The Story Of The Oliver Twins

by Chris Wilkins, Wilkins & Kean

The book, The Story of the Oliver Twins, is 236 pages in length and finished to the very same high standard as my previous books and covering the history in gaming of Philip and Andrew Oliver from their very early days whey they learnt to program in their bedrooms through their days at Codemasters before moving on to start Blitz Games.

The book also celebrates their best games, as well as containing personal memoirs from many who who worked with the Twins.

236 pages, Hardcover

Published December 10, 2016

About the author

Lives in Kenilworth, with his wife and 3 children.

Reviews

[Colin Wheatley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pages are too busy for me—too many secondary panels and images. It feels like a magazine at times. Maybe that’s the idea, but I’d prefer a more focused, linear read so that I’m not jumping around the page. The Twins’ later career isn’t covered in any detail either, which seems a bit strange considering they produced games well into the 2000s. If you played 8-bit games, especially the Dizzy series, you’ll enjoy this all the same.

[Ben Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The highs and the lows are represented fairly and its a huge nostalgia blast for any kid who grew up with Super Robin Hood, Fruit Machine Simulator and of course that there egg feller.

[James Alston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so well written and beautifully illustrated with photos from the time and also wonderful shots of some of the Oliver twin's workings on graph paper. I have to admit I didn't play Dizzy back in the day, but that doesn't matter at all when you read this book. It really brings the period of 80's games development to life and I have to say I have even more admiration for the prolific and hard-working twins Philip and Andrew. A real treat to anyone interested in this time when we were growing up. And the quality of the book throughout makes it a page-turner.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. Being a fan of the Dizzy games I was intrigued to find out hiwbthe Oliver Twins operated. They are dedicated individuals and clearly deserved all their success.