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Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped the World Have Fun
From the instant classics to the hidden gems, Nintendo's video games occupy a special place in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Every player has forged a unique connection with a beloved game, feeling that rush of awe and wonder as they immersed themselves in a virtual world in pursuit of that most human of the desire to have fun.
Super Nintendo finds lifelong gamer Keza MacDonald exploring Nintendo's legendary roster of games - as well as consoles such as the SNES, Gameboy, Wii and Switch, and a host of other quirky gizmos from the Power Glove to Nintendo Labo - drawing from decades' worth of interviews with their creators and the people whose lives have been shaped and changed by them. Along the way, she tells the story of how this unassuming playing card company, founded in Kyoto in 1889, became one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century.
Offering unparalleled access to the company and its fun-filled world, and written with warmth and wit, Super Nintendo captures the love that so many of us feel for video games - and reveals just what that love tells us about being human.
Super Nintendo finds lifelong gamer Keza MacDonald exploring Nintendo's legendary roster of games - as well as consoles such as the SNES, Gameboy, Wii and Switch, and a host of other quirky gizmos from the Power Glove to Nintendo Labo - drawing from decades' worth of interviews with their creators and the people whose lives have been shaped and changed by them. Along the way, she tells the story of how this unassuming playing card company, founded in Kyoto in 1889, became one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century.
Offering unparalleled access to the company and its fun-filled world, and written with warmth and wit, Super Nintendo captures the love that so many of us feel for video games - and reveals just what that love tells us about being human.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2026
377 people are currently reading
5683 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
November 22, 2025
i genuinely don’t think i’ve been this touched by a book in years, i’m so emotional right now i feel slightly ridiculous
i think it’s interesting that this book touches on nintendo’s incredible ability to utilise nostalgia, whilst also highlighting the need for community, friendship and need to share joy with one another
all i could think about is my older brother letting me sit next to him whilst he played legend of zelda, mario, animal crossing etc - they’re some of my fondest memories and this book brought me back entirely to when he’d let me borrow his pokemon cards so i could show off at school
whether you’re a gamer or not, this book is a must read and I couldn’t recommend it enough. it was both informative and warm, the perfect setting for a book about the world’s sweetest gaming company
i think it’s interesting that this book touches on nintendo’s incredible ability to utilise nostalgia, whilst also highlighting the need for community, friendship and need to share joy with one another
all i could think about is my older brother letting me sit next to him whilst he played legend of zelda, mario, animal crossing etc - they’re some of my fondest memories and this book brought me back entirely to when he’d let me borrow his pokemon cards so i could show off at school
whether you’re a gamer or not, this book is a must read and I couldn’t recommend it enough. it was both informative and warm, the perfect setting for a book about the world’s sweetest gaming company
February 8, 2026
This millennial author really loves Nintendo, this book is a love letter to the company and how they do business. It’s rather wholesome. She’s also trying to make a case for video games and she’s holding her tongue about what she finds unethical— games on your phone meant to simulate gambling games. It is food for thought!
Many thanks to pantheon for the free book in exchange for a honest review. #pantheonpartner #gifted
Many thanks to pantheon for the free book in exchange for a honest review. #pantheonpartner #gifted
February 12, 2026
Something I love about Nintendo games is that they bring people together so easily!
I really respect Nintendo’s choice to continue releasing family-friendly games in the early 2000s, especially when their competitors started to venture into more “mature” games.
It was fascinating to learn about just how revolutionary the release of the Wii was for the industry. A one-handed controller was unheard of on its own, let alone such immersive experiences like Wii basketball
Overall, I learned a lot about the history of Nintendo and of the creation and legacy of many games and consoles. It was fun to reminisce on many games I grew up playing with my siblings!
I really respect Nintendo’s choice to continue releasing family-friendly games in the early 2000s, especially when their competitors started to venture into more “mature” games.
