Console Wars

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Console Wars

2020

1h 32m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

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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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

Audience Member

one of the best docs this year! so cool!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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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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
Producer: Douglas Blush, Julian Rosenberg, Katie Mustard
Production Co: Point Grey Pictures Inc., Legendary Television, MadPix, Flying Penguin Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Sep 23, 2020
Runtime: 1h 32m

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