Wario Forums

This is so true

No more booklets full of pretty illustrations and exciting descriptions. No more eagerness for children as they read the manual in the car on the way home from the shops, sweating with anticipation. This feeling was a treasure in itself.

It's called in-game character indexes and tutorials.

I must agree with Angler. This is one topic I've raved on relentlessly in the past, and for good reason; manuals were much more than tutorials. They were a fascinating peek into the world, it's story and inhabitants, adding such a powerful richness to many games that would feel quite bland without them.
It was far more than an "index". Those booklets added not only a monumental sense of atmosphere and context to the game, but were entertaining in their own right. Rare in particular boasted some fantastic use of their manuals, be it Cranky's ramblings, or Lee Loveday's wonderfully witty writing.
Manuals were truly something magical, and it's a blasted shame that they've steadily faded into non-existence over the past two decades.

But they do exist. In the games themselves.

How so? Through tutorials? Champ, I believe you've missed my point-- those manuals were more than merely a lifeless, bland source of information on the game's mechanics. They acted as an independent source of joy and entertainment from the video game. Quite simply, this is no longer present, be it in-game, or through an "electronic manual". The heart, soul, and entertainment value of instruction manuals is precisely what made them so dearly beloved in the first place, not due to being an information dump.

But listing character/enemy info and other story tidbits is what the games are taking care of on their own as well.

The instruction book was an art form. I had terrific fun creating my own as a kid, they inspired me so much.
In-game info is not the same as a separate article designed to excite the player about playing the game (especially during times when you can't play).
I used to take my favourite manuals on trips, rolled up in my pockets, and read about the characters and worlds that inspired me as I drew my own. The best manuals had witty writing, colourful imagery, and a good use of screenshots. I still recall my anticipation reading about Banjo-Kazooie's worlds in 1998!

Never forget the manual mantra: "Please read this booklet to ensure maximum enjoyment of your new game, then save it for future reference". Wise and truthful words.

I would also like to add that they do have digital manuals now, but as Pigmask Colonel said, the booklets brought atmosphere. Digital manuals are different though. Since they are usually acessed via games, it feels like a part of the game rather than a separate magical entity. Theres something about taking the old manuals everywhere you go and just finding stuff you couldn't in-game. Such as tips and trivia directly from the developers.

Exactly. I even took them to school back in the day. Kids would sometimes gather around and become enamoured of the attractive artwork. Heheh. Simpler times, they were.