Nintendo by the mid 90’s had won the first great console war, all across the play grounds of the world SEGA kids lay bloodied and crushed. During the darkest days of the conflict SEGA in desperation from the confines of their bunker pondered? The rebellion had won many a battle against the new populist emperor in skirmishes, eventually presiding over the Genesis of 55% market share. How had it gone so wrong the embattled Sir SEGA asked himself?
During the first era of video game land the world was fresh and new, the people were happy just to be able to game from day to day without want. However soon the cracks appeared.
More and more new false prophets emerged, the peoples of the land were confused and lost until one day a unifying force rose above the noise of the one note contenders who could only offer one experience with their PONG manifestos.
The people rejoiced at the choices that were being offered by the soon to be First Great Emperor, Atari!
The new Emperor offered people the ability to choose their own after school destiny and all they asked for in return was loyalty to the crown! However Atari’s empire grew so rapidly that authority and governance was entrusted to the two Duke’s Warner. The two Duke Brothers had been masters of the colossal Cinematic Kingdom which lied to the West across the Para-Mountains.
Atari set about the pursuit of new activities while his stewards ran the Kingdom in his name.
But the Dukes had little concern for the peoples of Video Game Land and had the ambition to transfer the peoples riches back to their native land.
Then came the crash of 1983.
For too long the Dukes had been fending off countless uprisings from toy makers and leather companies and the citizens had lost faith in the old order. The people had spoken and the empire fell and the crown was there for the taking and one leader seized this moment as the Dukes fled back home.
The crown had not been so much won more simply lifted from the frail aged head of the first great emperor of Video Game Land, Atari!
The kingdom had succumbed to its own over bloated poorly governed size and its own avarice.
The elegance of the new enemy to the Atari dynasty gained popular appeal throughout the peoples and with a promise of Gold Seal quality and innovation, won the hearts and the minds of all.
The second age begun.
During this second “8-Bit” age the Emperor Nintendo laughed at the attempts of Atari’s heirs.
Atari’s heirs to the thrown who had merely squandered their fathers kingdom away. The decadent over weight 5200 was determined to cling to his father’s culture of games and was vastly out of touch with his subjects, his basic inability to function effectively lost countless followers.
Nintendo sat high upon his thrown, master of all he could see! His warriors Mario, Link, Metroid and Simon made short work of all the cars and spaceships Atari threw at them and Atari’s iconic legendary warrior was still stuck in a labyrinth.
As the new Emperor spread his credo across society, similar pitfalls befell the new order. Pirates and rebel artists had affected the credibility of Atari, many a nomad utilised the Emperor's name to peddle shoddy wares. Now these wandering artists had been nurtured by the new ruler and were delivering high quality support for Nintendo, and the pirates were kept at bay for a time by the secret code words.
However although Nintendo was nurturing of these artists, some simply were not talented enough and yet managed to once again tarnish the Emperor’s reputation. Lord Johnson Nelson or LJN as he demanded to be known used his connections to the Cinematic Kingdom to create for the Emperor wares that bore respectable watermarks, but were quality only in name and not substance. Also the Emperor’s iron fist was a concern for some who wished to create for others than just the ruler.
Ambition knows no master though and Sir SEGA aspired to rule a portion of the Kingdom for himself. His first attempt was an offering to the people which was equal to that of the Emperor however his warrior Alex could not Hang-On and was no match for the might of Mario. Unfazed SEGA returned to the war room to plan.
Nintendo barely even recognised SEGA’s attempt at power as anything more than a loud mouthed knight making a fool of himself, Nintendo should have paid more caution as the swords of battle were already being sharpened.
Once more the bloodline of Atari, fresh from exile was circling, the youngest of the heirs the 7800 bore the weight of responsibility for the forlorn charge to recapture the territories lost to the powerful, ruthless invader from the East. Sadly years after defeat in a last ditch effort from his death bed he would unleash his Jaguar upon them, to no avail!
Atari’s 7800 charged failed as he had returned from exile mounted for battle and had not realised he was not leading a charge against Nintendo, but walking straight into the cross fire of the First Great Console War! Never before had the peoples been so divided! The two factions loyal solely to either the Emperor or Sir SEGA and it was chosen that the playgrounds would be the field of battle!
Sir SEGA had returned to usher in the “16-Bit” era with a resounding thud! This time he had the warrior Sonic, an army with Golden Axe’s and with the mercenary John Madden the streets filled with rage!
Nintendo did not respond, refusing to be drawn into a war at first, even though as SEGA rallied support he taunted “I do what Ninten-don’t".The Emperor waited patiently.
SEGA road across the land winning battle after battle, then came the cry from Nintendo, “WAR!” Nintendo had allowed SEGA to win minor victories until the Emperor was ready to unleash his ultimate weapon.
While SEGA had been seizing territory the Emperor had cloned the next stage in evolution, and once Sir SEGA had reached the Palace gates set to take down his 8-Bit adversary, it was the clone that was to lead the Emperors warriors into battle.
As the gates opened SEGA and the people of the imperial city would get their first glance at SUPER NINTENDO and the new warrior Fox McCloud!
The war had begun proper!
Steve Rewind!
