![Amazon prime logo](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/marketing/prime/new_prime_logo_RGB_blue._CB426090081_.png)
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Amazon Prime includes:
Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.
Amazon Prime members enjoy:- Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
- Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
- Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
- A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
- Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
- Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access
Important: Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.
Learn more
1.27 mi | ASHBURN 20147
Returnable | Yes |
---|---|
Resolutions | Eligible for refund or replacement |
Return Window | 30 days from delivery |
Refund Timelines | Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here. |
Late fee | A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’. |
Restocking fee | A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here. |
Return instructions
Item must be in original condition and packaging along with tag, accessories, manuals, and inserts. Unlock any electronic device, delete your account and remove all personal information. |
Returnable | Yes |
---|---|
Resolutions | Eligible for refund or replacement |
Return Window | 30 days from delivery |
Refund Timelines | Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here. |
Late fee | A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’. |
Restocking fee | A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here. |
Return instructions
Item must be in original condition and packaging along with tag, accessories, manuals, and inserts. Unlock any electronic device, delete your account and remove all personal information. |
![Kindle app logo image](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/kindle/app/kindle-app-logo._CB668847749_.png)
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985-1993 Hardcover – April 28, 2020
Purchase options and add-ons
"Mechner's journey is a universal one for anyone creating something brand new... I'm excited to revisit these journals in newly illustrated form."-- Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram
The creator of one of the most innovative and best-selling video games of all time gives an unvarnished look into the process in this one-of-a-kind compilation.
Before Prince of Persia was a best-selling video game franchise and a Disney movie, it was an Apple II computer game created and programmed by one person, Jordan Mechner. Mechner's candid and revealing journals from the time capture the journey from his parents’ basement to the forefront of the fast-growing 1980s video game industry... and the creative, technical, and personal struggles that brought the prince into being and ultimately into the homes of millions of people worldwide.
Now, on the 30th anniversary of Prince of Persia’s release, Mechner looks back at the journals he kept from 1985 to 1993, offering new insights into the game that established him as a pioneer of cinematic storytelling in the industry. This beautifully illustrated and annotated collector’s edition includes:
-- 300 pages of Jordan’s original journals
-- Present-day margin notations by Jordan adding explanation, context, and affectionate cartoons of real-life characters
-- Archival visuals illustrating the stages of the game’s creation
-- Work-in-progress sketches, rotoscoped animation, screen shots, interface design, memos, and more
-- A full-color 32-page "Legacy" section in which Jordan and fans share Prince of Persia memories from the past 30 years, including the Ubisoft games and Disney movie
The Making of Prince of Persia is both a tribute to a timeless classic, and an indelible look at the creative process that will resonate with retro-gaming fans, game developers, and writers, artists, and creators of all stripes.
- Print length336 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherStripe Press
- Publication dateApril 28, 2020
- Dimensions6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-100578627310
- ISBN-13978-0578627311
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
![The Making of Prince of Persia: Journals 1985-1993](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41cavywxCQL._AC_UL116_SR116,116_.jpg)
Similar items that may ship from close to you
- Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted FamilyHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
- The Art of Doing Science and Engineering: Learning to LearnHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
- The Dream MachineHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
- The Making of Karateka: Journals 1982-1985PaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
- The Big Score: The Billion Dollar Story of Silicon ValleyHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
- Pieces of the ActionHardcoverFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Friday, Aug 2
From the Publisher
![prince of persia, video game, video games, video game design, how to make video games](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/120fc390-5f80-44b4-9c7f-dec1c26654cc.__CR0,0,970,300_PT0_SX970_V1___.png)
|
|
|
|
---|---|---|---|
Sobering and inspiring"With these journals, we can track the development of Prince of Persia from a few penciled squiggles to a global franchise. For anyone aspiring to create a game--or any endeavor that takes months and man-hours--Jordan's journal is sobering and inspiring." —John August, screenwriter, author, host of Scriptnotes podcast |
The honest chronicle of adventure"The engineer in me loved his description of the technical challenges and solutions, and the entrepreneur in me loved the honest chronicle of his emotional adventure. I'm excited to get to revisit these journals in newly illustrated form." —Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram |
An unvarnished window"The Making of Prince of Persia is also an unvarnished window into the creative process, with all its excitement, toil, setbacks, doubts and triumphs. A fantastic read." —D.B. Weiss, writer and co-creator of HBO’s Game of Thrones |
A present-tense diary"It is not a retrospective; instead, it is a present-tense diary written by the creator throughout the creation of his most influential work. It is a humbling and inspiring record of what it was like to make one of the best video games of all time. I love these journals.” —Adam “Atomic” Saltsman, game designer and creator of Canabalt |
![prince of persia, video game, video games, video game design, how to make video games](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/5ee0bf2b-2111-49c8-b37f-c1ab9c864aa4.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.png)
A beautifully illustrated and annotated 30th anniversary collector’s edition that includes:
- 300 pages of Jordan’s original journals
- Present-day margin notations by Jordan adding explanation, context, and affectionate cartoons of real-life characters
- Archival visuals illustrating the stages of the game’s creation
- Work-in-progress sketches, rotoscoped animation, screen shots, interface design, memos, and more
- A full-color 32-page "Legacy" section in which Jordan and fans share Prince of Persia memories from the past 30 years, including the Ubisoft games and Disney movie
![prince of persia, video game, video games, video game design, how to make video games](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/a9a794bd-750e-4088-8c93-7f2534fc46b0.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg)
About the author
Jordan Mechner is a game designer, screenwriter, graphic novelist, and author. Widely considered a pioneer of cinematic storytelling in the video game industry, he created Prince of Persia, one of the most successful and enduring video game franchises of all time, and became the first game creator to adapt his own work into a feature film with Disney’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. He also created the games Karateka and The Last Express. Jordan's books include the Eisner Award-nominated graphic novel Templar (a New York Times bestseller); his 1980s game development journals, The Making of Karateka and The Making of Prince of Persia; and his recent sketchbook journal, Year 2 in France.