It was fascinating to learn about just how revolutionary the release of the Wii was for the industry. A one-handed controller was unheard of on its own, let alone such immersive experiences like Wii basketball
Overall, I learned a lot about the history of Nintendo and of the creation and legacy of many games and consoles. It was fun to reminisce on many games I grew up playing with my siblings!
December 9, 2025
Level-up the nostalgia and discover easter eggs to Nintendo's origin story. As delightful as Kirby and as deep as Samus.
March 7, 2026
[ 4.5/5 stars ]
Reading SUPER NINTENDO felt like a joyful ride of endless nostalgia! With the ascension of online gaming, few things (if nothing) can beat the 90s vibes rendered by Nintendo, who is able to create a special bond between communities, build precious memories and inspire delights.
"Human need fun."
Nintendo knew what we needed. From iconic mushroom to boy in red uniform/cap to little creatures, this book is a balm to any millennial's soul who had their first game boy keeping their company and went through what seemed like countless periods of fail and try again. It wasn't frustration, rather, the desire to accomplish, the spirit of play with the imagination and explore.
With chapters divided into the most popular (and successful) Nintendo games, these pages feed our love of video games and unleashed my inner child as a long-time Nintendo fan. Besides the familiar and evocative emotions, this book also allows me to learn new things as we dive into its origins, the Nintendo foundations that will be the core of the gaming culture and economic force. As we go through different Nintendo projects (I personally loved 'Mario' and 'Pokemon'), it is insightful to follow from the early design to later development, of the creative minds that will establish the gaming culture.
SUPER NINTENDO is for hardcore gamers as well as new to video games. It was such a delight to read this book.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Knopf books . All opinions are my own ]
Reading SUPER NINTENDO felt like a joyful ride of endless nostalgia! With the ascension of online gaming, few things (if nothing) can beat the 90s vibes rendered by Nintendo, who is able to create a special bond between communities, build precious memories and inspire delights.
"Human need fun."
Nintendo knew what we needed. From iconic mushroom to boy in red uniform/cap to little creatures, this book is a balm to any millennial's soul who had their first game boy keeping their company and went through what seemed like countless periods of fail and try again. It wasn't frustration, rather, the desire to accomplish, the spirit of play with the imagination and explore.
With chapters divided into the most popular (and successful) Nintendo games, these pages feed our love of video games and unleashed my inner child as a long-time Nintendo fan. Besides the familiar and evocative emotions, this book also allows me to learn new things as we dive into its origins, the Nintendo foundations that will be the core of the gaming culture and economic force. As we go through different Nintendo projects (I personally loved 'Mario' and 'Pokemon'), it is insightful to follow from the early design to later development, of the creative minds that will establish the gaming culture.
SUPER NINTENDO is for hardcore gamers as well as new to video games. It was such a delight to read this book.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Knopf books . All opinions are my own ]
March 20, 2026
love a good business biography. this one had the added benefit of making me super nostalgic. even though I'm not a gamer.
February 20, 2026
I really enjoyed this trip through the history of Nintendo and its most popular games. I remember my first Nintendo, playing Super Mario Bros, and even receiving a free copy of Legend of Zelda through an ad in some free magazine we received when we bought the console. The book really brought those nostalgic feelings out of me. The format of the book is wonderful. Readers learn about the behind the scenes console and games inspirations, creations, and ultimate reception. MacDonald really has a love for Nintendo and its catalog of games, sharing personal experiences mixed in with historical information. Overall, I think this is a great read whether your are a gamer or not.
March 3, 2026
Wow, I enjoyed this book so much (I could do without some of the authors side comments though).
Learned a lot about Nintendo.
This book was great because I also lived through a lot of the things discussed.
Great work! I’m Nintendo over Xbox or PlayStation.
Any gamer should give this a twirl. As a minor gamer I still enjoyed tremendously.
Someday hopefully I can get to Japan to visit Nintendo.
Bowzer was the commencement speaker at Jenns commencement. “Level Up”
Learned a lot about Nintendo.
This book was great because I also lived through a lot of the things discussed.
Great work! I’m Nintendo over Xbox or PlayStation.
