Some of my fondest video game memories are with the Super NIntendo Entertainment System: from Contra 3 to Super Mario RPG to Earthbound, the system had so many memorable experiences. With that in mind, I thought I would check out Keza MacDonald’s Super Nintendo: The Game-Changing Company that Unlocked the Power of Play. In all honesty, I expected the book to be more focused on the SNES, but the book is more of a retrospective of some of Nintendo’s landmark franchises across times and consoles, including Donkey Kong, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, Kirby, Wii Sports, Animal Crossing, Super Smash Bros, and Splatoon.
Towards the end of the book, MacDonald makes a comment about the book being more descriptive than analytical, which I think is accurate. I would have appreciated some more exploration of the significance of particular games or analysis of their core themes. In the conversation about Animal Crossing, MacDonald does discuss the historical factors that made the game explode. It had been a franchise that faced a lot of skepticism and only really made a name for itself when Covid hit and the cozy game industry exploded, allowing people to connect even when in isolation. More historical and cultural commentary on the games would help me to connect with the overall narrative for what Nintendo is accomplishing as a company.
One thing I will say is that the book does prove inspiring for some of the franchises I’m less familiar with. The discussion of Metroid makes me want to revisit the series in more depth and the history of Kirby’s genesis is a lighthearted and joyful experience. MacDonald focuses mainly on NIntendo-driven franchises and acknowledges that there were so many innovative and interesting games (including Earthbound) that got no mention; there are a series of brief descriptions of some landmark games made by third parties and I’d love to delve more into some of those.
Super Nintendo: The Game-Changing Company that Unlocked the Power of Play essentially presents a thesis that Nintendo as a company has continuously been an innovator and that fun always comes first. They run themselves like a toy company rather than a games company and have continued to grow by allowing ideas to flourish. MacDonald does, however, express some skepticism about the ongoing success of the company. Essentially, the concern is that Nintendo will commit too much to extant franchises without pushing the boundaries. There is an element of risk that they need to lean into in order to stay relevant.
MacDonald’s book is a casual read that is a nice stroll through memory lane with some insight into why Nintendo has been successful. It’s a fun, if light, experience that makes me want to go back to the good old days of waking up at 7 a.m. on the weekend to play a game I’d rented before having to return it.
Happy reading!
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