Super Nintendo : the game-changing company that unlocked the power of play / Keza MacDonald.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

MacDonald, Keza, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Nintendō Kabushiki Kaisha.

Nintendo of America Inc.

Video games--History.

Video games.

Video games industry--Japan--History.

Video games industry.

Video games--Social aspects.

Genre:

Informational works.

Physical Description:

294 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First hardcover edition.

Other Title:

Game-changing company that unlocked the power of play

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, 2026.

Summary:

A history of Nintendo tracing the company's development from its founding in 1889 as a playing card manufacturer to its role as a major developer and publisher in the global video game industry. Drawing on interviews with designers and executives, the book examines the company's creative philosophy, business strategies, and cultural influence. It discusses major franchises and gaming systems and profiles key figures involved in the development of Nintendo's products, situating the company within the broader history of video game design and entertainment.

"What magical mushroom could have turned an unassuming playing card company into one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century? Super Nintendo is an exuberant ode to play and the epic story of the company that has redefined it: Nintendo's quirky beginnings in 1889, its singular ethos, its endlessly innovative leaders and developers, its massive cultural impact, and, most of all, the video games themselves, which have inspired joy and creativity in millions. A lifelong gamer and a renowned video games journalist, Keza MacDonald digs down to Nintendo's experimental roots, tracking the company's rise with each new revolutionary product. She draws on private interviews with icons like Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, who continues to leave his stamp on the company, and takes readers on a trip to the secretive Nintendo HQ - making her one of the few Western journalists to have set foot inside the building. Leaping from game to game, Super Nintendo tells the remarkable story of the people who brought us Super Mario Bros., Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing, Splatoon, and more - not to mention the SNES, N64, Game Boy, Wii, Switch, and a host of other wacky gizmos - and charts the delights they've offered over the decades. Along the way, MacDonald uncovers the driving force behind these creative triumphs: a willingness to take risks and place long-term success over short-term profits. A carousel of wonders, Super Nintendo whisks you back to the couch in the den, a controller in your hands for the very first time, staring up at a screen of infinite possibilities"--Book jacket flap.

Contents:

Introduction

Ultra hand

Donkey Kong

Super Mario

The Legend of Zelda

Metroid

Pokémon

Kirby

Wii Sports

Animal Crossing

Nintendo Labo

Super Smash Bros.

Splatoon

Epilogue

Appendix: Nintendo's fifty best games, as selected by the author

Acknowledgments

Notes

Index.

Notes:

"A Borzoi book"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780593802687

0593802683

9780593688618

0593688619

OCLC:

1520208877

Publisher Number:

90104656248