Hardcore Gaming 101
Hardcore Gaming 101 is an online video game magazine founded by Kurt Kalata in 2004. Kalata established the site after graduating college, when he noticed the overabundance of game strategy guides, and felt that someone should create more books about gaming history. In its formative years, Hardcore Gaming 101 focused especially on games from Japan. The site has become known for its in-depth coverage of classic games and the history behind them. Kalata describes his motivations for founding the site, "gaming history is important to me because it's important to analyze how everything is connected to each other. ... New products are always influenced by things that came before it, so it's interesting to trace where certain elements may have come from and to recognize the talents of the trailblazers."
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Hardcore Gaming 101 is an online video game magazine founded by Kurt Kalata in 2004.[1][2] Kalata established the site after graduating college, when he noticed the overabundance of game strategy guides, and felt that someone should create more books about gaming history.[3] In its formative years, Hardcore Gaming 101 focused especially on games from Japan.[4] The site has become known for its in-depth coverage of classic games and the history behind them.[3]
Kalata describes his motivations for founding the site, "gaming history is important to me because it's important to analyze how everything is connected to each other. ... New products are always influenced by things that came before it, so it's interesting to trace where certain elements may have come from and to recognize the talents of the trailblazers."[1]
Books
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures | [5] | |
| 2012 | HG101 Presents: Sega Arcade Classics Vol. 1 | [6] | |
| 2014 | The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1 | [7] | |
| 2014 | HG101 Presents: Castlevania | [8] | |
| 2015 | HG101 Presents: The Unofficial Guide to Konami Shooters | [9] | |
| 2015 | HG101 Digest Vol. 1: Strider and Bionic Commando | [10] | |
| 2015 | The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 2 | [11] | |
| 2015 | HG101 Presents: The 200 Best Video Games of All Time | [4] | |
| 2016 | HG101 Digest Vol. 2: Taito Arcade Classics | [12] | |
| 2016 | HG101 Presents: Data East Arcade Classics | [13] | |
| 2016 | The HG101 and Sonic & Sega Fan Jam 2016 Fanbook | Collaboration with website SEGAbits | [14] |
| 2016 | HG101 Presents: Sega Arcade Classics Vol. 2 | [15] | |
| 2016 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Shoot-em-Ups: Vol. 1 | [16] | |
| 2017 | Retro Game Super Translation Selection | [17] | |
| 2017 | HG101 Presents: Contra and Other Konami Classics | [18] | |
| 2017 | HG101 Presents: The Complete Guide to the Famicom Disk System | [19] | |
| 2017 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Retro Indie Games Vol. 1 | [20] | |
| 2018 | The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 3 | [21] | |
| 2018 | HG101 Presents: NES Cult Classics | [22] | |
| 2018 | HG101 Digest Vol. 3: The Guide to Retro Horror | [23] | |
| 2019 | HG101 Digest Vol. 4: Star Fox and F-Zero | [24] | |
| 2019 | HG101 Presents: Épopée – Tales from French Game Developers | [25] | |
| 2019 | HG101 Presents: Japanese Video Game Obscurities | [1] | |
| 2019 | HG101 Digest Vol. 5: Treasure | [26] | |
| 2019 | HG101 Digest Vol. 6: Namco Arcade Classics | [27] | |
| 2020 | HG101 Presents: Wrestling with Pixels | [28] | |
| 2020 | HG101 Presents: The Unofficial Guide to Shin Megami Tensei and Persona | [29] | |
| 2021 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Shoot-Em-Ups: Vol. 2 | [30] | |
| 2021 | The NES Endings Compendium: Years 1985 – 1988 | [31] | |
| 2021 | Retro Game Super Translation Selection II | [32] | |
| 2021 | A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games | [33] | |
| 2021 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Beat-Em-Ups: Vol. 1 | [34] | |
| 2021 | HG101 Digest Vol. 7: Metroid and Kid Icarus | [35] | |
| 2021 | HG101 Presents: The Guide to Retro Indie Games Vol. 2 | [36] | |
| 2022 | HG101 Digest Vol 8: The Bride of Retro Horror | [37] | |
| 2023 | The Untold History of Game Developers: Volume 5 | [38] | |
| 2024 | HG101 Presents: Arcade Cult Classics | [39] | |
| 2024 | HG101 Presents: Sega Console Classics Vol. 1 | [40] | |
| 2026 | Now Playing: The Guide to 1980s and ’90s Movie Games | [41] |
Recognition
[edit]Nintendo Life contributor Damien McFarren has called the site "a goldmine for retro gamers, with its staff tirelessly uncovering gems from the past that everyone else has all but forgotten about."[12] The Escapist took note of the site's "exhaustively researched spotlights on games old and new alike",[42] calling Hardcore Gaming 101 "a website that should double as the go-to history text for everyone working in the gaming industry."[43] Destructoid similarly said that "the site excels at unearthing gaming trivia unknown to all but the most insanely dedicated Wikipedia moderators", calling the publication a "gem".[44]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Hardcore Gaming 101 Seeks Funding For Obscure Japanese Games Book". IGN India. 17 October 2017. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "About". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ a b Jong, Philip (20 August 2011). "Kurt Kalata – Hardcore Gaming 101 – Interview – Adventure Classic Gaming". www.adventureclassicgaming.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Book Review: The 200 Best Video Games Of All Time". Nintendo Life. 12 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Sega Arcade Classics Vol. 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Castlevania – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Unofficial Guide to Konami Shooters – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 1: Strider and Bionic Commando – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 2 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Hardcore Gaming 101's Next Book Focuses On Taito's Arcade Legacy". Nintendo Life. 20 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Data East Arcade Classics – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The HG101 and Sonic & Sega Fan Jam 2016 Fanbook – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Sega Arcade Classics Vol. 2 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Shoot-em-Ups: Vol. 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Retro Game Super Translation Selection – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Contra and Other Konami Classics – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Complete Guide to the Famicom Disk System – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Retro Indie Games Vol. 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 3 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: NES Cult Classics – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 3: The Guide to Retro Horror – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 4: Star Fox and F-Zero – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Épopée – Tales from French Game Developers – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 5: Treasure – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 6: Namco Arcade Classics – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Wrestling with Pixels – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Unofficial Guide to Shin Megami Tensei and Persona – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Shoot-Em-Ups: Vol. 2 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The NES Endings Compendium: Years 1985 – 1988 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Retro Game Super Translation Selection II – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "A Guide to Japanese Role-Playing Games – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Beat-Em-Ups: Vol. 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol. 7: Metroid and Kid Icarus – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The Guide to Retro Indie Games Vol. 2 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Digest Vol 8: The Bride of Retro Horror – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "The Untold History of Game Developers: Volume 5 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Arcade Cult Classics – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: Sega Console Classics Vol. 1 – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Now Playing: The Guide to 1980s and '90s Movie Games – Hardcore Gaming 101". Retrieved 24 February 2026.
- ^ "Mega Man: A Transmission from Another World". The Escapist. 27 April 2010. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "Hardcore Gaming 101 Unveils Top 250 Western Gaming Tunes". The Escapist. 23 December 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "History of pre-Street Fighter II pugilism sims; wow, the past really sucked". Destructoid. 6 July 2007. Retrieved 14 July 2021.