Staff Picks
Art Books For Gamers On Hoopla
- Thomas M.
- Thursday, March 19, 2020
Collection
Go beyond the surface of your favorite videogames with these art books and visual guides, often including commentary from the original creative teams.
The Art of Anthem
Published in 2019
Hundreds of pieces of art with commentary detailing the creation of Bio Ware's groundbreaking epic volume! Filled with behind-the-scenes looks at four years of game production, original concept art, and exclusive commentary from developers, The Art of Anthem is a fantastic addition to any gamer fan's bookshelf!
The Art of Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2's Eye-popping Ink-tastic Art Book!
Published in 2019
An amaze-ink behind-the-scenes look at the making of Splatoon 2, one of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games of all time! Dive into over 380 pages worth of illustrations, key art, and designs of your favorite colorful characters, weapons, gear, locations, maps, and brands. The Art of Splatoon 2 also features storyboards and other extras sure to make a splash with any fan! Don't miss this ink-redible look at the best-selling family-friendly game Splatoon 2!
The Art of Super Mario Odyssey
Published in 2019
Take a globetrotting journey all over the world-and beyond!-with this companion art book to the hit video game for the Nintendo Switch(TM) system! In October of 2017, Super Mario Odyssey(TM) took the gaming world by storm. Now, discover the art and expertise that went into creating one of Nintendo's best-loved games! This full-color volume clocks in at over 350 pages and features concept art, preliminary sketches, and notes from the development team, plus insight into some early ideas that didn't make it into the game itself! Explore the world of Super Mario Odyssey from every angle, including screen shots, marketing material, and more, to fully appreciate this captivating adventure.
The Art of the Uncharted Trilogy
Published in 2015
Adventure alongside Nathan Drake, as Dark Horse Books and Naughty Dog team up to bring you this breathtaking, comprehensive exploration into the Uncharted saga! Encompassing Drake's Fortune, Among Thieves, and Drake's Deception, this epic volume offers a look at hundreds of never-before-seen designs and pieces of concept art from the creation of one of the most exciting game series of this generation, along with insightful commentary from the games' creators! Don't miss out on this opportunity to own a piece of Uncharted history!
Gwent
The Art of the Witcher Card Game
Published in 2017
Whether played on the exotic felt tabletop in a palatial casino, or on the rough-hewn bar in a tavern's smoky din, the game of Gwent is never a dull one! With cards that feature fantastic art that only adds to the strategic thrill of crushing one's opponent, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game offers a singular gaming experience. Now, Dark Horse is proud to present each cards' gorgeous artwork in a stunning hardbound volume. Celebrate wondrous artistry and cutthroat gameplay with The Gwent Gallery: Art of the Witcher Card Game!
The Legend of Zelda
Art & Artifacts
Published in 2017
The Legend of Zelda|: Art and Artifacts contains over four hundred pages of fully realized illustrations from the entire thirty-year history of The Legend of Zelda| including artwork from the upcoming The Legend of Zelda|: Breath of the Wild! Every masterwork is printed on high-quality paper in an oversized format so you can immerse yourself in the fine details of each piece. This book includes rare promotional pieces, game box art, instruction booklet illustrations, official character illustrations, sprite art, interviews with the artists, and much, much more! The Legend of Zelda|: Art and Artifacts collects many of your favorite masterpieces from the storied franchise, as well as rare and never before seen content, presented in one handsome hardcover. Select artwork from the entirety of the franchise! A nostalgic look at the past! An exciting look at the future! Interviews with some of the artists behind The Legend of Zelda| series!
The Legend of Zelda, Breath of the Wild
Creating a Champion
Published in 2018
The ultimate companion to the award-winning video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild! This book features: -Nearly 50 pages of sketches and official illustrations from Takumi Wada -296 Pages of design artwork and commentary about the making of the game from creators -55 Page historical section that divulges an in-depth history of the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild -Interviews with key members of the development team including Hidemaro Fujibayashi, Satoru Takizawa, Takumi Wada, and Eiji Aonuma
The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia
Published in 2018
This 320-page book is an exhaustive guide to The Legend of Zelda from the original The Legend of Zelda to Twilight Princess HD. Make sure to check out the other installments in this unparalleled collection of historical information on The Legend of Zelda franchise with the New York Times bestselling The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia and The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts. Also, look for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- Creating a Champion for an in-depth look at the art, lore, and making of the bestselling video game! A comprehensive collection of enemies and items, potions to poes, an expansion of the lore touched upon in Hyrule Historia, concept art, screencaps, maps, main characters and how they relate, languages, and much, much more, including an exclusive interview with Series Producer, Eiji Aonuma! This, the last of The Goddess Collection trilogy, which includes Hyrule Historia and Art & Artifacts, is a treasure trove of explanations and information about every aspect of The Legend of Zelda universe! An exhaustive compendium of everything from the first 30 years of The Legend of Zelda. An expansion of information from The Legend of Zelda timeline. Rare development sketches of your favorite characters. An extensive database of items and enemies.
