Featuring interviews with the creators of 43 popular video games--including Spyro the Dragon, Syphon Filter, NFL GameDay 98 and Final Fantasy VII--this book gives a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most influential (and sometimes forgotten) titles of the original PlayStation era. Interviewees recall the painstaking development, challenges of working with mega publishers and uncertainties of public reception, and discuss the creative processes that produced some of gaming's all-time classics.

Patrick Hickey, Jr., is the founder and editor-in-chief of ReviewFix.com and a lecturer of English and journalism at Kingsborough Community College, in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past decade, his video game coverage has been featured in national ad campaigns by Nintendo, Disney and EA Sports.

Table of Contents


Foreword by Jason Weesner

Preface

Introduction

Craig Stitt, Spyro the Dragon: Born Green, Immortalized Purple and Remastered Fuchsia

James Dillon, Crash Bandicoot: A Marsupial Mascot Is Born

Gavin Rummery, Tomb Raider II: Lara's Bigger ­Ponytail-Swinging Adventure¿

Scott Rogers, ­Pac-Man World: From Ghosts to Glory

Aaron Cammarata, Pitfall 3D: From a Commodore Compilation to Neversoft

Tony Warriner, In Cold Blood: Ahead of Its Time¿

David Grijns, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins: The Most Ninja "Ninja" Game, Ever

Jose Villeta, Treasures of the Deep: Childhood Dreams Become Reality

Joe Brisbois, Aquanaut's Holiday: A Misunderstood Effort in Relaxation

Richard Ham, Syphon Filter: Taking from the Best, Making the Best

Michael Mendheim, Army Men: Sarge's Heroes: Green and Eventually Mean

David Shea, Alien Trilogy: The Best of Times

Jason Weesner, Apocalypse: Neversoft's Ironic Invitation to the Big Time

Laurent Benes, Future Cop: LAPD: Days of Future Past

Noah Slater, 007: Tomorrow Never Dies: From Sandwiches to Spies

Craig Stitt, Disruptor: Something Special After Sonic But Before Spyro

Mike Froggatt, C-12: Final Resistance: The ­Counter-Invasion Before the Jump to Microsoft

Michael Heilemann, Medal of Honor: German Shepherds and Writing Your Name on the Wall

Scott Rogers, Soul Blade: More Than a Localization

Tony Iuppa, Knockout Kings: The Greatest "Draw" in Boxing History

Kellan Hatch, Jet Moto: The Last of the SingleTrac Hat Trick, A Monkey Off Your Back

Brian Wiklem, Jet Moto 2: Two Versions of a Special Sequel

Brian Wiklem, Cool Boarders: Rejection, Compromise and Respect

Jules Burt, Sled Storm: The First One, the Best One

Jim Buck, Rally Cross: Sexy 3D Math

Tim Huntsman, WWF War Zone: When RAW Was WAR

Joe Brisbois, ESPN Extreme Games: Before Tony Hawk, After the Rash

Sebastiaan Reinarz and Amory Wong, NBA Live 96: A ­Full-Court Press

Erik Kiss and Jon Spencer, Triple Play 97: The Rookie's Road to MVP

Trent Shumay, NHL 98: EA's First Hat Trick on PS1¿

Chris Foley, NFL GameDay 98: From the Hallway at Sony to Google

Charles Pinady, Parasite Eve: Aya's ­Not-So-Square Tale

Alan Flores, ­Spider-Man: Doing Whatever a Spider Can-in 3D

Eric Thommerot and David Grijns, Nightmare Creatures/Nightmare Creatures II: PlayStation's Gothic Dream and Curse

Scott Campbell, Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012: After Twisted, Before Incognito

Kellan Hatch and Scott Campbell, Warhawk: One Half of Sony and SingleTrac's Twisted ­Team-Up

Russ Patterson, Courier Crisis: Flippin' Off the Police on Your GT

Dave Quesnelle, Brain Dead 13: The Animated Twitch Game Swan Song

Dominic Craig, Team Buddies: Too "Leggit" to Quit

Martin Edmondson, Driver: From the Figure Eight to the Open World¿

Nigel Conroy, Grand Theft Auto 2: Light It Up, Before the War in Chinatown

Scott Campbell, Twisted Metal: Heating Up the PlayStation

Jonathan Williams and David Bamberger, Final Fantasy VII: Changing the Way the U.S. Thought About RPGs

Conclusion

Index