Super Nintendo Entertainment System
| Super Nintendo Entertainment System | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 NTSC version  PAL version | |||||||||||
| Generation | Fourth generation | ||||||||||
| Release date | Super Nintendo Entertainment System/Super Famicom: November 21, 1990[?] 1990[1] August 23, 1991[2] April 11, 1992[3] April 11, 1992[3] June 6, 1992[3][4] June 8, 1992[5] July 3, 1992[?] August 30, 1993[6] 1994[7] 1994[7] 1994[7] 1994[7] 1994[7] November 14, 1994[7] November 15, 1994[8]Super NES Classic Edition: September 29, 2017[?] September 29, 2017[?] September 30, 2017[?] October 5, 2017[?] | ||||||||||
| Discontinued | 1999[9] September 25, 2003[?] | ||||||||||
| Ratings | Super NES Classic Edition:
| ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System | ||||||||||
| Successor | Nintendo 64 | ||||||||||
- Teen
- Twelve years and older
- Twelve years and older
- Mature
- Twelve years and older- “Now you're playing with power. Super power!”
- —Advertisement slogan for the SNES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (abbreviated as SNES, Super NES, or Super Nintendo), called the Super Famicom or the Super Family Computer[10] in Japan, is a video game console created by Nintendo. In early development, it was called Nintendo Entertainment System 2 or NES2. The system was released in Japan on November 21, 1990; in South Korea later that year; in North America on August 23, 1991; in the United Kingdom and Ireland on April 11, 1992; in most of continental Europe on June 6, 1992; in Chile two days later; in Oceania in July 1992; in Brazil on August 30, 1993; in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Yugoslavia in 1994; in Poland on November 15, 1994 (simultaneously with the original Nintendo Entertainment System and the Game Boy);[7] and in Russia the following day. The South Korean version was rebranded the Super Comboy and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics to circumvent the country's bans on Japanese cultural imports. It is the last Nintendo console that has a different design and name in North America and PAL regions. The PAL version is a mix between the Super Famicom and the American SNES, keeping the design of the Super Famicom, while using the name from the American version. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is the successor to the original Nintendo Entertainment System and similarly went on to produce many popular games, many of which are of the Super Mario franchise, most notably Super Mario World, Donkey Kong Country, and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
Many early SNES cartridges had a long crevice spanning the cartridge. This was to prevent people from pulling the cartridges out when the system was turned on. These were produced as late as March 1993, as some early Star Fox cartridges were manufactured with this mold. Later SNES cartridges opted into a different design because people were possibly breaking their SNES units,[citation needed] at the very earliest of June 1993, as no Yoshi's Cookie or Mario is Missing! cartridges have this mold.
The system's S-SMP audio chip, which used ADPCM sample playback instead of a digital synthesizer like competing systems, was developed by consumer electronics company Sony. The success of this partnership resulted in another deal to create the Super NES CD-ROM, a planned peripheral for the SNES that would have been able to play CD-ROM discs, in response to the Japanese success of a similar add-on for the TurboGrafx-16. However, because the contract would have given Sony full control of and royalties for CD-ROM titles, Nintendo publicly terminated their partnership and courted a new deal with Philips, who previously co-developed the Compact Disc format with Sony throughout the 1970s. The Philips deal failed to result in a finished product, and instead, Philips was given the rights to use the Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda IPs for several titles on its own CD-based multimedia device, the Philips CD-i. Only one Super Mario title emerged from this arrangement, though two others were planned before being canceled. Sony, meanwhile, would eventually release the PlayStation in response to its deal with Nintendo falling apart, considerably outselling the Nintendo 64 during the late 1990s. Some games of the Super Mario franchise, such as Super Mario All-Stars and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, were considered for the Super NES CD-ROM, only to be shifted to the base SNES following the add-on's cancelation.[11][12]
Because of the international rivalry between Nintendo and Sega, which competed against the SNES with their Sega Genesis, many Super Mario games during this time included jabs at Sega's flagship series, Sonic the Hedgehog, and vice versa. In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Sonic's boots and the plasma gun from Earthworm Jim are seen next to a bin and labeled "no hopers." In Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, there are blue hedgehog enemies that greatly resemble Sonic.
The SNES was re-released as Super Famicom Jr. for Japan, and on October 20, 1997, it was released in North America as the New-Style Super NES.[13] The newer model was smaller and lacked the eject button, and it also could not output the S-Video and RGB signals.
