High Score: A Microcomic Anthology on Videogame History is a collection of charming short comics published by 2D Cloud, featuring works from artists Hanna Blumenreich, Peter Wartman, Eric Schuster, Saman Bemel-Benrud, and Toby Jones. The comic was originally a reward given out to those who pledged to Rusel DeMaria’s Kickstarter for the third edition of High Score: An Illustrated History of Electronic Game, but 2D Cloud has allowed for this wonderful mini-comic to be purchased online via their shop.

I’ve never seen a more delightful collection of comics compiled in such a small amount of space before. Through 24 pages, this mini-comic presents five different artists with exceptionally different styles, retelling a piece of video game’s past. Hanna Blumenreich tells a tale of being a young female gamer, with the help of radical coloring done by Raighne Hogan, the microcomic’s editor and designer. Peter Wartman recalls his first playing of a Metal of Honor game. The most vibrant and interesting story comes from artists Eric Schuster and Saman Bemel-Benrud, who illustrate the history of one of the worst video games of all time: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 game console. Toby Jones gives a great laugh with his gamer jokes, with the final pages of the anthology end with impression images by Raighne Hogan’s nostalgic gaming art.

The actual book measures 4″ x 5″, so it’s pretty tiny, bearing 24 small pages. I’m new to this microcomic scene, but it was a surprise to see such a fantastic short print released in such a tiny package. It definitely works though. High Score: A Microcomic Anthology on Videogame History is an entertaining read, and at $4, it’s a fresh addition for any comic collection.