Bitmap Books has announced a limited reprint run of four of its most sought-after, currently out-of-print volumes, with pre-orders scheduled to open on October 1.
The publisher—known for high-quality, design-forward books about videogame history and artwork—will accept pre-orders directly through its store at 17:00 BST / 18:00 CEST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT, and expects to ship orders the following week.
The four reprints and key details
- Artcade: The Book of Classic Arcade Game Artwork - Extended Edition (2019, 256 pages).
Originally published in 2019 and produced in association with artist Larry Day, Artcade is a compendium of bezel and cabinet art from the 1970s through the 1990s.
The 16:9-styled volume features high-quality digital scans and, in this Extended Edition, adds an interview with Day plus a piece from contributor Escape Pod on art restoration and recreation.
- Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups (2022, 450 pages).
Authored by writer and comics creator Dave Cook and first published in 2022, Go Straight profiles roughly 200 walk-and-brawl titles from the late 1980s and early 1990s—including Double Dragon, Final Fight and Golden Axe—complete with images, write-ups and curated trivia.
- The Art of The Box (2023, 560 pages).
Published in 2023, this volume focuses on the artists behind classic box art, featuring interviews with 26 artists such as Bob Wakelin, Ken Macklin and Susumu Matsushita.
It reproduces over 350 full-page images and contains more than 100,000 words of commentary and background.
- The Games of a Lifetime (February 2025, 420 pages).
Released in February 2025 and previously sold out, this book collects five decades of game criticism from Julian “Jaz” Rignall, using the games that defined his career to tell a personal history across platforms from the Atari 400 and ZX Spectrum to modern PC and PS5 titles.
Bitmap Books has warned that all four titles are currently out of print, making this reprint window a limited opportunity for collectors.
The publisher is also planning additional reprints, including Sinclair ZX Spectrum: A Visual Compendium and SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium.
While these volumes focus on retro platforms rather than current eShop catalogs or Nintendo Direct announcements, fans of Nintendo Switch and other modern hardware who value historical context and art will find them useful references.
The publisher—known for high-quality, design-forward books about videogame history and artwork—will accept pre-orders directly through its store at 17:00 BST / 18:00 CEST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT, and expects to ship orders the following week.
The four reprints and key details
- Artcade: The Book of Classic Arcade Game Artwork - Extended Edition (2019, 256 pages).
Originally published in 2019 and produced in association with artist Larry Day, Artcade is a compendium of bezel and cabinet art from the 1970s through the 1990s.
The 16:9-styled volume features high-quality digital scans and, in this Extended Edition, adds an interview with Day plus a piece from contributor Escape Pod on art restoration and recreation.
- Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat 'Em Ups (2022, 450 pages).
Authored by writer and comics creator Dave Cook and first published in 2022, Go Straight profiles roughly 200 walk-and-brawl titles from the late 1980s and early 1990s—including Double Dragon, Final Fight and Golden Axe—complete with images, write-ups and curated trivia.
- The Art of The Box (2023, 560 pages).
Published in 2023, this volume focuses on the artists behind classic box art, featuring interviews with 26 artists such as Bob Wakelin, Ken Macklin and Susumu Matsushita.
It reproduces over 350 full-page images and contains more than 100,000 words of commentary and background.
- The Games of a Lifetime (February 2025, 420 pages).
Released in February 2025 and previously sold out, this book collects five decades of game criticism from Julian “Jaz” Rignall, using the games that defined his career to tell a personal history across platforms from the Atari 400 and ZX Spectrum to modern PC and PS5 titles.
Bitmap Books has warned that all four titles are currently out of print, making this reprint window a limited opportunity for collectors.
The publisher is also planning additional reprints, including Sinclair ZX Spectrum: A Visual Compendium and SNES/Super Famicom: A Visual Compendium.
While these volumes focus on retro platforms rather than current eShop catalogs or Nintendo Direct announcements, fans of Nintendo Switch and other modern hardware who value historical context and art will find them useful references.
