Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life

Why are Japanese video games a worldwide sensation? This enjoyable and informative survey explores the reasons, starting with how Japanese developers raised the medium to an art form. The book also traces the ways in which the developers’ ideas infused popular culture beyond the gaming world. Interviews, anecdotes, and personal accounts offer insights from giants of the industry, including Shigeru Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima, and others involved in the creation of Donkey Kong, Mario, Pokemon, and other games. This revised edition includes updated material throughout the book as well as a new final chapter. “Chris Kohler brings the passionate intensity of a hardcore fan to his writing, but he also has the background knowledge and the critical facilities to explore video games as an industry, as a medium, and as a cultural phenomenon.” — Chris Baker “While it appears that Japanese gaming is on the wane today, it’s worth your time to read about an era when nothing could be further from the truth.” — IGN “Quite excellent… a great read.” — Hardcore Gaming 101 “Direct and insightful … I believe that it belongs on the top shelf of any collector.” — Steve Kent, author of The Ultimate History of Video Games