Collection: Nintendo: The Philosophy of Play

For the "Playground of the Gods" Index Page

The Philosophy of "Play," Known as Nintendo.

Hello, it's the shopkeeper.

If I close my eyes, I can still remember it. The feel of that square controller that fit so perfectly in my hands. That pleasant sound effect when Mario gets a coin. The majority of our "primordial landscape of video games"—the core memories of what gaming is—was created by this company called Nintendo.

They didn't always chase the latest technology. Rather, they were geniuses at creating "play" that no one had ever seen by combining old, forgotten technology with completely new ideas.

What they valued was not high specs, but the whole family laughing together in the living room. The durability to not break even if a child handled it a bit roughly. I just love that honest, almost clumsy, "toymaker's soul."

That magic spell of blowing "fooo!" into a cartridge when it wouldn't load properly... I didn't learn that it wasn't the official Nintendo method until I was well into adulthood.

Here, I will introduce a part of the glorious history left behind by such a company, Nintendo. Each one is not just a game console. They are small time capsules, filled with their philosophy and our memories.

Please, take your time and look around.

Famicom→
Superfamicom→
Gamecube→
Twinfamicom→