Nintendo has continually set the standard for video-game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape. The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan shares the story of how this quintessentially Japanese company found success in the American market. Lawsuits, Hollywood, die- hard fans, and face-offs with Sony and Microsoft are all part of the drama. It helps you find out about: Mario's eccentric yet brilliant creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, who was tapped for the job because was considered expendable; Minoru Arakawa, the son-in-law of Nintendo's imperious president, who bumbled his way to success; and, the unexpected approach that allowed Nintendo to reinvent itself as the gaming system for the non-gamer, especially now with the Wii. Even those who can't tell a Koopa from a Goomba will find this a fascinating story of striving, comeuppance, and redemption.

Jeff Ryan

铁杆游戏玩家，曾为Salon.com和All Things Considered写稿，评测过500多款电子游戏。在为Katrillion网站担任游戏编辑期间，曾四次负责新主机的上市报道。他现在和妻子以及两位小公主一起住在美国新泽西州的布卢姆菲尔德。