“What if you walk along and everything that you see is more than what you see—the person in the T-shirt and slacks is a warrior, the space that appears empty is a secret door to an alternate world? What if, on a crowded street, you look up and see something appear that should not, given what we know, be there? You either shake your head and dismiss it or you accept that there is much more to the world than we think. Perhaps it really is a doorway to another place. If you choose to go inside you might find many unexpected things.”
—Sigeru Miyamoto (creator of the famous video game character, Mario)
When I was buying a copy of Game Over, I didn’t know it would become one of my favourite books. I was just scrolling through the shelves of an old book shop, and this book caught my eye. It was about a Japanese company, Nintendo, and told the story of its success in America’s video game industry. I am not a ‘regular’ player of video games. I like them, but I like making them more (read: dream about making them. Well, someday I might join this field professionally, who knows. But they also say that if you want to make good video games, you have to play good video games first. I say that that would suppress my creativity! But anyway, I didn’t want to talk about my dreams when I started writing this).
I still don’t know what made me buy this book. I bought it about two years ago, and still remember the details. I had held the book in my hands, read the author’s name (David Sheff), checked its binding, skimmed through some of its pages, guessed about its weight, and decided to buy it. It costed me Rs. 75. (The book’s back cover says U.S. $13.00, though). I had thought that it would make a good decoration-piece for my book shelf. It sure did, but when I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. It’s almost as absorbing as a great video game, and for me, a great source of information and entertainment.
Now this seems like I am writing a review. Actually, I was thinking about what to write, when I decided to post some of my favourite lines from some of my favourite books. I started with Game Over, and then ended up writing about it. I guess it proves that I am a great mind-changer. But even if it’s a review I am writing, it’s a bad review. Doesn’t say much about the book.
Or perhaps it does. But I don’t want to figure out. I have an apple to eat.
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> in your comment.[p:ur] and [/p]. To write an English word/sentence within an Urdu paragraph, wrap it between [w:en] and [/w]. To write an Urdu word/sentence within an English paragraph (or to write your name in Urdu in the ‘Name’ field), wrap it between [w:ur] and [/w]. More details and examples are here.
22 comments
jogia
Aug 24th, 2004 at 2:23 am
Mario Bros. was a big hit! nintendos greatest game. the lines from the book seem as if he was walking inside the video game himself hahaha
and yeah it’s somewhat true that most game developers are very good gamers themselves..
Saad
Aug 24th, 2004 at 10:52 am
Thats one dream we share
, but so far its just a dream. Not finding even time or shoud I say not creating enough time to work on it has seriously questioned my credibility to turn dreams into reality. Good luck 
and yea now am thinking of buying this book
. this post was enough for me to get it 
AWK
Aug 24th, 2004 at 11:57 am
Saadat: we want to initiate and welcome you to our Baithak. Send me an email (not hotmail, the ever unreliable) ASAP.
rgds.
Saadat
Aug 24th, 2004 at 11:32 pm
Jogia: He sure was walking inside the video game, man. He’s just a superb guy.
Saad:
Get that book. You won’t be disappointed. And sigh, I have been questioning myself on the same matter too.
AWK: Sent you an email just now. By the way, I love this name, Baithak
AWK
Aug 25th, 2004 at 1:26 pm
great…I’ll see you @ Baithak then.
Moiz
Aug 25th, 2004 at 4:20 pm
i tried 2 comment yesterday,but 4 some (damn) reason it didnt show up…
yeah, u dont have 2 b a gamer 2 make gr8 games…1 of my friends was just into games earlier(& nothing else), but i have 2 admit he had a gud taste in gals, in college…!!!lol!
im not so into games myself…
so wot do u do,in dat (ur dream’s) direction?u workin on an idea?
u must have a really(& i mean a REALLY) wild imagination…do u?
Saad
Aug 27th, 2004 at 12:18 pm
Saadat: ok will do and good luck
and yea got any idea 
?
Moiz: I think u wanted to say you have to be a gamer to make games?
knicq
Aug 28th, 2004 at 4:29 am
I can’t say much about the games part… never played one. Don’t know what did I miss.
But, hey I love this guy’s words. I am putting this book on my list of must-reads… right up there with Jack Welch’s book and my own – if I ever get around to writing one.
Read on!!!
Moiz
Aug 28th, 2004 at 8:11 am
saad-no,i said u dont have 2 b a gamer 2 make games-like in my example,dat friend was totally not into gals & stuff…but then, it turned out he has such gud taste…lol!-i hope im not giving a bad impression of him…
but 2 make gr8 games, i think u need 2 b verry creative,imaginative…
Laura
Aug 28th, 2004 at 8:45 am
Mario is fun. Books are fun. Writing for the blog is…fun.
I hope you get to do exactly what you most dream of doing.
AWK
Aug 29th, 2004 at 5:31 pm
i had thought you would have finished your apple by now.
when are you sending me an update for baithak? also, will you send in a write up or should i browse through your archives and ‘lift’ an entry to put in ‘Baithak’?
You have been warned.
Sara
Aug 30th, 2004 at 7:46 pm
Sounds like a good book because of the words at the top but I’m not interested in games so much.
LOL at $13 at the back but cost you Rs. 75! Now that’s Pakistan!
Abez
Aug 30th, 2004 at 8:09 pm
Designing a video games has always been one of my secret ambitions too, but I seem to be held back by the fact that I have zero technical knowledge about it. 0_0
A body can still dream?
AWK
Sep 1st, 2004 at 7:58 pm
update?
Aysh
Sep 2nd, 2004 at 3:26 pm
Video Games…. I dont dreama bout them and I dont play them. Now read, that i can do… so i think i’ll look it up next time get bored…
zenia
Sep 5th, 2004 at 12:37 am
hhuuumm same as Aysh….i don’t play video games well not anymore….i use 2 yrs ago….but now i don’t and i never had a dream abt video game…
VLady
Sep 9th, 2004 at 12:37 pm
Seems like I should gt my hands on that book as soon as possible. Er, are you willing to share your apple? I’m hungry!! hehe
ImRaN
Sep 9th, 2004 at 4:55 pm
u know “Ashfaq Ahmed” died.
knicq
Sep 10th, 2004 at 4:53 am
Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilayhi Narjioon.
Shahab, Mufti and now Ashfaq Ahmed.
Who will Urdu spiritualism turn to now..?
Aysh
Sep 14th, 2004 at 1:34 pm
SAAAAAAAAAAADAAAAAAAAAT!!! where are you?
Onliner
Sep 14th, 2004 at 6:40 pm
salam
came by for duas make dua for me wasalam
Saad
Sep 18th, 2004 at 10:23 am
yea why no updates?