My Video Game Side Quest: Guides

    I had trouble with a lot of games, so I used every possible avenue to find a way to beat them. Hence, guides. I didn't have them for every game, but I did use them when and where I could. When I first started gaming, guides were frequently actual books. By the late 90s, bookazines became the standard format, as they were quicker to produce. The guides would be out almost as soon as the games. They could also focus on just one game, as opposed to books which frequently featured multiple games.  I regret that I tore out large sections of these books that featured games I would never play, and I threw them away. That was wrong of me. For magazines, that would be okay, but not books.

    Following are a list of places where I bought guides. Places that are closed are in black, while those still open are in blue. I'll mention some other facts with each entry.

• Readmore, Prestonsburg:  I got one of my NES guides that included Super Mario here after signing up for classes at PCC, before going on to Pikeville to get two of my wisdom teeth removed. (The two on the left. The right ones came in fine. However, I still have jaw problems due to the imbalance to this day.) I may have gotten a Pokémon guide here later as well.
• Walmart, Prestonsburg:  I may have gotten another Pokémon guide here. I know I looked at some. Maybe at the closed Winn Dixie as well, but I don't think I bought any there. All I know is that Walmart's magazine area is less than half of what it was at its peak.
• Booknotes, Pikeville:  Of course, I bought books for myself through my own store.  Technically, they all belong to me until sold, but I digress. Almost entirely official Pokémon guides, but one or two others.
• Economy Drug, Pikevile:  They used to get a few guides along with their magazines. I would close my store early the day new mags came in to look at them. I kept looking at a Gen IV Pokémon guide. I think I bought it there, but it could have been elsewhere. The stopped getting mags over a decade ago.
• Food City, Town & Country, Pikeville: I think I saw a few unofficial early Gen Pokémon guides here, but it was the advance guide to the GBA that I ultimately bought here. It was what made me want to buy one, even though I didn't like the majority of the games featured in it. I don't think the current location ever had any guides.
• Walmart, Pikeville:  I got one or two guides from the Gen II/III eras here. At least one was unofficial.
• Readmore, Coal Run:  I'm pretty sure I got my first NES guide here, just after the Christmas I got it. I might have had a Pokémon guide as well.
• Borders, Huntingon Mall:  I remember getting at least one Pokémon guide here, or at least looking at a few. I believe I got a Street Fighter Alpha art book as well. (It featured move lists as well, so I'm calling it a guide.) However, it may be from somewhere else.
• Game Stop, Huntington Mall: Here. They had guides, but I'm not sure if they do any more.  They were still open the last time I went to the Mall.
• BAM, Huntington Mall:  The timeline is a little off, but I may have looked at some guides here, before deciding to get them through my store, if I didn't actually buy them here.
• Joseph-Beth Bookselleres, Lexington:  At least one Pokémon guide from here, most likely unofficial.
• Unknown video game store, Fayette Mall, Lexington: On a birthday trip, soon after I got my SNES for Christmas, I picked up the official guides to both Super Mario World and the competition cartridge with the original three games plus the bonus unreleased one. And this was a few days before I got the second cartridge through mail giveaway. Only time I can remember buying anything here before the store closed, since I can't remember where I got the PS1 controller

    Like mags, guides have gone the way of the internet.  I tried to look for a Gen IX Pokémon guide a few years ago, only to find unofficial, third-party, independently published books of unknown quality. Sure, I could order something, but I'm not sure how good it would be. Places likes Joseph-Beth and BAM would have art books based on games, but they mostly aren't play throughs for guides