Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation - Review

Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation

From the domination of the Nintendo Entertainment Console to the demise of the Dreamcast, Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, by Blake Harris, details the epic battle between Sega and Nintendo of America that spanned three decades.  The history covered within the book centers around the North American market, yet many of the court battles and innovations have had wide-sweeping global effects. The 90’s era console wars saw many court rulings on copyright, censorship, and other industry standards that still stand in some form today.  These high-stakes court battles are told in an entertaining manner that keep the reader's attention.

With all that being said, the personal narratives within the book cannot be fact-checked and read much more like a stylized documentary at best, and a complete work of fiction at worst. It is clear to the reader that Blake Harris is a screenwriter at heart, as many of the narratives read like movie scripts, with place setting and stage directions. The narration is very entertaining, but not factual history.  Overall the book was enjoyable, but compared to more veridical and comprehensive works in the field, it fails on many levels.

References:

Kent, S.L., 2001. The ultimate history of video games: from Pong to Pokémon and beyond: the story behind the craze that touched our lives and changed the world, Roseville, CA: Prima Pub.