The year was 1985, Freddy Mercury was bringing down the house at Wembley, Rocky Balboa won the Cold War by defeating Ivan Drago, and the Nintendo Entertainment System was release in the United States. It took the country by storm on the overall clad back of an Italian plumber named Mario. Nintendo ruled the home video game market until 1989 when a new player joined the game. The Sega Genesis' step onto the scene wasn't a home run right away. Sega decided to bring in a legend of the toy industry, a man named Tom Kalinske. This guy had his hands all over your childhood (not in the bad way) . Flintstone Vitamins? He created them. Barbie? He's the reason she's around today. Matchbox Cars? Who amongst us hasn't smashed one with a hammer when they no longer rolled properly. Tom and his team decided the only way to fight Nintendo's death grip on the market was to appeal to an older more mature and rebellious audience, teenagers. Sega became MTV to Nintendo's Disney Channel. Their battle took place in the stores, at the conventions, and on your TV. It had everything, corporate sabotage, defection to the competition, Joey Lawrence, Japanese rent-by-the-hour hotels, and a Hedgehog with attitude who's still doing his thing today. Get ready for the nostalgia fueled ride that is The Console Wars: Round 1.

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