I was recently selling some Nintendo 64 games on eBay. I had Mario Kart 64 still complete and in the box, so I thumbed through the manual that I remember reading as a child.
Remember when games had to explain themselves to players as to their game mechanics and generally how they worked? Remember when manuals used to be detailed and colourful? I miss that, and I know that the internet exists now, but in the same way that I feel an art book in a collectors edition adds to the experience, a detailed and illustrated manual added to the experience while also teaching me how to play.
Go take a look at this scan of Mario Kart 64’s manual. It’s so detailed it reads like a strategy guide. The operation card which isn’t part of the scan goes through all the controls and items, and optimal places to use them. This information is available on the internet, but it’s damn handy to have it just there without having to search for it. It’s not exactly high level advanced tactics but it would help a hell of a lot if you were unfamiliar.
I know it won’t happen, but it would be awesome if this were a thing again. Even if its a digital copy of a manual, that would be awesome. I understand that a lot of tutorials are in-game nowadays but I really like having all the information there.
Here’s an example. I’ve been playing Mario Kart 8 a lot recently. It has an online digital manual. It’s got some decent information in it, but it’s a little sparse and very lacking of awesome art like the game is chock full of. I just can’t help but feel like there should be some awesome renders to accompany a game full of beautiful theming. Imagine if Mario Kart 8 had a manual like Mario Kart 64’s? That would be fucking awesome.
Agree? Let me know what you think!
Mytharus 