dimopoulos
Gamers and scholars will appreciate this travel guide book all about famous video game cities. Notable gaming cities include Kamurocho, a fictionalized version of Tokyo's real-life Kabukicho in Sega's Yakuza series, and the scariest city of them all, Silent Hill.
The Witcher: The Last Wish
by Andrzej Sapkowski
Toss a coin to your Witcher, and maybe read the original source material of CD Projekt Red's hit video game series, as well as the Netflix series. In a fictional fantasy version of medieval times, Geralt of Rivia makes a living as a Witcher whose job is to slay monsters using spells and potions to protect others...for a price. Geralt's adventures take him all over the continent, as he finds that destiny, has much in store for him.
World of Warcraft: Shadows Rising
by Madeleine Roux
Known as an MMORPG classic, (massive multiplayer online role playing game) World of Warcraft is a title every gamer, whether they play it or not, knows of whether for the gameplay or legendary memes such as Leeroy Jenkins. In this prequel novel to the Shadowlands expansion pack, old and new fans will enjoy this novelization.
There's More!
This is just a sample list of what The New York Public Library has to offer for gamers and those who want to learn more about gaming. There are so many wonderful videogame-to-book adaptations, and vice versa that listing all of them would be never-ending.
We also want to highlight that The New York Public Library offers Interlibrary Loan services for materials we don't own. Eligible materials (including some video games) can be sent to the closest branch for you to borrow.