Any gamer should give this a twirl. As a minor gamer I still enjoyed tremendously.
Someday hopefully I can get to Japan to visit Nintendo.
Bowzer was the commencement speaker at Jenns commencement. “Level Up”
February 22, 2026
i’m not a huge gamer, but this was a super fun book! i learned a lot about games that i literally knew nothing about, and it definitely made me want to play all of them. excited for my #gamerera
March 16, 2026
3.75 stars rounded up. This was such a wholesome, informative book on my favorite gaming company. I grew up with various Nintendo consoles so this was very nostalgic. I enjoyed learning more about the company history and appreciated the various sections about games and consoles. If you’re a Nintendo fan, I recommend this!
October 31, 2025
Tl;dr --> Neat way of describing how fun can be a business model for people not necessarily enamored with videogames, and an enjoyable read for those who are. 3.75/5
///
This was admittedly catnip for me as someone whose first experience with gaming was a hand-me-down SNES, and who now marvels at the fact that Donkey Kong remains cool enough for her nephews.
But I do think it's an enriching read for anyone with a different experience, if they're interested in an exploration of why play matters and how a company can flourish and create costumer loyalty by seeking to provide actual fun even when sales aren't the most spectacular.
I quite liked the conceit of focusing on each franchise per chapter to highlight the evolution of the company and its impact. And it worked especially well when lending space to interviews with collectors, players and fans (and not just the creatives behind the games, whose voices are also great to have) in a way that helps spotlight why Nintendo encapsulates geeky awesomeness.
I will say that some parts of the chapters felt perhaps a bit meandering or with one too many names; the Zelda section, for example, is somewhat rambly in the middle until it finds its point again once it gets to "Breath of the Wild". The tone is also maybe slightly rose-tinted glasses, with just passing references to a possible rivalry between some unit directors and a super short mention of the Wii U's flop.
I also wished we could get photos to accompany the text, say to better illustrate the descriptions of the early toys Nintendo made before consoles or the Labo section. But that's probably a rights issue, so.
However those are overall nitpicks, as this book did offer fun, random facts and heartfelt tidbits alongside with its recapitulation of why a little plumber with red overalls is recognizable and loved worldwide.
[thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for access to an e-ARC to form an honest opinion.]
///
This was admittedly catnip for me as someone whose first experience with gaming was a hand-me-down SNES, and who now marvels at the fact that Donkey Kong remains cool enough for her nephews.
But I do think it's an enriching read for anyone with a different experience, if they're interested in an exploration of why play matters and how a company can flourish and create costumer loyalty by seeking to provide actual fun even when sales aren't the most spectacular.
I quite liked the conceit of focusing on each franchise per chapter to highlight the evolution of the company and its impact. And it worked especially well when lending space to interviews with collectors, players and fans (and not just the creatives behind the games, whose voices are also great to have) in a way that helps spotlight why Nintendo encapsulates geeky awesomeness.
I will say that some parts of the chapters felt perhaps a bit meandering or with one too many names; the Zelda section, for example, is somewhat rambly in the middle until it finds its point again once it gets to "Breath of the Wild". The tone is also maybe slightly rose-tinted glasses, with just passing references to a possible rivalry between some unit directors and a super short mention of the Wii U's flop.
I also wished we could get photos to accompany the text, say to better illustrate the descriptions of the early toys Nintendo made before consoles or the Labo section. But that's probably a rights issue, so.
However those are overall nitpicks, as this book did offer fun, random facts and heartfelt tidbits alongside with its recapitulation of why a little plumber with red overalls is recognizable and loved worldwide.
[thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for access to an e-ARC to form an honest opinion.]
December 1, 2025
Thanks Faber Books for my advanced reader copy!