Accessories[edit]
SNES Controller[edit]
The SNES Controller has a layout which popularized the layout used by most modern controllers. It is more round-shaped instead of rectangle-shaped from the NES controller. It has the 
, 
, 
, and 
buttons and the 
from the NES, plus four extra buttons: the 
, 
, 
, and 
buttons. There was also a LodgeNet version for hotels.[14]
The American controller is slightly different from the Japanese and the PAL controllers. Instead of having each button be a different bright color, the and buttons were purple and the and buttons were lavender, tying into the mechanical color scheme of the SNES's American model.
There is also a Wii adaption of the SNES controller for use as a substitution for the Classic Controller with games that support said controller.
Super Game Boy[edit]
- Main article: Super Game Boy
The Super Game Boy is a cartridge adapter that allows play of all Game Boy games, as well as Game Boy Color games that were made backwards compatible to work on the original Game Boy, on the Super Nintendo. Some Game Boy games are labeled as enhanced for Super Game Boy, such as Donkey Kong.
Super NES Mouse[edit]
The Super NES Mouse was an accessory for certain Super NES games. It was compatible only with the SNES and was thus only used in the early-to-mid-1990s. The Super NES Mouse mimics the appearance and action of an actual computer mouse; the Super NES Mouse controlled the cursor in some Super Mario games.
The Super NES Mouse was originally bundled with Mario Paint and a mouse pad for $59.95.
Super Mario games compatible with the Super NES Mouse[edit]
- Mario Paint
- Mario & Wario
- Mario's Early Years! Fun with Letters
- Mario's Early Years! Fun with Numbers
- Mario's Early Years! Preschool Fun
- UNDAKE30 Same Game Daisakusen Mario Version
Super Scope[edit]
- Main article: Super Scope
The SNES Super Scope is a light gun accessory for the SNES. It has one "fire" button for shooting, either in single bursts or a constant stream, depending on whether or not its on/off switch is set to "turbo". It also has a second "cursor" button and a "pause" button. It was used for very few games, including one Super Mario title, Yoshi's Safari.
Super Multitap[edit]
The Super Multitap, by Hudson Soft, allowed to turn the player 2 controller port into four controller ports, allowing for up to five simultaneous players, but only if the game supports it. Although no Super Mario game for the SNES uses the Super Multitap, the Game Boy game Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman! can use the accessory if played in a Super Game Boy, although the game never uses the fifth available controller slot.
Satellaview[edit]
- Main article: Satellaview
A Japan-exclusive add-on for the Super Famicom was the Satellaview. It was the earliest known, commercially available, licensed product by Nintendo to connect to the internet and download games. The Super Famicom Jr. is incompatible with Satellaview because of the missing port underneath the first model had.
SF Memory Cassette[edit]
- Main article: Nintendo Power (cartridge)
Only in Japan, the SF Memory Cassette is a rewritable version of regular cartridges, through kiosks at retail stores between 1997-2007.
Cleaning Kit[edit]
Over time, pins inside the SNES and game cartridges would get dirty. Nintendo released an approved cleaning kit to improve the condition of the contacts so games would play without interruption.
Super NES Classic Edition[edit]
- Main article: Classics § Super NES Classic Edition
Announced on June 26, 2017, the Super NES Classic Edition (known as the Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe and Australia and Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Famicom in Japan) is a smaller version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the successor to the NES Classic Edition. It comes with 21 pre-installed SNES games, including five games in the Super Mario franchise: Super Mario World, Super Mario Kart, Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It was released on September 29, 2017 in North America and Europe, September 30 in Oceania, and October 5 in Japan.
Appearances in the Super Mario franchise[edit]
Super Mario series[edit]
In the Super Mario series, Super Mario World had a Special Zone that used the logo for the Japanese and European markets, and in Super Mario Odyssey, one of the filters that is available for use in Snapshot Mode is the graphics style of the SNES.
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest[edit]
In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, giant SNES controllers appear in both Monkey Museum and the Interior of The Flying Krock.
