Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children is a non-fiction book written by David Sheff and published by Random House, New York in 1993. Based on many extensive interviews of high level historical figures, it has provided a research foundation for subsequent works, with a positive critical reception.
Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children
The book details the modern history of Nintendo and its rise to become the most powerful electronic gaming company in the world as of 1993. It provides a history of the worldwide electronic gaming industry as a whole from the 1960s to the 1990s.[1][2][3]
Beyond its very specific title, the book is fairly neutral; it mainly relates the history of the company to the positives and negatives of its business practices.[4] Sheff attributes many of Nintendo's successes to what reviewer James Fallows termed "the Japanese system's tolerance for monopoly".[5] Sheff defends the accuracy of the "enslaved your children" portion of the subtitle, stating that "kids will play the games compulsively and non-stop".[6]
The book provides a foundation for subsequent historical research because the author extensively interviewed numerous historical industry figures, such as Howard Lincoln, Nolan Bushnell, Shigeru Miyamoto (misspelled as "Sigeru" if regarding Hepburn romanization as definitive), Alexey Pajitnov, and anonymous sources.[7]
Revisions
Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World, an edition published by Vintage Press in 1994,[8] contains a new foreword written by author David Sheff pertaining to the controversy over video game content in the early 1990s. In 1999, a revised edition of the book titled Game Over: Press Start to Continue – The Maturing of Mario (referencing Nintendo's flagship character Mario) was released. It has error corrections, and photographs and new chapters written by Andy Eddy.[9] An edited version was printed by Coronet Books and given away free with the May 1999 issue of Arcade magazine.[10]
Reception
The book had a mostly positive reception. Christopher Lehmann–Haupt of The New York Times wrote that the book is "irresistible ... Game Over tells a remarkable series of stories ... And maybe that is its hidden message. Maybe that is what makes it, at its best, almost as hypnotic as a successful video game."[11] Alex Kozinsky of The Wall Street Journal called it "the bible of the videogame industry" and "ultimately less absorbing than Tetris, but not by much".[12] Clarence Petersen of the Chicago Tribune called it "a cross between Barbarians at the Gate and The Soul of a New Machine".[8]People magazine said, "Writing with the playful pluck of Mario [...] Sheff unfolds an engrossing tale."[13] Fellow technology historian Steven Levy said, "Mr. Sheff is comprehensive and instructive. ... Whoever those future billionaires are, they would do well to read this book."[14] Alan Deutschman of Fortune said, "Finally, a book as provocative as its title, Game Over is a detailed, fascinating, and instructive case study".[15] Deirdre McMurdy of Maclean's said, "Sheff painstakingly documents the history of Nintendo and its relentless rise to dominance of the global toy industry."[16]Next Generation gave a positive review for the breadth, quality of research, and easy readability. It remarked that the one flaw is that the frequent detours from the Nintendo story give the reader the feeling that the book is an overview of gaming history in general with an unbalanced focus on Nintendo. It concluded, "Next Generation uses Game Over as a reference guide on a day-to-day basis, and we really can't give any higher recommendation than that."[17]
Legacy
The high level of interview access to major historical figures, which US Gamer described as "unprecedented" and making it "the definitive work", has been referenced by nearly all other subsequent books and articles about Nintendo's history.[7]
References
^Coates, James (May 18, 1993). "How Super Mario conquered America". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^Juster, Scott (February 23, 2012). "'Game Over': A Look at Nintendo's Past and Future". PopMatters. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^Sheff, David; Eddy, Andy (1999). Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children. GamePress. ISBN978-0-9669617-0-6. OCLC 26214063.
^Levy, Steven (July 18, 1993). "Hey, It's More Than a Game". The New York Times Book Review. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^Fallows, James (March 24, 1994). "The Computer Wars". The New York Review of Books. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^Corr, O. Casey (July 18, 1993). "Nintendo: From Collapse to Empire". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^ abParish, Jeremy. "Essential Reading: 'I Am Error' Brings New Insight to the History of the NES". US Gamer. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^ abPetersen, Clarence (July 17, 1994). "Game Over: How Nintendo Conquered the World,..." Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^"Talking Game Over: IGN64 freelancer Dexter Sy chats with industry Veteran Andy Eddy about his updates to Game Over". IGN. September 9, 1999. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
^"Game Over - Arcade Edition". LudoScience. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
^Lehmann-Haupt, Christopher (May 13, 1993). "Books of The Times; Taking the Frivolity of Games Seriously Indeed". The New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^Kozinski, Alex (May 11, 1993). "The Nintendo Story" (PDF). Retrieved June 10, 2021.
^"Picks & pans - Game Over by David Sheff". People. Vol. 40, no. 3. New York: Time, Inc. July 19, 1993. p. 26. ISSN 0093-7673. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via ProQuest.
^Levy, Steven (July 18, 1993). "Hey, It's More Than a Game". New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^Deutschman, Alan (May 31, 1993). "Why Nintendo Rules". Fortune. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^McMurdy, Deirdre (June 21, 1993). . Maclean's. p. 61. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
Sheff, David (June 2, 1993). "Book's Author Bemoans the Impact of Nintendo on Children". Education Week. Vol. 12, no. 36. pp. 6–7. ISSN 0277-4232. ProQuest 202694646. Retrieved January 23, 2022 – via ProQuest.
