Videogame records are becoming a hot commodity nowadays. So much so that Guinness World Records has dedicated an entire book to them. The 2011 edition just came and with within it are hundreds of records, fun facts, and trivia questions surrounding everyone’s favorite video game franchises. Don’t think it’s just about who earned the highest score on some game. No, it’s much more than that.

The Gamer’s Edition covers all the main consoles, portable systems, and PC. Sections are dedicated to each in addition to individual genres. There are also sections for individual series that are popular enough such as Call of Duty or Mario. Don’t get too excited though, a section typically consists of a two-page spread. Still, Guinness World Records manage to fit in a good amount of records on each page.

Records range from game sales and developer achievements to fastest completions and highest scores. I was actually surprised at how many records were focused on the game industry itself, rather than those set by the people who play them. That’s my one complaint about the book. I wish there were more records from the players. Also, I don’t need to know Xbox’s Major Nelson’s Top 10 Xbox Live Online Shooters. Stuff like that doesn’t belong in a record book.

Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer’s Edition is a fantastic encyclopedia of gaming records that any gamer, whether casual or hardcore, can be proud to own. At $15, it’s a pretty cheap bargain too. Now, please excuse me as I go and try to beat the record for fastest completion of Mega Man 6.