When people hear the word Nintendo, they fall into one of two camps: the first, complete joy and nostalgia for a fun gaming company, and the second, scoffing at a childish brand. I fall into the first, having played Nintendo video games for as long as I can remember. I grew up with Pokémon Red and brain-training my way through The Legend of Zelda with Link as my avatar. I befriended countless forest friends in Animal Crossing: Wild World and my siblings and cousins and I hosted endless Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. and Kirby championships. During lockdown, I built a community of over 400 devoted (and many new!) Animal Crossing: New Horizons players. Even today, you’ll find me curled up on the sofa with my Nintendo Switch, when I’m not reading, writing or cooking! As you can imagine, I was more than delighted when Faber Books sent me a proof of this upcoming book that is a love letter to Nintendo.
Super Nintendo is a joyous celebration of the Japanese company that helped the world have fun. Whether you’re a casual gamer or an avid Nintendo collector, this book contains all you need to know (and then some) about the legendary games company. I completely loved getting to know more about the origins of Nintendo, but also of each mastermind behind their keystone game franchises. Of course, I simply adored the Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros. chapters and their deep-dives, but the book as a whole is truly a wonderful, escapist and uplifting read. I am filled with endless nostalgia and whimsy, having finished this, and Super Nintendo has only served to deepen my adoration of this wall-breaking, generation-crossing, genre-defying gaming company.
When people hear the word Nintendo, they fall into one of two camps: the first, complete joy and nostalgia for a fun gaming company, and the second, scoffing at a childish brand. I fall into the first, having played Nintendo video games for as long as I can remember. I grew up with Pokémon Red and brain-training my way through The Legend of Zelda with Link as my avatar. I befriended countless forest friends in Animal Crossing: Wild World and my siblings and cousins and I hosted endless Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. and Kirby championships. During lockdown, I built a community of over 400 devoted (and many new!) Animal Crossing: New Horizons players. Even today, you’ll find me curled up on the sofa with my Nintendo Switch, when I’m not reading, writing or cooking! As you can imagine, I was more than delighted when Faber Books sent me a proof of this upcoming book that is a love letter to Nintendo.
Super Nintendo is a joyous celebration of the Japanese company that helped the world have fun. Whether you’re a casual gamer or an avid Nintendo collector, this book contains all you need to know (and then some) about the legendary games company. I completely loved getting to know more about the origins of Nintendo, but also of each mastermind behind their keystone game franchises. Of course, I simply adored the Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros. chapters and their deep-dives, but the book as a whole is truly a wonderful, escapist and uplifting read. I am filled with endless nostalgia and whimsy, having finished this, and Super Nintendo has only served to deepen my adoration of this wall-breaking, generation-crossing, genre-defying gaming company.
March 6, 2026
This popular history follows Nintendo from its beginnings as a company making hanafuda playing cards in the late 1880s to its time as a producer of toys to its dominance of the video game market, investing in both hardware and software. Although I'm only a very occasional and limited gamer, I deeply appreciate writing about video games that delves into their storytelling potential and the nuts and bolts of the ways they are made. I enjoyed Andrew Ervin's Bit by Bit, for example, and Jason Schreier’s Blood, Sweat and Pixels, which looks behind the scenes at the making of games such as Stardew Valley, designed entirely by one man, to behemoths like Blizzard’s error-ridden Diablo III. On the other end of the spectrum, I've read beautifully resonant literary essays on gaming: the
Critical Hits
collection edited by Carmen Maria Machado and J. Robert Lennon had some real standouts, especially Elissa Washuta's essay on The Last of Us, Larissa Pham's on Genshin Impact, and Tony Tulathimutte's on the status of gaming in society. Washuta's own essay collection, White Magic, also has great writing on Red Dead Redemption 2 and Oregon Trail. All this is to say that although I was never a big Nintendo gamer as a kid in the late 90s - I only ever had a couple of games for my Game Boy and had to sneak time on my friend's N64 - I don't think it was my lack of knowledge that stood in the way of me appreciating Super Nintendo. Overall, I found it a bit of a pedestrian potted history of Nintendo as a company, and wanted more about the games themselves and the experience of playing them. Because it's structured around specific games, as well, there's also a fair amount of repetition. While there are glimpses of what it could have been, such as the brief bit in the chapter on Animal Crossing that considers people's experiences of playing the game during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was not enough of this for my liking and too many dates, lists and bare-bones accounts of events. However, big Nintendo fans may get more out of it.
