Console Wars

2020

1 hr. 32 min.

Documentary

List

85%

13 Reviews

Tomatometer

67%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

A look back to 1990 when Sega, then a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo.

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jeremy y

Bad movie. Just wasn't feeling it

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

s n

As usual, the book was better. But still a really fun look at a pivotal time in the video game industry.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Very informative and thematically unique, this documentary differs from the others because of the funny and sincere approach of the subject matter, that makes this a must-see for afficionados in videogames, nerds, geeks and even for the nostalgia and the curious ones.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

s r

A good throwback to my youth. It gave insight to the industry that I didn't know. It was on paramount.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Big standard documentary that is very one sided with a sentimental reflection on SEGA's contribution to the console development in the 90s. Nothing too fascinating.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

gareth d

A fascinating look at the tussle between sega and Nintendo and the eventual winner Sony!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Jonah Tulis

Director

Blake J. Harris

Director

Howard Phillips

Self

Shinobu Toyoda

Self

Paul Rioux

Self

Tom Kalinske

Self

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William Hughes

AV Club

Just like the games of the era, Console Wars is bright, engaging, and frequently so fast-moving and unfocused that it might give you a headache.

Rated: B-

Sep 28, 2020

Full Review

Scott Tobias

New York Times

The nostalgia rush of revisiting the industry's 16-bit golden age is checked by an unwillingness to reflect on any part of it.

Sep 23, 2020

Full Review

Jason Flatt

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Console Wars isn’t the most enthralling tale of Nintendo and Sega’s fight for home console supremacy in the early 90s, but it is a wonderful exploration of the real people involved.

Rated: 7/10

Jan 17, 2023

Full Review

Nicolás Ruiz

Código espagueti

Console Wars is a vivid representation of marketing and audiovisual culture in the nineties. A concise, precise and joyful documentary about a mediatic war that shaped the imagination of millions around the globe. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 7.5/10

Dec 2, 2020

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Although [it] could have used more perspectives of Japanese creators and business executives, Console Wars does a very good job at presenting an overall cautionary tale about how companies that are market leaders shouldn't get too comfortable or arrogant.

Nov 4, 2020

Full Review

Louisa Moore

Screen Zealots

An entertaining history lesson about the conflicts between and the rise and fall of the world's video game giants.

Rated: 3.5 / 5

Oct 28, 2020

Full Review

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Synopsis

A look back to 1990 when Sega, then a fledgling arcade company, assembled a team of underdogs to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo.

Director: Jonah Tulis, Blake J. Harris
Executive Producer: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, Scott Rudin, Eli Bush
Production Co: Point Grey Pictures Inc., Legendary Television, MadPix, Flying Penguin Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Sep 23, 2020

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