With the launch of the NES in North America, *Super Mario Bros.* officially entered the radar of American gamers.
A truly exceptional work can never be hidden. Even though Sega had seized a portion of the market first and released *Sonic* ahead of time, *Super Mario Bros.* still captured the attention of North American players.
Sales figures and reservation data began trickling back to Japan.
Hiroshi Yamauchi reviewed the numbers again and again, secretly sighing.
The figures fell far short of his initial projections, failing to justify Nintendo's aggressive pre-launch marketing campaign. This shortfall was entirely due to Sega's intrusion, which had snatched a significant share of the market.
However, Yamauchi resolved to turn this setback into a celebration. Nintendo still had reason to celebrate!
After all, this wasn't a complete loss. It proved that the NES had market viability in North America, and *Super Mario Bros.*—a work meticulously overseen by Miyamoto Shigeru—had won the hearts of overseas players.
Failure was merely temporary!
That evening, Yamauchi made a special appearance at the celebratory banquet to boost morale.
"Nintendo remains invincible! In North America and overseas markets, the NES has already secured 300,000 pre-orders! The Super Mario Bros. strategy has been a resounding success!"
Gunpei Yokoi promptly called out, "Applause!"
The staff members clapped in unison.
Hiroshi Yamauchi seemed to have regained some of his former aura of power and influence.
After the speech, as Yamauchi stepped off the stage, Gunpei Yokoi quietly handed him the latest issue of Kadokawa Game Magazine.
Yamauchi glanced at it briefly.
The article, written in the voice of "Ten Cents," was bold and assertive.
"Group Leader, many people have read this article recently, and even some within Nintendo have been stirred by it. This 'Ten Cents' is truly a master of emotional manipulation!"
Yamauchi stared at the magazine for a long moment, then pressed his fingers to his temples.
The article didn't denigrate Nintendo or Super Mario Bros.; on the contrary, it showered them with praise.
Yet the more it praised, the more it emphasized one crucial point:
*Sonic came first; Mario followed!*
In its conclusion, "Ten Cents" earnestly invited Nintendo and Sega to join forces in conquering the American market, becoming the saviors of the gaming world.
"I'm the president of Nintendo! How can I stoop to arguing with some young upstart?"
Yamauchi's head throbbed with frustration.
He genuinely wanted to send a Vietnamese assassin to eliminate this "Ten Cents"!
"Still, the NES has managed to open up a portion of the American market. While we still have to compete with Sega there, this represents a significant expansion of our market share. And the games have fully met expectations.
Therefore, we can confidently say we've achieved success."
Gunpei Yokoi asked in a low voice, "What about this article?"
"The article? Of course, we won't respond!"
No response, but no denial either!
Hiroshi Yamauchi saw the situation clearly: he was being roasted over a ten-cent fire.
If he acknowledged the article's claims, it would mean Nintendo was admitting inferiority to Sega. But how could he deny it?
So, the strategy was simple: no proactive response, but no outright denial either.
Let the world believe Nintendo was genuinely collaborating with Sega!
Nintendo and Sega, joining forces to conquer the American market!
Kobayashi Tetsu didn't know who came up with that headline, but it was undeniably brilliant.
At least, Nintendo couldn't directly address the matter without losing face.
The crux of the problem was this: if Nintendo couldn't respond directly, the public would subconsciously assume they were inferior to Sega.
First impressions matter!
Now, the matter was finally settled.
Sales were proceeding smoothly. A portion of the cartridge sales revenue flowed to Bandai to replenish production costs, while the remainder became Atlas's profit.
***
"Finally, I can take a break!"
Kobayashi Tetsu had been on edge lately, nearly collapsing from exhaustion.
In a small villa in Setagaya Ward, Kentaro's rare visit surprised Kobayashi Tetsu even more than Kentaro himself.
"I got promoted," Kentaro announced, patting his chest. "I was just the acting head of the hardware development department before, but now I'm the real department head. That's about a grade and a half higher!"
Kobayashi Tetsu nodded in acknowledgment.
Kentaro had now entered the mid-to-senior management ranks, his position second only to the general manager, Sato Hideki.
Kobayashi Tetsu mused, "So, does this mean you can now oversee hardware development for Sega's home consoles?"
Kentaro nodded. "In terms of research and development, yes. But specific development models and equipment features still require a formal vote."
Kobayashi Tetsu hummed thoughtfully. "Then... let's make a handheld console!"
Meeting Kentaro's gaze, Kobayashi Tetsu spread his hands in a gesture of finality.
"Of course, we should make a handheld console!"
Sega certainly has the capability.
Nintendo is currently pursuing a two-pronged strategy: home consoles and handheld consoles.
That's why, even after their home consoles flopped, Nintendo's handheld consoles continued to dominate the market.
The PlayStation Vita simply couldn't compete with Nintendo's handhelds.
Sega never prioritized home consoles, let alone handhelds. That's why they didn't release the Game Gear until much later. While the handheld itself was decent, its unfortunate nickname—GG—ultimately led to its demise.
Now that Kentaro has been promoted to a decision-making role influencing hardware development, Kobayashi Tetsu hopes Sega will launch a handheld console sooner rather than later.
As for why Kobayashi Tetsu doesn't develop one himself?
Two hundred million yen is barely enough to make a splash in hardware development.
Hardware is a true money-guzzler!
Kentaro nodded thoughtfully, making a mental note.
"I'll bring this up at the next internal meeting and see if we can get Sega to release a handheld console to compete with Nintendo as soon as possible."
He glanced at the calendar and chuckled, "But now, work should take a backseat. We need to balance work with leisure! Don't you know what day it is soon?"
Kobayashi Tetsu thought for a moment.
*July...*
"The two-week anniversary of Sonic's North American release?" Kobayashi Tetsu ventured.
Kentaro clenched his fist.
Kobayashi Tetsu gave an awkward smile.
Of course, it wasn't an anniversary, but Kobayashi Tetsu wasn't entirely sure what it was.
"There's a fireworks festival coming up, along with all sorts of summer festivals! So many activities—let's go have some fun and relax! Stop thinking about work all the time! We'll figure out the hardware issues eventually!"
Kentaro leaned in, slinging an arm around Kobayashi Tetsu's shoulder and teasing, "Go get yourself a custom-made yukata! Fireworks festivals are all about strolling through the streets in yukata with your sweetheart, sharing dinner on the lawn while watching the fireworks, and pouring your heart out to each other! Do you have a sweetheart?"
Kentaro paused, then suddenly changed his question.
"How many sweethearts do you have?"
Kobayashi Tetsu's usually stoic face flushed crimson, and he turned his head away.
*Don't ask questions you shouldn't! How many is too many?!*
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