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{{Featured article}}
[[File:SNES-Info-Box.jpg|link=|right]]
{{Infobox CVG system
|title        = Super Nintendo Entertainment System
|aka          = SNES<br>Super Famicom (Japan)<br>Super Comboy (Korea)
|logo        = [[File:SNES logo.svg|frameless|upright=0.84]]<br>[[File:Nintendo_Super_Famicom_logo.png|frameless|upright=0.84]]
|image        = <div style="white-space: nowrap; border: #dadada solid 1px;">[[File:SNES-Mod1-Console-Set.jpg|frameless|250px|The North American SNES (circa 1991)]]<br />[[File:Super-Famicom-Console-Set.jpg|frameless|250px|A Japanese Super Famicom]]</div>
|caption      = '''Top:''' North American SNES (circa 1991)<br />'''Bottom:''' Japanese Super Famicom, which has the same casing later used in European and Australian consoles.<br /><small>Other variations are pictured under [[#Casing|Casing]] below</small>
|manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
|type        = [[Home video game console]]
|generation  = [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|Fourth generation]]
|releasedate  = {{vgrelease|JP=November 21, 1990}}{{vgrelease|NA=August 23,<!-- SEE FOOTNOTE AND TALK BEFORE CHANGING THIS --> 1991<ref group="lower-alpha" name="NAReleaseDateNote"/>}} <small>[[UK]] / [[Republic of Ireland|IE]]</small> April 11, 1992 <br/><small>[[Europe|EU]]</small> June 6, 1992<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.co.uk/Corporate/Nintendo-History/Nintendo-History-625945.html |title=History &#124; Corporate |publisher=Nintendo |accessdate=2013-02-24}}</ref> {{vgrelease|AUS=November 21, 1994}}
|discontinued = {{vgrelease|JP=September 25, 2003<ref name="End"/>}}{{vgrelease|NA=November 30, 1999{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}}}
|lifespan = 1990-2003
|CPU          = [[Ricoh 5A22]] 3.58 MHz
|sound        = [[Nintendo S-SMP]]
|media        = [[ROM cartridge]]
|onlineservice= [[Satellaview]] (Japan only), [[XBAND]], [[Nintendo Power (cartridge)|Nintendo Power]] (Japan Only)
|unitssold    = Worldwide: 49.10 million<ref name="consolidatedsales"/><br />Japan: 17.17 million<br />North & South America: 23.35 million<br />Other: 8.58 million
|topgame      =
* ''[[Super Mario World]]'' ([[Pack-in game|pack-in]])<br />(20.60 million){{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}
* ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' ([[Pack-in game|pack-in]]), 9 million<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 497. "By the end of the 16-bit generation, Nintendo would go on to sell 9 million
copies of Donkey Kong Country"</ref>{{-}}
* ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'' ([[Pack-in game|pack-in]]), 8 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_23.html|title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time 2007|publisher=IGN|year=2007|accessdate=2009-01-02}}</ref>
* ''[[Street Fighter II|Street Fighter II: The World Warrior]]'' (stand-alone), 6.3 million<ref name="capcomplatinum">{{cite web|url=http://www.capcom.co.jp/ir/english/business/million.html|title=Platinum Titles|publisher=[[Capcom]]|accessdate=2010-08-21}}</ref>
|predecessor  = [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]
|successor    = [[Nintendo 64]]
}}
The '''Super Nintendo Entertainment System''' (also known as the '''Super NES''', '''SNES'''{{refn|The acronym ''SNES'' can be pronounced by English speakers as a single word (compare "NATO") with various pronunciations, a string of letters (compare "IBM"), or as a hybrid (compare "JPEG"); some even claim ''SNES'' should be pronounced "Super Nintendo". In written English, the choice of [[A and an|indefinite article]] can be problematic due to these differences in pronunciation.<ref><!--See [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 1#"How do you pronounce SNES?"]] for discussion of this source.-->{{cite web |url=http://forums.nintendo.com/nintendo/board/message?board.id=legacy&message.id=309753&view=by_date_ascending&page=1 |title=Do you say NES or N-E-S? |work=Nintendo NSider Forums |accessdate=2007-09-23 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MkTYj4 |archivedate=2007-09-23}} Additional archived pages: <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MlYjSy 2] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4Mm8Ee5 3] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MmYPog 4] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MnGTYh 5] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4Mni9y1 6] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4Mo7mOX 7] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MoS63U 8] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MoqqtM 9] [http://www.webcitation.org/5S4MpGQEN 10]</span></ref><ref><!--See [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 1#"How do you pronounce SNES?"]] for discussion of this source.-->{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/unions/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=25234640&union_id=177 |title=Pronouncing NES & SNES |work= GameSpot forums |accessdate=2007-05-16}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}} or '''Super Nintendo''') is a [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit]] [[home video game console]] developed by [[Nintendo]] that was released in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Europe and [[Australasia]] (Oceania), and 1993 in South America. In Japan, the system is called the {{nihongo|'''Super Famicom'''|スーパーファミコン|Sūpā Famikon|officially adopting the abbreviated name of its predecessor, the Family Computer|lead=yes}}, or '''SFC''' for short. In South Korea, it is known as the '''Super Comboy''' (슈퍼 컴보이 ''Syupeo Keomboi'') and was distributed by [[SK Hynix|Hyundai Electronics]]. Although each version is essentially the same, several forms of [[regional lockout]] prevent the different versions from being compatible with one another.
 