Realms
The Roleplaying Game Art of Tony Diterlizzi
Published in 2015
New York Times bestselling creator Tony DiTerlizzi is known for his distinctive style depicting fantastical creatures, horrific monsters, and courageous heroes. His illustrations reshaped and defined the worlds of Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Planescape, and Magic: The Gathering in the imaginations of legions of devoted roleplaying gamers during the 1990s, before he transitioned to mainstream success with The Spiderwick Chronicles and The Search for WondLa. Collected here for the first time, this book features never-before-seen artwork and photographs, in addition to showcasing DiTerlizzi's most iconic roleplaying work with commentary by the artist. Introduction by Christopher Paolini (Eragon) and featuring appreciations by Guillermo del Toro, Brom, Jane Yolen, Holly Black, Zeb Cook, Jeff Easley, and Donato Giancola, among others! Tony's work has a distinct flair, a love for monsters if you will . . . His creatures have the charm of Henson or Rackham but they carry with them hints of their own ecosystem . . .
The Art of Overwatch
Published in 2017
Overwatch has taken the world by storm, boasting millions of players and gaining critical acclaim. Now, in this beautiful hardcover, Blizzard Entertainment reveals the creative process behind one of the most popular FPS games of all time! Filled with never-before-seen art as well as commentary provided by the game's development team, this book is sure to please any Overwatch fan. ʺ Essential companion to the international best-selling game Overwatch! ʺ Introduction and commentary provided by the game's development team! ʺ Overwatch is a global phenomenon with 30 million players! ʺ Produced in close partnership with Blizzard Entertainment! ʺ Overwatch creation revealed! ʺ Behind-the-scenes look at your favorite characters! ʺ Never-before-seen artwork!
The Art of the Mass Effect Universe
Published in 2012
The Mass Effect trilogy is a groundbreaking epic that has immersed gamers in one of science fiction's richest universes. Now BioWare and Dark Horse are proud to invite fans deeper than ever into the Mass Effect saga with The Art of the Mass Effect Universe! Featuring concept art and commentary by BioWare on the games' characters, locations, vehicles, weapons, and more (including Mass Effect 3) The Art of the Mass Effect Universe is the most complete companion available to gaming's most compelling series!
The Art of Tekken
A Complete Visual History
Published in 2019
Twenty-five years ago, Namco released Tekken and redefined the fighting game genre in three dimensions. Known for its deep gameplay, cutting edge graphics, and operatic lore, Tekken has become synonymous with the PlayStation brand while remaining one of the last vestiges of the arcade. The Art of Tekken: A Complete Visual History follows the series history through a visual feast of iconic games and characters, as well as in-depth interviews with the Bandai Namco developers who made it a reality and the players who made it a phenomenon on its way to becoming one of the best-selling fighting game series in history. It's a complete visual retrospective of one of the most indispensable parts of gaming history, over a quarter century in the making, including art from all seven games of the franchise and more.
The Art of Splatoon
The Art Book with Splatitude
Published in 2017
The Art of Splatoon contains 320 inkredible pages of artwork, including 2D and 3D illustrations of your favorite characters, maps, concept art, weapon and gear design, storyboards, sketches, hand-drawn comics . . . and that's only an inkling of what's inside. We're not squidding around: this is a must have for all fans of Splatoon! Character illustrations! Concept art! Behind the scenes notes! All the content that splatters most!
The Art of Days Gone
Published in 2019
A masterfully designed collecting over 200 pages of art and commentary from the creators of the brutal and thrilling Days Gone! Set in the beautiful and rugged landscape of the Pacific Northwest high desert, a global pandemic has wreaked havoc on everyone and everything in sight. Now, former outlaw biker turned bounty hunter Deacon St. John must fight for survival against all odds. Witness the creation of Deacon's epic adventure with The Art of Days Gone!