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Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life [Paperback]

Chris Kohler
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)


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Book Description

September 24, 2004 0744004241 978-0744004243

Get the Inside Scoop on How the Japanese Video Game Industry Gave the World an Extra Life with BradyGames' Exclusive New Book!

  • BradyGames' Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life examines the history of Japanese video games and the reasons behind their success.
  • Explanations for why Japanese video games are so unique as well as why they resonate so well with young American players.
  • The origins of Nintendo, Japan's oldest and largest video game producer, is also examined, along with Japanese Role-Playing Games.
  • Plus much more--the process of translating and bringing Japanese games to the U.S., Pokémon power in the states, and the future of the Japanese gaming industry.

There is no book yet written in English on the subject of Japanese video games. There are many books written on Japan, and many books written on video games. But these books cover Japanese video games only in passing, and none are written from the standpoint of trying to understand the reasons behind the success of Japanese video games. Only BradyGames' Power-Up book examines why video games are fun and what Japanese designers do to make their games more fun, in addition to covering the history of Japanese video games. The book also contains interviews with accomplished game designers, artists and muscians. Not Final Cover.

Chris Kohler currently lives in North Branford, Connecticut. He graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts in May 2002, receiving a BA in Japanese and the Japanese Language and Literature Prize. His graduation thesis was titled "The Cinematic Japanese Video Game" and earned highest honors.



Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Chris Kohler currently lives in North Branford, Connecticut. He graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts in May 2002, receiving a BA in Japanese and the Japanese Language and Literature Prize. His graduation thesis was titled "The Cinematic Japanese Video Game" and earned highest honors.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 312 pages
  • Publisher: BradyGames (September 24, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0744004241
  • ISBN-13: 978-0744004243
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,133,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Something about Japan by someone who understands Japan October 15, 2004
Format:Paperback
Kohler has done a very, very good job of surveying the Japanese video game industry.
Unlike other writers who have written game histories, Kohler speaks Japanese and lived in Japan. He covered the Japanese video game market for international publications. Frankly, the depth of his understanding shows throughout this book.
Kohler's interviews are direct and insightful. He managed to get access to many of Japan's leading game designers. As somebody who has read many books about the video game industry, I noticed that Kohler's knowledge of the Japanese language resulted in a more direct style of interview.
Kohler managed to get his hands on the creators of such games as ICO, Parapa, and, of course, Mario.
One thing I will say about "Power-Up" is that it is a specialized book. If you are looking for a general survey of gaming, or a picture book with glossy full-color art, this is not the book. This is NOT a book for folks who want to read about the games they played as kids.
"Power-Up" is a highly-specialized book. I believe that it belongs on the top shelf of ANY collector who considers himself/herself a serious student of video games. This is a resource, like Lenny Herman's "Phoenix," that will be appreciated by hardcore gamers for a very long time.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars For fans, by a fan. October 25, 2004
Format:Paperback
I've read a number of video game books over the years, and while most are well researched and informative, they seem to take a cynical or flat out negative tone most of the time. Possibly because they are more focused on the business side of the industry. Not so with this book. A labor of love by a fan who actually speaks and reads the language in which Japanese video games are created, he takes us on a journey from the beginnings of Nintendo in the late 1800's to the modern era without missing a beat along the way. The author also examines aspects of the industry that have gone unexamined in other texts, such as game music and Akihabara. It also includes a number of interviews with leading members of of various aspects of the Japanese gaming world. All in all, it's a wonderful example of what these inds of books can be, and I truly hope to see moreon this subject, both from this author and others, in the near future.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars narrow scope, but an interesting read. April 11, 2006
Format:Paperback
other people have commented thoroughly about the generalities of this book, and i by-and-large agree. i'd like to add, however, that some of the most interesting parts of this book are the omissions.

for example, they author segues straight from talking about Ninja Gaiden to NOJ/NOA's localization process and standards for content. he mentions that religious iconography, drug use, etc, are all prohibited from being portrayed in Nintendo software, and the list of prohibited content includes cigarette smoking.

the author fails to note the irony, however, that in the aforementioned game there's a bad guy leaning against a light post smoking a cigarette he throws aside before dashing at you. i can only assume it slipped past the censors without them catching it, but my friends and i had noticed it years ago and marvelled that it had been made it through the review process intact.

it's these kinds of things that make me feel like this book is a good general source, but anything deeper than a surface look at the topics covered would require some additional reading/sources.

there are quite a few nuggets of interesting trivia in here - more than enough to make a gamer smile (dragon quest being legally prohibited in Japan from selling on any day except Sunday or a holiday, for example). my copy was a gift; i can attest that it makes a fine one.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A Serious Look At Games.
This is the most intelligent book on any aspect of the video game industry, that I have yet had the pleasure of reading. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Sci Fi Fan
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read.
This book was an excellent read. Kohler does a terrific job of showing the culture links video games have created between Japan and the Western world. Read more
Published on May 12, 2007 by Jason Holden
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading, but touches only the mainstream games
This is a good book about japanese videogames and their impact in the western world. The problem, and I agree with the other reviewers, is that the focus deals only with the... Read more
Published on February 9, 2007 by Sandro Massarani
3.0 out of 5 stars Gaming History in the eye of the beholder...
History in the eye of the beholder

The boot has very useful information for video game collectors and researchers who are looking for information related to mostly... Read more
Published on August 20, 2006 by Mario A. Lamaestra
3.0 out of 5 stars Too short and too shallow, but basically worthwhile
I enjoyed this book, mostly. Within its scattershot set of chapters about Japanese games in general, there's a fascinating, albeit sketchy, history of Nintendo that contained many... Read more
Published on September 14, 2005 by some dude
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book--some flaws
This is an excellent book. However, it's a bit too short and has some issues.

Firstly, as mentioned in other reviews, this book is really dry. Read more
Published on April 13, 2005 by The Pope Must Diet
2.0 out of 5 stars Should be titled "An Ode to Nintendo"
Frankly, unless you're as enamored with Nintendo as Kohler is, you'll probably find the scope of this book far too narrow to be of any real interest or provide any insight. Read more
Published on March 25, 2005 by Ivan Gluscic
5.0 out of 5 stars Interviews with industry movers and shakers
Power Up examines video games in general, and Japanese video games in particular, as an interactive storytelling medium. Read more
Published on February 12, 2005 by Midwest Book Review
3.0 out of 5 stars Historical correctness isn't enough
I'm a rather even-tempered kind of guy -- except when I see falsehoods bandied about like truths. I see that all the time in videogame journalism. Read more
Published on October 29, 2004 by emag
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