I received a free proof copy of this book from the publisher for review.
I received a free proof copy of this book from the publisher for review.
March 12, 2026
This was a fun read, and I gave me a much greater appreciation for Nintendo’s work.
The author had some limitations when writing this book. Nintendo’s recent creators have been private and sparse with interviews. Our author was able to meet with a few people, but most of her sources were 2nd hand.
Did you know that Nintendo was founded in 1889? They made board games and other toys until video games came around. They were constantly experimental, and it’s hard to find relics from Nintendo’s pre-video game history. They’ve created a museum in Japan now that shows off some of their more popular toys from the mid 1900s.
Nintendo got its video game start in arcade cabinets, so they’ve been around for the whole industry’s history. Some of their original video game makers are passing away and leaving the company, so 2026 Nintendo is a completely different generation than 1980s Nintendo.
Our author uses personal stories and conversations with gamers to describe the impact of each of Nintendo’s families of games. I was especially impressed with her discussion of Zelda and Animal Crossing, both games I’ve hardly played before. Each game was designed to create a vastly different experience than anything Nintendo had done before. Zelda was designed to help you re-experience exploring the woods near your home as a child. Animal crossing helps you foster creation with a responsive world, without pressure or score.
Nintendo’s design philosophy is always “fun first”. They test and try ideas until they create a fundamentally fun system. Movement in video games has always been an important focus for them, as shown in the elastic and low-gravity movement of Mario is his classic platformer games. Nintendo takes care of its characters and helps them each excel in their game genre.
It felt fun to hear about the developers experiences creating these games and finding fans for them. I enjoyed reading this book.
The author had some limitations when writing this book. Nintendo’s recent creators have been private and sparse with interviews. Our author was able to meet with a few people, but most of her sources were 2nd hand.
Did you know that Nintendo was founded in 1889? They made board games and other toys until video games came around. They were constantly experimental, and it’s hard to find relics from Nintendo’s pre-video game history. They’ve created a museum in Japan now that shows off some of their more popular toys from the mid 1900s.
Nintendo got its video game start in arcade cabinets, so they’ve been around for the whole industry’s history. Some of their original video game makers are passing away and leaving the company, so 2026 Nintendo is a completely different generation than 1980s Nintendo.
Our author uses personal stories and conversations with gamers to describe the impact of each of Nintendo’s families of games. I was especially impressed with her discussion of Zelda and Animal Crossing, both games I’ve hardly played before. Each game was designed to create a vastly different experience than anything Nintendo had done before. Zelda was designed to help you re-experience exploring the woods near your home as a child. Animal crossing helps you foster creation with a responsive world, without pressure or score.
Nintendo’s design philosophy is always “fun first”. They test and try ideas until they create a fundamentally fun system. Movement in video games has always been an important focus for them, as shown in the elastic and low-gravity movement of Mario is his classic platformer games. Nintendo takes care of its characters and helps them each excel in their game genre.
It felt fun to hear about the developers experiences creating these games and finding fans for them. I enjoyed reading this book.
February 8, 2026
I think this is the first time I’ve ever read an in-depth examination of a giant multinational corporation and actually liked and respected it more after knowing more about it.
This is a fun nostalgia trip if you grew up in the Nintendo Generation, and also an interesting deep dive into what makes the business continue to be so successful at what they do.
I’m not a gamer, just someone with some fondness for the “glitter games” of my youth, but this made me want to borrow a Switch 2 from one of my kids to see what Nintendo is up to these days.
The creativity and innovation of the minds behind Nintendo is fascinating to read about, and I love that they still consider themselves a toy company rather than a tech company.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a fun nostalgia trip if you grew up in the Nintendo Generation, and also an interesting deep dive into what makes the business continue to be so successful at what they do.
