Console Wars

Sep 23, 2020

1h 33m

★ 7.1

Overview

In 1990, SEGA, a fledgling arcade company assembled a team of misfits to take on the greatest video game company in the world, Nintendo. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pit brother against brother, kids against grownups, Sonic against Mario, and uniquely American capitalism against centuries-old Japanese tradition. For the first time ever, the men and women who fought on the front lines for Sega and Nintendo discuss this battle that defined a generation.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

Scott Rudin Productions

Point Grey Pictures

Flying Penguin Pictures

Legendary Television

Console Wars Trailers

Cast

Self

Howard Phillips

Self

Shinobu Toyoda

Self

Paul Rioux

Self

Tom Kalinske

Self

Gail Tilden

Self

Peter Main

Self

Howard Lincoln

Self

Al Nilsen

Self

Ellen Beth Van Buskirk

Self

Steve Race

Self

Jeff Goodby

Self (archive footage)

Paul Rudd

In this hilarious arcade showdown, a humble novice goes head-to-head against the reigning Donkey Kong champ in a confrontation that rocks the gaming world to its processors! For over 20 years, Billy Mitchell has owned the throne of the Donkey Kong world. No one could beat his top score until now. Newcomer Steve Wiebe claims to have beaten the unbeatable, but Mitchell isn't ready to relinquish his crown without a fight. Go behind the barrels as the two battle it out in a vicious war to earn the title of the true King of Kong.

6.4

Pretending I'm a Superman: The Tony Hawk Video Game Story

Feb 29, 2020

The story of the skaters and developers who came together to create one of the best-selling games of all time, changing the skateboarding scene and pop culture forever.

6.0

10 Years of Tomb Raider: A GameTap Retrospective

Feb 6, 2008

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: 10 Years profiles the creators, the games, the live-action models, and the fans who have collectively made Tomb Raider a pop culture phenomenon.

6.1

Video Games: The Movie

Jul 18, 2014

From executive producer Zach Braff and director Jeremy Snead, "Video Games: The Movie" is an epic feature length documentary chronicling the meteoric rise of video games from nerd niche to multi-billion dollar industry. Narrated by Sean Astin and featuring in-depth interviews with the godfathers who started it all, the icons of game design, and the geek gurus who are leading us into the future, "Video Games: The Movie" is a celebration of gaming from Atari to Xbox and an eye-opening look at what lies ahead.

6.2

Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: The Fate of Atari

Feb 1, 2017

Before Google, Yahoo and even Apple, before the Silicon Valley cliché of informal dress code, skateboards running the corridors and wild creativity became commonplace, one company embodied the digital economy lifestyle and business style: the one firm coming out of the Age of Aquarius was Atari. The story of Atari is two-thirds the story of Nolan Bushnell, founder and visionary, and one-third the first and probably biggest boom and bust of the new economy some 20 years before the new economy even existed. Atari was showing that technology is cool, way before the personal computer revolution took place and they were reaching out to an ever-growing audience with something that is still cool today: video games. Atari literally introduced the digital world to the mass consciousness.

7.6

The Corporation

Sep 10, 2003

Since the late 18th century American legal decision that the business corporation organizational model is legally a person, it has become a dominant economic, political and social force around the globe. This film takes an in-depth psychological examination of the organization model through various case studies. What the study illustrates is that in the its behaviour, this type of "person" typically acts like a dangerously destructive psychopath without conscience. Furthermore, we see the profound threat this psychopath has for our world and our future, but also how the people with courage, intelligence and determination can do to stop it.

7.0

The Making of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Mar 14, 2017

Director Hidemaro Fujibayshi discusses the process and journey of creating The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Producer Eiji Aonuma discusses the importance of creating a game where players could be free to explore.

6.8

From Dreams - Making "The Last of Us: Left Behind"

Feb 28, 2014

Go behind-the-scenes to explore the themes of love and loss and how The Last of Us: Left Behind single player story chapter was created.

5.8

Nintendo Quest

Jun 26, 2015

Homer's Odyssey meets King of Kong as two über geeks try to collect all 678 officially licensed Nintendo Entertainment System game cartridges in 30 days, WITHOUT the aid of online purchasing.

6.8

From Bedrooms to Billions: The PlayStation Revolution

Sep 5, 2020

The PlayStation Revolution is an independent documentary feature film that uncovers the incredible story behind the creation of the Sony PlayStation. It is an essential watch for anyone interested in video games and the history of the biggest entertainment industry on earth. The film investigates why Sony decided to enter the video games business, when it was already dominated by both Nintendo and Sega, who not only produced their own hardware but made and published fantastic games. To compete, Sony would not only have to design and build a new piece of hardware, but they would have to find a way to persuade the game development industry to take a chance and develop games for it long before it even came out!

6.9

Free to Play

Mar 19, 2014

Follow three professional video game players as they overcome personal adversity, family pressures, and the realities of life to compete in a $1,000,000 tournament that could change their lives forever.

7.2

League of Legends: Origins

Oct 16, 2019

Fans, experts and creators of “League of Legends” detail the game’s rise from free demo to global esports titan.

6.6

Atari: Game Over

Nov 19, 2014

The Xbox Originals documentary that chronicles the fall of the Atari Corporation through the lens of one of the biggest mysteries of all time, dubbed “The Great Video Game Burial of 1983.” Rumor claims that millions of returned and unsold E.T. cartridges were buried in the desert, but what really happened there?

0.0

Play Money

Jan 31, 2017

A documentary exploring the underworld of online gaming.

6.7

Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy

Nov 19, 2024

This subversive documentary unpacks the tricks brands use to keep their customers consuming — and the real impact they have on our lives and the world.

6.9

Art & Copy

Aug 21, 2009

The personal odysseys of some of the most influential advertising visionaries of all time and the stories behind their campaigns.

7.2

Czech Dream

Jun 3, 2004

Two students from the Czech Film Academy commission a leading advertising agency to organize a huge campaign for the opening of a new supermarket named Czech Dream. The supermarket however does not exist and is not meant to. The advertising campaign includes radio and television ads, posters, flyers with photos of fake Czech Dream products, a promotional song, an internet site, and ads in newspapers and magazines. Will people believe in it and show up for the grand opening?

6.7

Video Games: The New Masters of the World

Nov 15, 2016

In thirty years, the video game has conquered an increasingly wide audience. Drawing on the recent work of economists, sociologists, experts and interviewing major players in this field, this investigation unravels the overwhelming domination of this new mass media.

6.5

World of Warcraft: Looking For Group

Nov 8, 2014

An all-new documentary celebrating 10 years of adventure, camaraderie, and /dancing on mailboxes all around Azeroth. Explore the history of WoW with its creators, and journey into corners of Blizzard and the WoW community you’ve never seen before.

6.0

George A. Romero's Resident Evil

Jan 7, 2025

A documentary that brings to light the vision that director George A. Romero had for an adaptation of Resident Evil, using newly filmed interviews with those who were there, and unravels the secrets behind why it was never produced.