Super Nintendo: How One Japanese Company Helped the World Have Fun at Bookhaus
Headfirst Editor's Pick

"A deep dive into Nintendo’s evolution, from scrappy pixel beginnings to the era-defining games that rewired how we play. Guardian video games editor Keza MacDonald traces the story of the creators who levelled up alongside Mario, Link, and Pikachu, to explore how interactive worlds spark imagination, shape memory, and build communities."

Join the Headfirst mailing list for our unbiased recommendations.

A event held at Bookhaus on Tuesday 12th May. The event starts at 18:00.


A joyous exploration of the cultural phenomenon that created Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, and an ode to our love of gaming, by one of the most trusted voices in video games writing.

From the instant classics to the hidden gems, Nintendo’s video games occupy a special place in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the globe. Every player has forged a unique connection with a beloved game, feeling that rush of awe and wonder as they immersed themselves in a virtual world in pursuit of that most human of impulses: the desire to have fun.

Super Nintendo finds lifelong gamer Keza MacDonald exploring Nintendo’s legendary roster of games – as well as consoles such as the SNES, Gameboy, Wii and Switch, and a host of other quirky inventions from the Power Glove to Nintendo Labo – drawing from decades’ worth of exclusive interviews with their creators and the people whose lives have been changed by them. Along the way, she tells the story of how this unassuming playing card company, founded in Kyoto in 1889, became one of the dominant cultural forces of the twenty-first century.

Offering unparalleled access to the company and its fun-filled world, and written with warmth and wit, Super Nintendo captures the love that so many of us feel for video games – and reveals just what that love tells us about being human.

Keza MacDonanld will be in conversation with Keith Stuart. Tickets cost £7 and include a glass of wine or a soft drink and £2 off the book. Presented by bookhaus.

‘Here is a book bursting with love. Bop your head against it and see if a shower of gold coins comes out.’
SAM LEITH, THE TIMES

‘MacDonald writes brilliantly . . . A great book.’
CHARLIE BROOKER

‘Delightful . . . a vivid picture of the most important company in video games.”‘
JASON SCHREIER, author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels

‘Among the best things ever written about Nintendo.’
TOM BISSELL, author of Extra Lives

Entry requirements: no age restrictions

Tickets for similar Bristol events.

Make Your Own Festival Epaulettes at Sparks Bristol
— Sparks Bristol
festival workshops & classes lgbtq+
Yin Yoga at Almondsbury Old School Hall
— Almondsbury Old School Hall
workshops & classes yoga sport & exercise
Yin Yoga for the Summer Solstice at The Chantry Community and Arts Centre
— The Chantry Community and Arts Centre
workshops & classes yoga sport & exercise
Iain Ballamy Masterclass at The Tobacco Factory
— The Tobacco Factory
contemporary jazz jazz workshops & classes
Summer Sundays at The Trinity Centre
— The Trinity Centre
workshops & classes