![stripe, ideas, innovation, change](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/4d20e272-4c4c-44c1-883d-3fe7199fecda.__CR0,0,300,300_PT0_SX300_V1___.png)
About the publisher
Stripe Press publishes books about economic and technological advancement. Stripe partners with hundreds of thousands of the world’s most innovative businesses—organizations that will shape the world of tomorrow. These businesses are the result of many different inputs. Perhaps the most important ingredient is "ideas." Stripe Press highlights ideas that we think can be broadly useful. Some books contain entirely new material, some are collections of existing work reimagined, and others are republications of previous works that have remained relevant over time or have renewed relevance today.
Other titles by Stripe Press:
- High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil
- The Dream Machine by M. Mitchell Waldrop
- Stubborn Attachments by Tyler Cowen
- Revolt of the Public by Martin Gurri
- An Elegant Puzzle by Will Larson
- Get Together,by Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh, and Kai Elmer Sotto
- The Art of Doing Science and Engineering by Richard W. Hamming
Editorial Reviews
Review
"When an industry is brand-new, its innovators are generally so busy creating the future that they rarely have time to document the present. Luckily, Jordan Mechner did. With these journals, we can track the development of Prince of Persia from a few penciled squiggles to a global franchise. For anyone aspiring to create a game--or any endeavor that takes months and man-hours--Jordan's journal is sobering and inspiring." --John August, screenwriter, author, host of Scriptnotes podcast
"Mechner's journals are a time machine that takes us back to an era when ambitious young creators were making strange new video games all by themselves and making up the rules as they went. It is not a retrospective; instead, it is a present-tense diary written by the creator throughout the creation of his most influential work. It is a humbling and inspiring record of what it was like to make one of the best video games of all time. I love these journals." --Adam "Atomic" Saltsman, game designer and creator of Canabalt
"Prince of Persia was the first computer game I ever fell in love with. Thirty years on, we are very lucky to have this window into its creative process. Mechner's journey is a universal one for anyone creating something brand new, and it brought me back to the early, crazy days of building Instagram. The engineer in me loved his description of the technical challenges and solutions, and the entrepreneur in me loved the honest chronicle of his emotional adventure. I'm excited to get to revisit these journals in newly illustrated form." —Mike Krieger, co-founder of Instagram
"Probably my favorite book on game development." ––Neil Druckmann, writer and director of The Last of Us and Uncharted 4
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Stripe Press; Illustrated Edition (April 28, 2020)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 336 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0578627310
- ISBN-13 : 978-0578627311
- Item Weight : 1.6 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #256,918 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #33 in Computer & Technology Biographies
- #55 in Computing Industry History
- #126 in Game Programming
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
![Jordan Mechner](https://cdn.statically.io/img/m.media-amazon.com/images/S/amzn-author-media-prod/v3ha762l6jdnh7bci2bopm71tm._SY600_.jpg)
Jordan Mechner is a video game designer, graphic novelist, and screenwriter. He created Prince of Persia, one of the world's most beloved and enduring video game franchises, and became the first game creator to successfully adapt his own work as a feature film screenwriter with Disney’s Prince of Persia (2010). With game credits including Karateka, The Last Express, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, he is considered a pioneer of cinematic storytelling in the video game industry. Jordan made his debut as a graphic-novel writer/artist with the autobiographical Replay: Memoir of an Uprooted Family (2023 recipient of the “Chateau de Cheverny” history graphic novel prize). Jordan’s graphic novels as writer include the New York Times best-selling Templar (with LeUyen Pham and Alex Puvilland) and the forthcoming Monte Cristo (with Mario Alberti).
