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Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation Hardcover – May 13, 2014

4.4 out of 5 stars 3,627 ratings

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* At the dawn of the 1990s, Nintendo was the Goliath of the video-game industry. The company’s strictures on third-party development and its policy of understocking retailers contributed to the stranglehold on the market. But Tom Kalinske, who had rejuvenated Barbie and created He-Man for Mattel, was about to change that as the president and CEO of Sega. Like the pixels that together create a larger picture, Harris presents the various elements of the business in vivid color, from research and development to marketing, to show how Sega went from a joke to a market leader in just a few years. Along the way, Harris reveals the forces behind such decisions as Nintendo changing red blood to gray sweat in Mortal Kombat; the origin story of the nickname for Sonic’s sidekick, Tails; and even how Mario was supposed to be a certain spinach-guzzling sailor, in a manner that will engage both Gen X gamers and business-minded readers. Harris defines the players immediately, honing in on their most notable characteristics, and puts the reader in the thick of the meetings and deal-making with a confidence stemming from hundreds of interviews. Pegged for both documentary and feature-film adaptations, Console Wars is remarkably detailed and fast paced, pitting speedy Sonic against more-of-the-same Mario in a blow-by-blow account of the battle for supremacy in the burgeoning video-game industry. --Bridget Thoreson

Review

A riveting story full of colorful characters… a fascinating, illuminating history… an essential read. — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A highly entertaining behind-the-scenes thriller. — Kirkus Reviews

It’s far and away one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read. — Forbes

Like the pixels that together create a larger picture, Harris presents the various elements of the business in vivid color...remarkably detailed and fast paced. — Booklist

Fast, fluid, and startingly accessible. — Entertainment Weekly

A fast-paced page-turner...it’s exciting to finally get a no-holds-barred account of a history that has largely been kept secret from the public eye. — Wired

A must-read. Period. — IGN

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ It Books (May 13, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062276697
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062276698
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.7 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 3,627 ratings

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Blake J. Harris is the two-time bestselling author of Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo and the Battle that Defined a Generation (2014) and The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook and the Revolution that Swept Virtual Reality(2019). His first book, Console Wars, is currently being adapted for television by Legendary Entertainment, and producers Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg and Scott Rudin; in addition to serving as an executive producer on the adaptation, Harris also co-directed the CONSOLE WARS documentary (2020).

Harris has written pieces for Fast Company, ESPN, /Film, Complex and a variety of other publications.

He is currently working on his third book right now: a biography about the great Larry David.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
3,627 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 22, 2014
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 19, 2014
84 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Thedrisk
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read not without its flaws
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 14, 2014
27 people found this helpful
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Pilch
3.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting read, but with a few issues
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 25, 2017
4 people found this helpful
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Kiran_mk2
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for all Sega and Nintendo 16-bit fans
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 22, 2016
Sparky
4.0 out of 5 stars Great way of reliving my youth
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 25, 2021
Mr. N. Long
3.0 out of 5 stars Narrow in scope, but entertaining
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 26, 2014
11 people found this helpful
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