The story of Nintendo's rise and the beloved icon who made it possible

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. Find out about

–Mario's eccentric yet brilliant creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, who was tapped for the job because he 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 nongamer, 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.