![]() Kyle Orland's extensive research on one of the most widely played yet sparsely lauded computer games ever is impressive. Who knew that such a simple game, a game most everyone of a certain age is assuredly familiar with, has such an interesting history? From its uncertain origins, to the panic it created, to its competitive side, Minesweeper turns out to be much more than what we all thought it was. ![]() Minesweeper is by no means an obscure game but it certainly seemed like an odd choice to write a book about. Bible Adventures, Soft & Cuddly and ZZT are all games that most people have little experience with, yet their stories (and the talented authors that told them) are fantastic reads. Some of the best books in the Boss Fight series are written about games that you wouldn't expect someone to give the full length book treatment to. Sweeping through a minefield of explosive storylines, Journalist Kyle Orland reveals how Minesweeper caused an identity crisis within Microsoft, ensnared a certain Microsoft CEO with its addictive gameplay, dismayed panicky pundits, micromanagers, and legislators around the world, inspired a passionate competitive community that discovered how to break the game, and predicted the rise of casual gaming by nearly two decades. Alongside fellow Windows gaming staple Solitaire, Minesweeper wound up on more devices than nearly any other video game in history. Originally sold as part of a “big box” bundle of simple games, Minesweeper became a cornerstone of the Windows experience when it was pre-installed with every copy of Windows 3.1 and decades of subsequent OS updates. If you had some free time and a Windows PC in the 1990s, your mouse probably crawled its way to Minesweeper, an exciting watch-where-you-click puzzle game with a ticking clock and a ton of “just one more game” replayability.
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