I’m not a gamer, just someone with some fondness for the “glitter games” of my youth, but this made me want to borrow a Switch 2 from one of my kids to see what Nintendo is up to these days.
The creativity and innovation of the minds behind Nintendo is fascinating to read about, and I love that they still consider themselves a toy company rather than a tech company.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
March 20, 2026
This was a quick read and surprisingly was more of a business book mixed with a history book. It covered a lot of the backstory of some of my favorite childhood games, mixed with how to run a business focused on creativity while leaving out the corporate slop. Definitely learned a lot for my career from this.
March 3, 2026
maybe i've read too many anti-corporation books lately but i was expecting a little more about ways that Nintendo may fall short (why is my nintendo online subscription sooo expensive this feels like profitmaxxing enshittification vibes)
BUT it was actually really sweet and lovely and nice to learn about the good intentions and creativity in these games. so!
BUT it was actually really sweet and lovely and nice to learn about the good intentions and creativity in these games. so!
February 28, 2026
Lots of nostalgia for me, and now I want to game
Read
March 2, 2026First book of the year wahoo! This was really fun actually, I'm kind of sad I've finished it!
March 18, 2026
Reading this book caused me to buy a Switch 2
February 9, 2026
Thank you Knopf for an early copy of this book.
If you are into video games AT ALL, I think you will like this book. I grew up around the same time as the author and have found myself really relating to the feelings she has towards a lot of this game titles referenced in this book. This is a pretty detailed history of Nintendo and the games that changed the world and created a lot of the mechanics we know today. As of right now, I am 75 pages in and it is chalked full of detail.
At the end of the day, the developers strive for fun and I think they've continued to try to push that into the world.
Update: I have finished this book and while I really did love it, there were some parts of it where I felt a little overwhelmed by the detail. This is written as a love letter to Nintendo with some emotional sections as well as some factual ones. It details how Nintendo strives for wonder and the various games that delivered that wonder.
Check out a podcast that I host with my boyfriend where we talk books and book related things:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6Xjyht7...
and our Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/talkbooky/
If you are into video games AT ALL, I think you will like this book. I grew up around the same time as the author and have found myself really relating to the feelings she has towards a lot of this game titles referenced in this book. This is a pretty detailed history of Nintendo and the games that changed the world and created a lot of the mechanics we know today. As of right now, I am 75 pages in and it is chalked full of detail.
At the end of the day, the developers strive for fun and I think they've continued to try to push that into the world.
Update: I have finished this book and while I really did love it, there were some parts of it where I felt a little overwhelmed by the detail. This is written as a love letter to Nintendo with some emotional sections as well as some factual ones. It details how Nintendo strives for wonder and the various games that delivered that wonder.
Check out a podcast that I host with my boyfriend where we talk books and book related things:
https://open.spotify.com/show/6Xjyht7...
and our Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/talkbooky/
March 18, 2026
Got more sense that this was a love letter to Nintendo than anything else. So good facts and good passion. However just felt lack and lulled in places.
February 18, 2026
4.5 I’m me after all
November 16, 2025
Super Nintendo is a book exploring the history of Nintendo and their consoles and games. Keza MacDonald combines a concise history of the company and its employees with personal reflections and a look at the cultural impact of Mario, Link, Pikachu, and more. Each chapter focuses on a particular development or game series, and the book is carefully structured to unfold Nintendo's direction from hanafuda cards to the Switch 2.
As someone for whom Nintendo has been the game company of choice ever since watching my friend play Pokemon Red on a Game Boy Colour as a young child, I really felt this was a love letter to the company that also taught me a lot about the development of the company and games. My interest in Nintendo has waxed and waned over the years (I read the official Nintendo magazine avidly c.2004, but didn't play a console between my family's Wii and finally buying a Switch in 2022), but this book felt like catching up with Nintendo across all of that time. I liked MacDonald's personal anecdotes, which felt similar to my own just a little earlier, and details like discussing the competitive playing of Super Smash Bros Melee that prevailed for a long time.
