Super Nintendo: The Game-Changing Company That Unlocked the Power of Play by Keza MacDonald

If you’re new here, and stumbled upon this blog through the mythical powers of the Internet, welcome! I know a lot of visitors to my website are people who randomly come upon this website through search engines like Google, but I also do have a lot of visitors who come back. Regardless: my name is Ashley, and I started this blog in order to keep track of everything I’m coming across in the world.

This blog post is interesting to me because lately, I’ve been struggling to get in my reading time. I was working for the longest time as a freelancer and contractor, but recently pivoted to an 8-5 job where I’m in an office. It’s not hybrid, so I’m always at home trying to put the puzzle pieces together of how I’ll get my reading done. I also continue working on this blog when I’m not at work, so the Instagram reels I’m fed about a 5-9 feel too real right now.

Today’s blog post comes from a book I really wanted to read. I saw it on this book influencer’s account that I’ve been following for years, as she got an advance copy of this novel. So when I saw it existed out in the world, I put in a request at my local library immediately for when it came in.

I grew up playing Nintendo games. My family might not have had a ton of money growing up, but we always had something to play on, whether it was the GameCube my sister and I shared, or the GameBoy I still bust out to this day. Metroid, Zelda, Smash Bros—we scraped together our money and bought used discs. My used copy of Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn from 2008 is my most beloved video game possession.

Needless to say, I flew through this book. Let’s get into the review.

MacDonald gives an intimate look at some of Nintendo’s most beloved characters and series—and the stories that led to their creation.

The author of this book, Keza MacDonald, is a culture and video game journalist who has been on the scene for years. The way she brings in some of her stories and past interviews throughout the book I find to be such a great way to build in credibility, as I imagine subjects like these are tough in the sense that people assume you’re a random person just really into Nintendo doing side research.

And not to knock people doing that. There are some super awesome people doing work out there that don’t have fancy titles from colleges or prestige positions at outlets. I think the connotation with the gaming industry and books like these is that anyone could publish a book on Nintendo. Being a journalist embedded in that culture? A super unique angle.

The overall structure of Super Nintendo is breaking down the chapters into individual series. For example, Mario Brothers, Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, etc. are how they structured this book. Each section goes into a history of the specific franchise, as there are some pretty interesting origin stories.

Nintendo itself is discussed, as it began over a century ago as a playing card company. It’s also based in Kyoto, and not Tokyo, which is an interesting fact I overlooked throughout the years. I automatically assumed it was in Tokyo this entire time.

That said, MacDonald uses each franchise chapter to break down certain key moments in character development, who was involved with the process, whether it was the internal Nintendo team of GameFreak, and the games that shifted the history of the franchise.

Even though some, like Zelda, I thought I knew like the back of my hand, there were certain perspectives or developments that had me shaking my head. For example, I grew up playing Other M on the Wii in the Metroid franchise, and because I was unfamiliar with how Samus was the only woman protagonist in such a series, Other M was actually a major step back in turning her into someone who now relied on men.

Overall Thoughts

I thought this was such a well-written book overall. I was unfamiliar with MacDonald’s work going into this, so I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed reading her writing style and what went into this book research-wise.

I think writing about beloved video game companies and series is such a hard sell, especially when it comes to diehard fanatics who think they know everything. But even if it’s offering a different perspective, like the Samus Aran story, these books offer something new for even the most dedicated fans.

I’d say pick this one up if you’re a Nintendo fan. You can be a general or diehard fan—I think both would enjoy a book like this. I definitely had a blast reading this! I ended up finishing it in one sitting while sitting outside on a picnic blanket.

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