REVIEW: ‘F*** Yeah, Video Games: The Life and Extra Lives of a Professional Nerd’ by Daniel Hardcastle
Image courtesy of Unbound / Provided by official site.
F*** Yeah, Video Games: The Life and Extra Lives of a Professional Nerd is Daniel Hardcastle’s love letter to the many video games he has played and replayed over the years. With humorous commentary and accompanying illustrations by Rebecca Maughan, the book offers a glimpse into a gamer’s mind — what he likes, what he hates and what obsessions kept his thumbs sore for days on end.
As referenced within the book, the people who are going to buy Hardcastle’s thoughts and ruminations are probably already gamers. He does offer a glossary of terms at the end of the book, but other than that gesture for newbies, he jumps in and never hits the pause button.
Each chapter details his experiences with an iconic game or gaming system. Not every title is accounted for because this is Hardcastle’s thesis, and he only includes those games that offer him a vivid memory or teaching point. He also gives ample space to games he recommends running away from — quickly. He includes “The Sims” and “Pokémon Red and Blue,” plus “Tomb Raider III” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.” Heck, there’s even “Bratz: Rock Angelz” and “Tom Clancy’s ruthless.com.”
Hardcastle’s writing is easy to appreciate, and he keeps the proceedings fun and light. Spending 300 pages with his style of humor can sometimes have its downsides, mostly because his use of superlatives and exaggerated reactions can be a bit grating after a while, but the book is structured in a way that readers can dip in and out of individual chapters. There is not much of a continuous through-line.
The best part of F*** Yeah are the sections about the “Hardware History,” which includes the consoles and handhelds sold by Sony, Nintendo, Sega and Atari over the years. These chapters serve as welcome trips down memory lane. Much like the game chapters, Hardcastle describes certain devices he absolutely loves, while others are laughably detailed and made fun of for their shoddy design and poor sales.
F*** Yeah, Video Games is an extension of Hardcastle’s veritable online presence (the front cover boasts that he has more than 1 billion views on YouTube). He clearly has a dedicated audience of fans who enjoy his commentary and have similar interests, and for those audience members, the book will be a godsend. One only has to take a look at the back of the book, where there’s a long list of supporters who made this crowdfunding project a reality.
The bestseller serves as an entry point into the mind of a modern-day gamer, encompassing hilarious debates about characters and gameplay, and a sardonic wit that simultaneously justifies and pokes fun at a life lived in a pixelated world.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
F*** Yeah, Video Games: The Life and Extra Lives of a Professional Nerd by Daniel Hardcastle. Illustrated by Rebecca Maughan. Foreword by Tim Schafer. Unbound. 368 pages. Click here for more information.
