Breaking down the 40-year history of the world’s most popular art form, one video game at a timePong. The Legend of Zelda.Final Fantasy VII. Rock Band.Fortnite. Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For each of the 40 years of video game history, there is a defining game, a game that captured the zeitgeist and left a legacy for all games that followed. Through a series of entertaining, informative, and opinionated critical essays, author and tech journalist Jordan Minor investigates, in chronological order, the innovative, genre-bending, and earth-shattering games from 1977 through 2022. Minor explores development stories, critical reception, and legacy, and also looks at how gaming intersects with and eventually influences society at large while reveling in how uniquely and delightfully bizarre even the most famous games tend to be.From portly plumbers to armor-clad space marines and the speedy rodents in between, Video Game of the Year paints individual portraits that, as a whole, give readers a stronger appreciation for the vibrant variety and long-lasting impact of this fresh, exciting, and massively popular art form. Illustrated throughout with retro-inspired imagery and featuring contributions from dozens of leading industry voices, including New York Times bestselling author Jason Schreier (Blood, Sweat, and Pixels; Kotaku), Max Scoville (IGN), Rebekah Valentine (IGN), Blessing Adeoye Jr. (Kinda Funny), and Devindra Hardawar (Engadget), this year-by-year anthology is a loving reflection on the world’s most popular art form. Featured Games: 1977 - Pong; 1978 - Space Invaders; 1979 - Speed Freak; 1980 - Pac-Man; 1981 - Donkey Kong; 1982 - Pitfall!; 1983 - Dragon’s Lair; 1984 - Tetris; 1985 - Super Mario Bros.; 1986 - Dragon Quest; 1987 - The Legend of Zelda; 1988 - Mega Man 2; 1989 - SimCity; 1990 - The Secret of Monkey Island; 1991 - Sonic the Hedgehog; 1992 - Wolfenstein 3D; 1993 - NBA Jam; 1994 - Super Street Fighter II Turbo; 1995 - Donkey Kong Country 2; 1996 - Super Mario 64; 1997 - Final Fantasy VII; 1998 - Metal Gear Solid; 1999 - System Shock 2; 2000 Counter-Strike; 2001 - Halo: Combat Evolved; 2002 - Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; 2003 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; 2004 - World of Warcraft; 2005 - Resident Evil 4; 2006 - Wii Sports; 2007 - Rock Band; 2008 - Spore; 2009 - Uncharted 2; 2010 - Super Meat Boy; 2011 - Minecraft; 2012 - Telltale’s The Walking Dead; 2013 - Depression Quest; 2014 - Destiny; 2015 - Witcher 3; 2016 - Pokemon Go; 2017 - Fortnite; 2018 - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; 2019 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice; 2020 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons; 2022 - The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

In this sequel to the revolutionary Air Force Gator, eight years have passed since the Crocodile Rock incident that almost irrevocably damaged the United States. Since saving the country on that day, Air Force Gator's legendary status has grown to unseen heights. His strength is magnified after being exposed to the chemical GatorAid. He's dating a super hot stripper. Once a desperate and alcoholic whoremonger, the alligator pilot has finally found peace. When President Obama organizes a rally on the National Mall to honor the inaugural Air Force Gator Day, the heroic reptile plans on announcing his retirement from military duty. His dreams of a quiet retirement come crashing down around him when a fringe group of radical reptiles led by an evil pig farmer interrupts the festivities and carries out a massive terrorist attack. Devastated by the increasingly personal attacks of the Sons of Gustav, it's time for Gator to lace up his boots again and bring the pain.

With a storied military pedigree and unmatched war record, Air Force Gator achieved worldwide fame and legendary status among his peers. After falling into a years-long depression fueled by booze and pills, the alligator pilot is inspired to clean up his act and return to action after the tragic events of September 11th. When a former partner goes off the grid and threatens to shake the foundations of the United States, Air Force Gator is forced to return from the Middle East to face him head-on. Can Air Force Gator stop his old partner Gustav, or will the dastardly crocodile's plan for a reptilian revolution succeed?