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the writing quality interesting, charming, and relatable. They also describe the content as fascinating, inspiring, and nostalgic. Readers also mention the book tells a great story about the development of Prince of Persia.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the content fascinating, inspiring, and motivating for indie game developers. They also say it provides a great glimpse into the early video game industry and the game development process.
"...There's also just the fun historical context of the whole thing...." Read more
"...of the development and product management process, the book is full of invaluable insights about the life of a programmer, and the internals of a..." Read more
"...I found it to be an interesting read although closer towards the end of the book I found myself skipping through diary entries about his filmaking/..." Read more
"I finished this book in two sittings - it was very engaging, and easy to read...." Read more
Customers find the writing quality interesting, well detailed, and eye opening. They also say the book is beautifully bound and arranged, with decent clarity. Readers also mention that the memoirs on creating POP are charming and instantly relatable.
"...Ultimately, the book was an interesting look at what it was like for Mechner to take on this enormous task completely by himself and the emotional..." Read more
"...flipped through the pages lightly and overall was very pleased with how everything is layout...." Read more
"...Pages are of good quality and the pictures printed with decent clarity. Stripe Press gets a gold star in my book...." Read more
"...superficially, Jordan's journals are extremely objective and well detailed which can only stimulate you and remove any doubts about developing your..." Read more
Customers find the storyline great.
"The moment to moment insights and stories in this book are fantastic...." Read more
"...This really is an amazing recount of Jordan's life during this period of time, as well as how this game came to be...." Read more
"...However I found it an incredible journey and worth every penny, especially for ‘80s kids who grew up a few inches from the monitor of their Apple II." Read more
"...It's a wonderful story, and this edition is wonderfully put together and illustrated..." Read more
Customers find the journal records in the book very detailed. They also say it's great to read through the daily journal entries and see both the progression of the game and the collection of journals published originally.
"...It was great to read through the daily journal entries and see both the progression of the game and the everyday life of its creator, Jordan Mechner...." Read more
"...Rather, it is very candid record of experineces and feelings of a young man who set out to make a great thing...." Read more
"Great game, and very detailed journal records...." Read more
"Great diary, showing the ups and downs of creating something big..." Read more
Reviews with images
![Very informative, delight to read!](https://cdn.statically.io/img/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/x-locale/common/transparent-pixel._V192234675_.gif)
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
There's also just the fun historical context of the whole thing. Having games we consider archaic or quaint being hailed as amazing 3D marvels of their time. A little slice of a pre-internet world, rapidly evolving. Almost makes you want to make a video game.
Ultimately, the book was an interesting look at what it was like for Mechner to take on this enormous task completely by himself and the emotional tribulations he underwent while balancing the development of the game against the development of himself as a young person with time and money and no clear idea of how he wanted to spend either.
If you are looking for a technical breakdown of the game and its workings, the source code is out in the wild and plenty of analysis has been done; that is not this book. This is an inside view of its inspiration, creation, and Mechner's journey through it.
I can say that after reading it, I was quite struck by how many places Jordan traveled to around the world. I never knew he traveled so much or that he had been actively pursuing a career in the entertainment industry (did you know he met Halle Berry on set?) I also wanted to learn more about the inner workings of the staff at Broderbund and happened to get myself a digital copy of the book "Software People: An Insider's Look at the Personal Computer Software Industry " by none other than Doug Carlston, Jordan's former boss at Broderbund.
Should you get a copy of this PoP book, be sure to get your hands on Doug Cartston's book too because if you do, it will GREATLY help you understand Broderbund's corporate culture and introductory history of the IT industry and the history of programming from late 70's to 90's.
I don't have the 1st edition of this book, but read that this 30th collector's edition version includes annotation and illustrations that are not present in the 1st release. So I picked it up both physically and digitally for kindle. I only read the very beginning, but I did flipped through the pages lightly and overall was very pleased with how everything is layout. Looking for quiet rainy days to read every bit of it on the couch. :)
Top reviews from other countries
![](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
![](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
Leggere il diario di sviluppo è stato come un viaggio nel passato. Lo consiglio agli amanti dei videogame e a chi vuole conoscere la storia e l’evoluzione dei videogiochi nel tempo
![](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
![](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
![](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/amazon-avatars-global/default._CR0,0,1024,1024_SX48_.png)
Read it in one sitting, great read!