Break Out: How the Apple II Launched the PC Gaming Revolution

Around the world, millions of people hijack cars in Grand Theft Auto, role play fantastical heroes in World of WarCraft, and crush candy on phones as small as wallets yet nearly as powerful as desktop computers. But long before video games became a multi-billion-dollar industry, two hackers invented the Apple II, a PC that contained less memory than the average Microsoft Word document and bowled over consumers by displaying four colours at once. Some users tapped its resources to design productivity software. Others devised some of the most influential games of all time. From the perils along the Oregon Trail and the exploits of Carmen Sandiego to the shadowy dungeons of Wizardry and Prince of Persia’s trap-filled labyrinth, Break Out recounts the making of some of the Apple II’s most iconic games, illustrates how they informed the games we play today, and tells the stories of the pioneers who made them.
AUTHOR: David L. Craddock lives with his wife in Canton, Ohio. He writes fiction, nonfiction, and the occasional grocery list. He is the author of The Gairden Chronicles fantasy series for young adults, and the bestselling Stay Awhile and Listen nonfiction books that recount the history of Blizzard Entertainment.

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