Keza MacDonald

What magical mushroom could have turned an unassuming playing card company into one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century? "A breezy, colorful trip through the history of Mario, Zelda, Metroid and much more. Keza MacDonald adroitly weaves personal observations with original reporting to tell a fascinating story that's packed full of delightful anecdotes (did you know that Splatoon's stylish squids started off as blocks of tofu?). This book paints a vivid picture of the most important company in video games." —Jason Schreier, New York Times bestselling author of Play Nice, Press Reset, and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels 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.

The Game-Changing Company That Unlocked the Power of Play

Super Nintendo

Cassandra Tang

As part of human civilisation, games have connected us socially, told us stories about our past and our culture, and given us opportunity to exercise our extraordinary brains. They have been bridges between cultures and vehicles for imagination and invention, and a vector for the evolution of language. 

We made Yoshi a dinosaur not because we wanted Mario to ride a dinosaur, but because the space we had, in terms of functionality, was shaped much like a dinosaur. 

Pokemon understands that community is a vital aspect of play. Fun multiplies when you share it.

You can’t hug the whole world, no matter how much you want to. No one’s arms are that long, maaan.

Nothing is more hazardous than staying the course… staying the course means not having a future If you maintain the status quo, you wind up fighting for survival, and gradually your fan base disappears

Super Nintendo quotes

Join the club