KNOW THE SCORE

Skurzynski continues her tour along the frontiers of commercial technology with a look at electronic games—video, computer, hand-held, and arcade. She makes a stab at currency by mentioning products due out in `94, but the real value of this book, for readers of any age, is in the glimpses behind the scenes: dissections of computers and game cartridges (``...and you'd better not [open one yourself] if you ever want to use that game pack again!''); interviews with game designers, artists, programmers, and testers at several American companies. Though admitting that the majority of players and developers are boys and men, the author gives girls and women almost equal time in both text and color photos (which are large, clear, and expert). A specific, systematic, and illuminating look at a field that—with the advent of virtual reality—is about to explode. Glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 10-13)