This 456-page guide teaches you how to program 8-bit games in assembly and how the classic handheld works on a technical level.

Programming plays a huge role in the world that surrounds us, and though its uses are often purely functional, there is a growing community of artists who use the language of code as their medium.

When this column reviews books, it’s usually about one that directly links technology to a horizontal or vertical business sector. However, sometimes I get sent one with a wider picture. “Machines ...