In 1991, a small blue hedgehog in red sneakers launched a cultural revolution. But the story of Sonic—and the rise and fall of Sega—isn’t just about pixels and processors. It’s about loyalty, rebellion, and the strange way that consumer technology becomes a reflection of who we are.
This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan sits down with Danny Brown—host of Five Random Questions and Head of Podcast Support and Experience at Captivate—to talk about the Great Console War: Sega versus Nintendo. It’s a conversation that ricochets between nostalgia and insight, from Michael Jackson-inspired character design to why Mortal Kombat forced the U.S. Senate to care about pixelated spleens. Along the way, they explore how companies adapt to extinction-level threats (1940s slot machines, anyone?), the absence of queer and diverse representation in early games, and the weird social currency of being the kid with the good console. Danny isn’t just a Sega loyalist—he’s a walking reminder that the fight for market dominance is always a proxy battle for identity.
And here’s the twist: Mandy, a self-professed non-gamer, brings just enough outsider perspective to make us question why we play at all. What do we escape when we mash buttons? What do we reveal? What do we remember?
Sometimes the nerdiest things turn out to be the most human.
Links & Notes
- Danny Brown’s shows and socials: https://dannypod.com
- Five Random Questions podcast: https://5randomquestions.com
- Watch The Great Console War
- Watch The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