March 04, 2023
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Game Over How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry Captured Your Dollars and Enslaved Your Children is a non fiction book written by David Sheff and published by Random House New York in 1993 Based on many extensive interviews of high level historical figures it has provided a research foundation for subsequent works with a positive critical reception Game Over How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry Captured Your Dollars and Enslaved Your ChildrenFirst editionAuthorDavid SheffCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishPublisherRandom House Inc New York Publication date1993Media typeHardcover paperbackPages445 first edition ISBN0 679 40469 4OCLC26214063Dewey Decimal338 7 617948 0952 20LC ClassHD9993 E454 N577 1993 Contents 1 Overview 2 Revisions 3 Reception 3 1 Legacy 4 References 5 Further readingOverview EditThe book details the modern history of Nintendo and its rise to become the most powerful electronic gaming company in the world as of 1993 It provides a history of the worldwide electronic gaming industry as a whole from the 1960s to the 1990s 1 2 3 Beyond its very specific title the book is fairly neutral it mainly relates the history of the company to the positives and negatives of its business practices 4 Sheff attributes many of Nintendo s successes to what reviewer James Fallows termed the Japanese system s tolerance for monopoly 5 Sheff defends the accuracy of the enslaved your children portion of the subtitle stating that kids will play the games compulsively and non stop 6 The book provides a foundation for subsequent historical research because the author extensively interviewed numerous historical industry figures such as Howard Lincoln Nolan Bushnell Shigeru Miyamoto misspelled as Sigeru if regarding Hepburn romanization as definitive Alexey Pajitnov and anonymous sources 7 Revisions EditGame Over How Nintendo Conquered the World an edition published by Vintage Press in 1994 8 contains a new foreword written by author David Sheff pertaining to the controversy over video game content in the early 1990s In 1999 a revised edition of the book titled Game Over Press Start to Continue The Maturing of Mario referencing Nintendo s flagship character Mario was released It has error corrections and photographs and new chapters written by Andy Eddy 9 An edited version was printed by Coronet Books and given away free with the May 1999 issue of Arcade magazine 10 Reception EditThe book had a mostly positive reception Christopher Lehmann Haupt of The New York Times wrote that the book is irresistible Game Over tells a remarkable series of stories And maybe that is its hidden message Maybe that is what makes it at its best almost as hypnotic as a successful video game 11 Alex Kozinsky of The Wall Street Journal called it the bible of the videogame industry and ultimately less absorbing than Tetris but not by much 12 Clarence Petersen of the Chicago Tribune called it a cross between Barbarians at the Gate and The Soul of a New Machine 8 People magazine said Writing with the playful pluck of Mario Sheff unfolds an engrossing tale 13 Fellow technology historian Steven Levy said Mr Sheff is comprehensive and instructive Whoever those future billionaires are they would do well to read this book 14 Alan Deutschman of Fortune said Finally a book as provocative as its title Game Over is a detailed fascinating and instructive case study 15 Deirdre McMurdy of Maclean s said Sheff painstakingly documents the history of Nintendo and its relentless rise to dominance of the global toy industry 16 Next Generation gave a positive review for the breadth quality of research and easy readability It remarked that the one flaw is that the frequent detours from the Nintendo story give the reader the feeling that the book is an overview of gaming history in general with an unbalanced focus on Nintendo It concluded Next Generation uses Game Over as a reference guide on a day to day basis and we really can t give any higher recommendation than that 17 Legacy Edit The high level of interview access to major historical figures which US Gamer described as unprecedented and making it the definitive work has been referenced by nearly all other subsequent books and articles about Nintendo s history 7 References Edit Coates James May 18 1993 How Super Mario conquered America Baltimore Sun Retrieved November 21 2015 Juster Scott February 23 2012 Game Over A Look at Nintendo s Past and Future PopMatters Retrieved November 21 2015 Sheff David Eddy Andy 1999 Game Over How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry Captured Your Dollars and Enslaved Your Children GamePress ISBN 978 0 9669617 0 6 OCLC 26214063 Levy Steven July 18 1993 Hey It s More Than a Game The New York Times Book Review Retrieved November 21 2015 Fallows James March 24 1994 The Computer Wars The New York Review of Books Retrieved November 21 2015 Corr O Casey July 18 1993 Nintendo From Collapse to Empire The Seattle Times Retrieved November 21 2015 a b Parish Jeremy Essential Reading I Am Error Brings New Insight to the History of the NES US Gamer Retrieved November 21 2015 a b Petersen Clarence July 17 1994 Game Over How Nintendo Conquered the World Chicago Tribune Retrieved January 23 2022 Talking Game Over IGN64 freelancer Dexter Sy chats with industry Veteran Andy Eddy about his updates to Game Over IGN September 9 1999 Retrieved November 21 2015 Game Over Arcade Edition LudoScience Retrieved June 10 2021 Lehmann Haupt Christopher May 13 1993 Books of The Times Taking the Frivolity of Games Seriously Indeed The New York Times Retrieved January 23 2022 Kozinski Alex May 11 1993 The Nintendo Story PDF Retrieved June 10 2021 Picks amp pans Game Over by David Sheff People Vol 40 no 3 New York Time Inc July 19 1993 p 26 ISSN 0093 7673 Retrieved January 23 2022 via ProQuest Levy Steven July 18 1993 Hey It s More Than a Game New York Times Retrieved January 23 2022 Deutschman Alan May 31 1993 Why Nintendo Rules Fortune Retrieved January 23 2022 McMurdy Deirdre June 21 1993 Playing for Keeps Maclean s p 61 Archived from the original on June 10 2021 Retrieved June 10 2021 Essential Reading Next Generation No 4 Imagine Media April 1995 p 26 Further reading EditSheff David June 2 1993 Book s Author Bemoans the Impact of Nintendo on Children Education Week Vol 12 no 36 pp 6 7 ISSN 0277 4232 ProQuest 202694646 Retrieved January 23 2022 via ProQuest Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Game Over Sheff book amp oldid 1140045005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