This is a book for fans, seeing a company as something bringing joy or sparking innovation rather than about the money. For me, it was an emotional read, thinking about my own history with these consoles and games and the fact that so many other people have these histories too.
As someone for whom Nintendo has been the game company of choice ever since watching my friend play Pokemon Red on a Game Boy Colour as a young child, I really felt this was a love letter to the company that also taught me a lot about the development of the company and games. My interest in Nintendo has waxed and waned over the years (I read the official Nintendo magazine avidly c.2004, but didn't play a console between my family's Wii and finally buying a Switch in 2022), but this book felt like catching up with Nintendo across all of that time. I liked MacDonald's personal anecdotes, which felt similar to my own just a little earlier, and details like discussing the competitive playing of Super Smash Bros Melee that prevailed for a long time.
This is a book for fans, seeing a company as something bringing joy or sparking innovation rather than about the money. For me, it was an emotional read, thinking about my own history with these consoles and games and the fact that so many other people have these histories too.
March 16, 2026
As a lifelong Nintendo fan, this was a fun, heartwarming, and humanizing look at how this empire was built and became what it is now. These days I try to avoid completely lionizing things like franchises and global corporations, but I'm perhaps a bit too close to it when it comes to Nintendo. I've owned every major console, I've played every Mario game, every major Zelda game, and countless others Nintendo produced. I can't really be objective. I suppose this book could have acknowledged, among other things, Nintendo's modern nickel-and-diming business practices and how it gatekeeps its legacy material, but MacDonald obviously has a lot of personal history and affection for the company and I can't say I wouldn't have shown the same amount of affection she did, if not more.
This book does a lot to connect you and endear you to the actual people who created these games. MacDonald acknowledges how secretive Nintendo has always been about their process and does her best to describe their work culture with as much detail as she could obtain through research and one-on-one interviews. The result is possibly the most humanizing depiction of iconic figureheads like Shigeru Miyamoto, Masahiro Sakurai, and Eiji Aonuma. The already beloved Satoru Iwata is appropriately valorized as the heart and soul of the company but this book did more to help me understand that image of him and the others than the decades of experience I already had with the company and its architects. This book warmly makes a strong case for the importance of Nintendo to human history but I've also tied my experiences with its products so closely to my own development as a person so take this all with a grain of salt I guess!
This book does a lot to connect you and endear you to the actual people who created these games. MacDonald acknowledges how secretive Nintendo has always been about their process and does her best to describe their work culture with as much detail as she could obtain through research and one-on-one interviews. The result is possibly the most humanizing depiction of iconic figureheads like Shigeru Miyamoto, Masahiro Sakurai, and Eiji Aonuma. The already beloved Satoru Iwata is appropriately valorized as the heart and soul of the company but this book did more to help me understand that image of him and the others than the decades of experience I already had with the company and its architects. This book warmly makes a strong case for the importance of Nintendo to human history but I've also tied my experiences with its products so closely to my own development as a person so take this all with a grain of salt I guess!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I love works like these - delving headlong into iconic pop culture, this does a great job of chronicaling the history of the Nintendo company and some of its most notable staff members, and deep diving into the likes of Mario, Link and Zelda and Kirby. The author explores why such characters and games came to be so popular, along with the emotional and societal reactions when they became timeless hits. Some chapters were of more interest to me than others due to my personal preferences for certain franchises - highlights included the origins of the company, Mario, Pokemon and Animal Crossing.
The author's enthusiasm for the subject and impressive research really shines. However, the whole piece feels like it was written as an essay - with some structural issues within many of the chapters as it jumps back and forth between points and timelines. I do think that this could make a rather effective audio book which might make this structure work better.
This will be great for people who have played many Nintendo games on numerous consoles over the years and want to delve into the lore, or want to have a great feeling of nostalgia. I certainly envisage myself returning to particular sections of this book in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I love works like these - delving headlong into iconic pop culture, this does a great job of chronicaling the history of the Nintendo company and some of its most notable staff members, and deep diving into the likes of Mario, Link and Zelda and Kirby. The author explores why such characters and games came to be so popular, along with the emotional and societal reactions when they became timeless hits. Some chapters were of more interest to me than others due to my personal preferences for certain franchises - highlights included the origins of the company, Mario, Pokemon and Animal Crossing.
