The notion of game guides, the ideal accompaniment for any thorough gameplay, has never been all that varied over the years. In other words, the glossy step-by-step manuals that got you through the most difficult of challenges never saw much change when they were still necessary. Now, the internet makes it almost too easy. 

However, flashback to the days when arcades were still taking shape and the gamer just absolutely needed some help getting through Space Invader. There were surely very few guides, but even fewer that were written by famous writers. 

The Millions’ Mark O’Connell discusses the find of a rare “addict’s guide to battle tactics, big scores, and the best machines” by renowned British writer Martin Amis, whose books often dealt with postmodernity and displayed stunning command of the English language. However, Amis’ recently published biography makes no mention of Invasion of Space Invaders: surely a peculiar move to omit mention of an entire work.  

His essay delves deeper into the book and why it has been so bastardized. Perhaps it was merely a pay check for the once struggling writer, but the guide certainly speaks to the author’s obsession with the mobility of power. Luckily, too, the book serves as a legit guide to gaming as well: “And if for some reason you happen to be looking for a guide to arcade games of the early 1980s, you could probably do a lot worse.”

-Lyndsey Edelman

[via The Millions]