In Chapter 2, she draws attention to the various versions in which the GBA unfolds over time, starting with its deployment of earlier design ideas and backward compatibility and ending on a note about the adaptation of its software to digital redistribution as part of the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program (pp. Custodio shows how the GBA introduces new processing and graphical affordances, but also how much the console relies on Nintendo’s practice of lateral design and its emphasis on ports as a way of maintaining and expanding the player base. In Chapter 1, she presents an in-depth discussion of the platform’s capabilities and its position in the context of prior and contemporary consoles. Throughout the book, Custodio argues these points convincingly and with considerable finesse. It also exposes the nostalgia at play in the player’s engagements with, and appropriations of, the platform. Doing so, the author claims, opens a perspective on the prevalence of lateral thinking - a constant reworking and reusing of prior ideas - in Nintendo’s design strategy. Most importantly, Who are you? considers the GBA as an “assemblage” that spans across diverse hardware and software objects and is related to a broader field of game industrial and game cultural contexts and practices. Custodio starts off by introducing the reader to the general context of her inquiry and the central ideas developed in the book. The book is comprised of a total of 8 chapters, including the introduction and the conclusion. Despite the intricacy of many of the relevant aspects, she succeeds in presenting an accessible and enjoyable account - even to the layman I am. Throughout the book, Custodio displays impressive knowledge about all matters concerning the GBA, from hardware and software design to marketing and legal issues. Alex Custodio’s Who are you? exposes this life and the afterlife of one such console, Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance (henceforth, “GBA”). They change over time, are accompanied by a wide range of peripherals, are platforms for a wide range of software and “live” through the various practices of their players and others.

Game consoles are more than just pieces of hardware. Review: Who Are You? Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance Platform by Martin Roth

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