Game manuals are, frankly, a thing of the past. When did they start to die out, certainly with the PS360 generation we saw more and more boxes shipped with only a few small inserts and the game. A black-and-white manual became a happy surprise, a full-colour print became a luxury. Why did this happen? Cost cutting and how games are developed now are the two largest culprits. Do you ever play old-school games and feel lost or play newer games and feel overwhelmed with the front-loading of information, or annoyed at the inane chatter of a helper character? These are directly related to the lack or use of manuals.
Game Boy games were generally simple enough that the manual wasn’t actually needed to play the game, but as kids, we knew manuals were simply an entry point into the world we would soon discover. Unique artwork, backstory, and more were always a delight to find included with our game. We never needed to know WHO Wario was or WHY he hated Mario, but it was there along with a cool picture to get our imagination going.
Sports and puzzle games for the platform were often ones that benefit most from a good manual, and Tour de Thrash is no exception. Starting with a cool definition and passport to Stale Fish, an attitude for the game is given. Hey, maybe you’re not much of a skater in real life, but these little touches went a long way to extend the medium. It then gives us the where, the who, the what, and most importantly, the how. Booting up the game for the first time, I spent several attempts just eating the pipe and getting frustrated – there is no obvious method to the madness and the game gives you very little to go from. Finding an archived copy of the manual online, not only was I able to actually start playing the game properly, but relive that joy of building the world of video games through text and images.
The rest of the manual has some fantastic bios for the simple team names used in the game, as well as a lot more specific information on scoring, tricks, and just a lot of info that isn’t included in the game. It even includes tips based on characters to make the world feel more alive.
It’s a manual, it’s simple, and it is there to explain how to play the game, but really, game manuals add so much more to the experience. Manuals are a lost art and something that is also becoming more of a relic. I do enjoy games that are designed clearly, but that doesn’t mean a manual doesn’t always have a purpose. If you’re a fan of retro games, and you’re reading this- you get it- And so does Tour de Thrash.
It’s a manual, it’s simple, and it is there to explain how to play the game, but really, game manuals add so much more to the experience. Manuals are a lost art and something that is also becoming more of a relic. I do enjoy games that are designed clearly, but that doesn’t mean a manual doesn’t always have a purpose. If you’re a fan of retro games, and you’re reading this- you get it- And so does Tour de Thrash.
THE MANUAL
D’Arcy Briggs is an educator and gamer from BC, Canada. He plays and collects mostly for Game Boy, PS3, PSP, and Wii U. When not writing about video games, he’s improvising onstage with The Bakery, swimming in the ocean, or listening to music. @darcyska_gaming
Yokoi Kids 