The author's enthusiasm for the subject and impressive research really shines. However, the whole piece feels like it was written as an essay - with some structural issues within many of the chapters as it jumps back and forth between points and timelines. I do think that this could make a rather effective audio book which might make this structure work better.
This will be great for people who have played many Nintendo games on numerous consoles over the years and want to delve into the lore, or want to have a great feeling of nostalgia. I certainly envisage myself returning to particular sections of this book in the future.
February 12, 2026
4.75 stars!
This is a must-read for anyone who grew up with any iteration of Nintendo consoles/games! The author clearly did a lot of research about some of their most popular games including Pokémon, Mario, Animal Crossing, and Super Smash. I loved getting to learn all the behind the scenes info on the inspiration for some of these games, the different iterations before it hit the public market, and the overall reception. I was actually quite shocked to hear that some of the things that we consider classics of the company didn't always get incredible reception on day one! I will say that if you listen to this an audio, the author does have a slight accent which takes some getting used to but once you move past that it is a great listen. My only complaint is that there were some games I wanted to hear more about, like Nintendogs, that were only lightly touched on. But otherwise, definitely worth your time!
This is a must-read for anyone who grew up with any iteration of Nintendo consoles/games! The author clearly did a lot of research about some of their most popular games including Pokémon, Mario, Animal Crossing, and Super Smash. I loved getting to learn all the behind the scenes info on the inspiration for some of these games, the different iterations before it hit the public market, and the overall reception. I was actually quite shocked to hear that some of the things that we consider classics of the company didn't always get incredible reception on day one! I will say that if you listen to this an audio, the author does have a slight accent which takes some getting used to but once you move past that it is a great listen. My only complaint is that there were some games I wanted to hear more about, like Nintendogs, that were only lightly touched on. But otherwise, definitely worth your time!
March 18, 2026
This book is fantastic! I loved everything about it.
The author is not only really knowledgeable but has written this really well too. The history is written in such an engaging way that it really does take you back to being that kid and enjoying those games you once played (for me personally) from the 90’s onwards but there’s even history from Nintendo that goes further back than that too. There’s history on all the old classics like Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and animal crossing. Each one giving a in depth overview of where the ideas came from, how some of the games were developed, the challenges the company itself had faced over the years too. It’s just given me even more appreciation for the Nintendo world and love those games just that little bit more. It was a great trip down memory lane and so nostalgic. Great for any gamer out there that just wants to learn that little bit more about the origins of the worlds they have brought so much joy into their lives.
The author is not only really knowledgeable but has written this really well too. The history is written in such an engaging way that it really does take you back to being that kid and enjoying those games you once played (for me personally) from the 90’s onwards but there’s even history from Nintendo that goes further back than that too. There’s history on all the old classics like Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and animal crossing. Each one giving a in depth overview of where the ideas came from, how some of the games were developed, the challenges the company itself had faced over the years too. It’s just given me even more appreciation for the Nintendo world and love those games just that little bit more. It was a great trip down memory lane and so nostalgic. Great for any gamer out there that just wants to learn that little bit more about the origins of the worlds they have brought so much joy into their lives.
January 28, 2026
Super Nintendo explores the long and fascinating history of one of the most beloved gaming companies. Walking readers through some of Nintendo's most significant games, MacDonald discusses not only the games themselves but the people who imagined, developed, and designed them as well as how those games or systems changed the gaming world. The in-depth focus on the various minds behind the games is especially interesting (although I could've used a "cast of characters") since game developers don't usually get their time in the spotlight. And as someone who has played many of the games mentioned in this book, I appreciated getting a behind-the-scenes look at how those games came about. Super Nintendo is the perfect book for any gamer as well as for anyone interested in Nintendo's unique outlook and business philosophy.
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