Club Nintendo[edit]
A spaceship shaped like the PAL version of the SNES appeared in the 1997 Club Nintendo comic, "Die Jagd nach dem Nintendo 64: Krawall im All". It was used as a metaphor, referring to the discontinuation of the console, and the launch of the Nintendo 64. In the comic, Mario and Luigi traveled with this spaceship, in search for a new one. During their quest they had to compete against Wario and Bowser who chased after the new spaceship as well. At the end of the comic, the spacecraft turned out to be the Nintendo 64 and the plumbers went on to take possession of it (abandoning the SNES-spaceship), being hailed by several of their friends.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves[edit]
A Super Nintendo is the setting for the microgame Super Nostalgic Entertainment System in WarioWare: Smooth Moves.
Gallery[edit]
Japan and PAL logo, sport bright colors, resembling the shape of the four main buttons on the controller
North American logo, which has a more muted tone than the Japanese logo, having a simpler gray and black color scheme.
Super Famicom
Super Famicom Jr.
New-Style Super NES
Super NES Super Set (includes Super Mario World)
Super NES Mario Set (includes Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World)
Super NES Donkey Kong Set (includes Donkey Kong Country)
Standard SNES 2 package
SNES 2 package (includes Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island)
Super NES Nintendo Player's Guide
A Wii Classic Controller themed after a European SNES controller, rewarded by Australian Club Nintendo
Image macro from the official NintendoAUNZ social media accounts, showing Super Mario games for the system
Video games[edit]
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Screenshots[edit]
Super Mario World
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Super Paper Mario
References[edit]
- ^ Byrne, Brian (2017). History of the Super Nintendo (SNES): Ultimate Guide to the SNES Games & Hardware. Console Gamer Magazine. ISBN 978-1-5498-9956-0. Page 4.
- ^ Nintendo of America (August 23, 2021). On this day 30 years ago, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America! What are some of your favorite #SNES games and memories?. X. Retrieved June 3, 2024. (Archived March 11, 2022, 19:29:37 UTC via archive.today.)
- ^ a b c "Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Platform)". Giant Bomb. Archived March 30, 2019, 23:36:08 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ "Nintendo History". Nintendo. Archived September 4, 2012, 13:41:55 UTC from the original via archive.today. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ November 21, 2015. "Los juegos más recordados a 25 años del lanzamiento de la Super Nintendo". La Tercera (Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Super Nintendo. Trade In Post. Archived August 11, 2020, 19:15:05 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Joshua Rogers (December 26, 2020). World of Nintendo: Exploring Nintendo in (Eastern) Europe. PAX (via YouTube) (English). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived June 5, 2024, 20:16:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Игорь Пичугин (November 1, 1994). Соглашение Steepler и Nintendo. Газета "Коммерсантъ" (Russian). Retrieved June 1, 2024. (Archived April 27, 2019, 02:58:42 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Reisinger, Don (January 21, 2009). Does the Xbox 360's 'lack of longevity' matter?. CNET. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ Nintendo Japan. Mario Portal.
- ^ Development: Super Mario All-Stars. The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
- ^ "As mentioned in Nintendo News Network last issue, not much is known at this stage, but we believe that the Super CD will be the same size as the Super NES. It will connect by the external port on the Super NES and the two units will become one by piggybacking. Super Mario 5 is said to be coming out on Super CD." – May 1993. Nintendo Magazine System (AU) Issue #2. Page 62.
- ^ SHVC: Super Famicom. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
- ^ Nintendrew (August 15, 2018). LodgeNet Game Controllers - Nintendo's Hotel Rental Service!. YouTube. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
External links[edit]
- Sonifi Solutions (Wikipedia) – A company that has brought Nintendo systems, including the SNES, to hotel rooms
| Video game systems and add-ons | |
|---|---|
| Nintendo home consoles | Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System (Family BASIC, Family Computer Disk System) • Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Satellaview, Super Game Boy) • Nintendo 64 (Nintendo 64DD) • Nintendo GameCube (Game Boy Player) • Wii (Virtual Console, WiiWare) • Wii U (Virtual Console) • Nintendo Switch |
| Nintendo handhelds | Game & Watch • Game Boy • Virtual Boy • Game Boy Color • Game Boy Advance • Nintendo DS (Nintendo DSi, DSiWare) • Nintendo 3DS (Virtual Console) • Nintendo Switch |
| Other | MS-DOS • VS. System • Nintendo PlayChoice-10 • Nintendo Super System • Nelsonic Game Watch • Super Mario Bros. Watch • Gamewatch Boy • Philips CD-i • Mini Classics • Triforce • Visteon Dockable Entertainment System • Classics • LodgeNet • Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo |