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is Nintendo's second home console, following the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (NES). The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other consoles at the time. Additionally, development of [[List of Super NES enhancement chips|a variety of enhancement chips]] (which were integrated on game circuit boards) helped to keep it competitive in the marketplace.
 
The SNES was a global success, becoming the best-selling console of the [[History of video game consoles (fourth generation)|16-bit era]] despite its relatively late start and the fierce competition it faced in North America and Europe from [[Sega]]'s [[Sega Genesis|Genesis/Mega Drive]] console.<!-- See "Legacy" for details --> The SNES remained popular well into the [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|32-bit era]], and continues to be popular among fans, collectors, [[Retrogaming|retro gamers]], and emulation enthusiasts, some of whom are still making [[Homebrew (video games)|homebrew]] [[ROM image]]s.
 
==History==
[[File:Super NES designs.png|thumb|Early concept designs for the SNES, referred to as the "Nintendo Entertainment System 2".]]
To compete with the popular [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES/Famicom]], [[NEC Corporation|NEC]] launched the [[TurboGrafx-16]] in 1987, and [[Sega]] followed suit with the [[Sega Genesis|Sega Genesis/Mega Drive]] in 1988. Both systems were built on 16-bit architectures and offered improved graphics and sound over the [[History of video game consoles (third generation)|8-bit]] NES. However, it took several years for Sega's system to become successful.<ref>[[#CITEREFSheff1993|Sheff (1993)]], pp. 353–356. "The Genesis continued to flounder through its first couple of years on the market, although Sega showed Sisyphean resolve.... [By mid-1991] Sega had established itself as the market leader of the next generation."</ref> Nintendo executives were in no rush to design a new system, but they reconsidered when they began to see their dominance in the market slipping.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 413–414.</ref>
 
===Launch===
[[File:Super Famicom logo.svg|thumb|left|The four color Super Famicom mark was also used as part of the Super NES logo in the PAL region. They correspond to the colors of the ABXY buttons of the control pad in those regions.]]
Designed by [[Masayuki Uemura]], the designer of the original Famicom, the Super Famicom was released in Japan on Wednesday, November 21, 1990 for [[Japanese yen|¥]]25,000 ([[United States dollar|US$]]210). It was an instant success; Nintendo's initial shipment of 300,000 units sold out within hours, and the resulting social disturbance led the Japanese government to ask video game manufacturers to schedule future console releases on weekends.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 422–431.</ref> The system's release also gained the attention of the [[Yakuza]], leading to a decision to ship the devices at night to avoid robbery.<ref>[[#CITEREFSheff1993|Sheff (1993)]], pp. 360–361.</ref>
 
With the Super Famicom quickly outselling its chief rivals, Nintendo reasserted itself as the leader of the Japanese console market.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 431–433. "Japan remained loyal to Nintendo, ignoring both Sega's Mega-Drive and NEC's PC Engine (the Japanese name for TurboGrafx).... Unlike the Japanese launch in which Super Famicom had outsold both competitors combined in presales alone, SNES would debut against an established product."</ref> Nintendo's success was partially due to its retention of most of its key third-party developers from its earlier system, including [[Capcom]], [[Konami]], [[Tecmo]], [[Square (company)|Square]], [[Koei]], and [[Enix]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/virtual-console-snes-review |title=Virtual Console: SNES|author=Kristan Reed|publisher=Eurogamer|date=2007-01-19|accessdate=2009-02-12}}</ref>
 
[[Image:Supermarioworld map.PNG|thumb|right|"Nintendo's strongest selling point, however, was the game that came packed in with the SNES console—''Super Mario World''."<ref name="Kent 432">[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 432. Kent states September 1 was planned but later rescheduled to September 9.</ref>]]
On August 23,<!-- SEE FOOTNOTE AND TALK BEFORE CHANGING THIS --> 1991,{{refn|According to Stephen Kent's ''The Ultimate History of Video Games'', the official launch date was September 9.<ref name="Kent 432"/> Newspaper and magazine articles from late 1991 report that the first shipments were in stores in some regions on August 23,<ref>{{cite news |title=Super Nintendo sells quickly at OC outlets |first=Ron |last=Campbell |newspaper=The Orange County Register |date=1991-08-27 <!-- |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=search&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=8/27/1991+to+8/27/1991&p_text_advanced-0=Super+Nintendo+sells+quickly+at+OC+outlets |format=abstract |accessdate=2010-03-05 --> |quote=Last weekend, months after video-game addicts started calling, Dave Adams finally was able to sell them what they craved: Super Nintendo. Adams, manager of Babbages in South Coast Plaza, got 32 of the $199.95 systems Friday.}} Based on the publication date, the "Friday" mentioned would be August 23, 1991.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Super Nintendo It's Here!!! |journal=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |date=November 1991 |issue=28 |page=162 |publisher=Sendai Publishing Group |quote=The Long{{sic|hide=y}} awaited SNES is finally available to the U.S. gaming public. The first few pieces of this fantastic unit hit the store shelves on August 23rd, 1991. Nintendo, however, released the first production run without any heavy fanfare or spectacular announcements.}}</ref> while it arrived in other regions at a later date.<ref>{{cite news |title=New products put more zip into the video-game market |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4070124.html |format=abstract |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |date=1991-08-27 |accessdate=2010-03-05 |quote=On Friday, area Toys R Us stores [...] were expecting SNES, with a suggested retail price of $199.95, any day, said Brad Grafton, assistant inventory control manager for Toys R Us.}} Based on the publication date, the "Friday" mentioned would be August 23, 1991.</ref> Many modern online sources (circa 2005 and later) report August 13.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/15-years-snes?pager.offset=1 |title=Purple Reign: 15 Years of the SNES|author=Ray Barnholt|date=2006-08-04| publisher=1UP.com|page=2|accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/hardwareview.php?hardwareid=5 |title=Super Nintendo Entertainment System |publisher=N-Sider.com |accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref>|group=lower-alpha|name=NAReleaseDateNote}} Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, a redesigned version of the Super Famicom, in North America for [[US$]]199. The SNES was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland in April 1992 for [[Pound sterling|GB£]]150, with a German release following a few weeks later. Most of the [[PAL region]] versions of the console use the Japanese Super Famicom design, except for labeling and the length of the joypad leads. The Playtronic Super Nintendo in Brazil, although PAL, uses the North American design.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snescentral.com/article.php?id=0869|title=Playtronic SNES Games|publisher=SNES Central}}</ref> Both the NES and SNES were released in Brazil in 1993 by Playtronic, a [[joint venture]] between the toy company [[Estrela (company)|Estrela]] and consumer electronics company [[Gradiente]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nintendoworld.ig.com.br/home/nobrasil/index.php|title=Nintendo Brasil |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |language=Portuguese |accessdate=2007-08-02|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070717104708/http://nintendoworld.ig.com.br/home/nobrasil/index.php|archivedate=2007-07-17}}</ref>
 
The SNES and Super Famicom launched with few games, but these games were well received in the marketplace. In Japan, only two games were initially available: ''[[Super Mario World]]'' and ''[[F-Zero (video game)|F-Zero]]''.<ref>[[#CITEREFSheff1993|Sheff (1993)]], p. 361.</ref> In North America, ''Super Mario World'' launched as a bundle with the console, and other launch titles include ''F-Zero'', ''[[Pilotwings]]'' (both of which demonstrated the console's "[[Mode 7]]" pseudo-3D rendering capability), ''[[SimCity (1989 video game)|SimCity]]'', and ''[[Gradius III]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/launch-wii|title=Out to Launch: Wii |author=Jeremy Parish |date=2006-11-14|publisher=1UP.com |accessdate=2007-07-03}}</ref>
 
===Console wars===
{{main|Console wars}}
The rivalry between Nintendo and Sega resulted in what has been described as one of the most notable console wars in video game history,<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 431. "''Sonic'' was an immediate hit, and many consumers who had been loyally waiting for SNES to arrive now decided to purchase Genesis.... The fiercest competition in the history of video games was about to begin."</ref> in which Sega positioned the Genesis as the "cool" console, with more mature titles aimed at older gamers, and edgy advertisements that occasionally attacked the competition.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 448–449.</ref> Nintendo however, scored an early public relations advantage by securing the first console conversion of Capcom's arcade classic ''[[Street Fighter II]]'' for SNES, which took over a year to make the transition to Genesis.  Despite the Genesis's head start, much larger library of games, and lower price point,<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 433.</ref> the Genesis only represented an estimated 60% of the American 16-bit console market in June 1992,<ref>{{cite journal |title=16-bit games take a bite out of sales&nbsp;— computer games |author=Pete Hisey|date=1992-06-01|publisher=Discount Store News}}</ref> and neither console could maintain a definitive lead for several years. ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' is said to have helped establish the SNES's market prominence in the latter years of the 16-bit generation,<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], p. 496-497. "The late November release of Donkey Kong Country stood in stark contrast to the gloom and doom faced by the rest of the video game industry. After three holiday seasons of coming in second to Sega, Nintendo had the biggest game of the year. Sega still outperformed Nintendo in overall holiday sales, but the 500,000 copies of Donkey Kong Country that Nintendo sent out in its initial shipment were mostly sold in preorder, and the rest sold out in less than one week. It (''Donkey Kong Country'') established the SNES as the better 16-bit console and paved the way for Nintendo to win the waning years of the 16-bit generation."</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/1996/01/14/game-system-sales.html |title=Game-System Sales |publisher=[[Newsweek]] |accessdate=2012-01-21 |date=1996-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Don't expect flood of 16-bit games |work=Video Business |last=Greenstein |first=Jane |year=1997 |quote=1.4 million units sold during 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=1998-03-02 |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3169/is_n9_v38/ai_20456851/?tag=content;col1 | title =Sega farms out Genesis |publisher=Television Digest|accessdate=2012-01-21}}</ref> and for a time, maintain against the PlayStation and Saturn.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,128295/printable.html |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5nY8S5rHJ |archivedate=2010-02-15|title=A Brief History of Game Consoles, as Seen in Old TV Ads|author=Danny Allen|publisher=PC World|date=2006-12-22|accessdate=2007-07-15}}</ref> According to Nintendo, the company had sold more than 20 million SNES units in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/systemsclassic?type=snes |title=Classic Systems: SNES |accessdate=2012-01-21 |publisher=[[Nintendo]]|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20031209153741/http://www.nintendo.com/systemsclassic?type=snes|archivedate=2003-12-09}}</ref> According to a 2004 study of NPD sales data, the Sega Genesis was able to maintain its lead over the SNES in the American 16-bit console market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.netinst.org/Clements_Ohashi.pdf |title=Indirect Network Effects and the Product Cycle: Video Games in the U.S., 1994-2002 |publisher=[http://www.netinst.org/ NET Institute] |accessdate=2011-09-21 |author=Matthew T. Clements & Hiroshi Ohashi |date=October 2004 |pages=12, 24}}</ref>
 
===Changes in policy===
During the NES era, Nintendo maintained exclusive control over titles released for the system—the company had to approve every game, each third-party developer could only release up to five games per year (but some third parties got around this by using different names, for example Konami's "[[Ultra Games]]" brand), those games could not be released on another console within two years, and Nintendo was the exclusive manufacturer and supplier of NES cartridges. However, competition from Sega's console brought an end to this practice; in 1991, [[Acclaim Entertainment|Acclaim]] began releasing games for both platforms, with most of Nintendo's other licensees following suit over the next several years; [[Capcom]] (which licensed some games to Sega instead of producing them directly) and [[Square Enix|Square]] were the most notable holdouts.<ref>[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 308, 372, 440–441.</ref>
 
The company continued to carefully review submitted titles, giving them scores using a 40-point scale and allocating Nintendo's marketing resources accordingly. Each region performed separate evaluations.<ref name="reeder199211">{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=100 | title=Why Edutainment Doesn't Make It In A Videogame World | work=Computer Gaming World | date=November 1992 | author=Reeder, Sara | pages=128}}</ref> Nintendo of America also maintained a policy that, among other things, limited the amount of violence in the games on its systems. One game, ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'', would challenge this policy. A surprise hit in arcades in 1992, ''Mortal Kombat'' features splashes of blood and [[Fatality (Mortal Kombat)|finishing moves]] that often depict one character dismembering the other. <!--
 
Before you change the following sentence, please review the sources. In both Kent and the 1UP.com article, the disparity in sales is directly attributed to the SNES version lacking the excessive blood (it was recolored grey and described as "sweat") and lacking some of the more gruesome finishing moves. See the talk page for details.
 
-->Because the Sega Genesis version retained the gore while the SNES version did not,<ref name="1UP_MK">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/15-years-snes?pager.offset=3 |title=Purple Reign: 15 Years of the SNES|author=Ray Barnholt|date=2006-08-04| publisher=1UP.com |page=4|accessdate=2007-07-13}}</ref> it outsold the SNES version by a ratio of three or four-to-one.<ref name="Kent_MK">[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 461–480. "nearly three to one".</ref>
 
Game players were not the only ones to notice the violence in this game; US Senators [[Herb Kohl]] and [[Joe Lieberman]] convened a Congressional hearing on December 9, 1993 to investigate the marketing of violent video games to children.{{refn|While some contend that Nintendo orchestrated the Congressional hearings of 1993, Senator Lieberman and NOA's Senior Vice President (later Chairman) [[Howard Lincoln]] both refute these allegations.<ref name="Kent_MK"/>|group=lower-alpha}} While Nintendo took the high ground with moderate success, the hearings led to the creation of the [[Entertainment Software Association|Interactive Digital Software Association]] and the [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]], and the inclusion of ratings on all video games.<ref name="1UP_MK"/><ref name="Kent_MK"/> With these ratings in place, Nintendo decided its censorship policies were no longer needed.<ref name="Kent_MK"/>
 
===32-bit era and beyond===
While other companies were moving on to [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|32-bit systems]], [[Rare Ltd.|Rare]] and Nintendo proved that the SNES was still a strong contender in the market. In November 1994, Rare released ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'', a platform game featuring 3D models and textures pre-rendered on [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] workstations. With its detailed graphics, fluid animation and high-quality music, ''Donkey Kong Country'' rivaled the aesthetic quality of games that were being released on newer 32-bit CD-based consoles. In the last 45 days of 1994, the game sold 6.1 million units, making it the fastest-selling video game in history to that date. This game sent a message that early 32-bit systems had little to offer over the SNES, and helped make way for the more advanced consoles on the horizon.<ref name="Kent_DKC">[[#CITEREFKent2001|Kent (2001)]], pp. 491–493, 496–497.</ref><ref name="Gamespot_DKC">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/dk_history/p04.html |title=GameSpot Presents: The History of Donkey Kong |author=Doug Trueman |publisher=GameSpot|page=4|accessdate=2007-07-13}}</ref>
 
In October 1997, Nintendo released a [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Model SNS-101)|redesigned model of the SNES]] (the SNS-101 model) in North America for US$99, which included the pack-in game ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/2467396.html |title=Super NES Lives! |author=Chris Johnston |publisher=GameSpot|date=1997-10-29|accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref> Like the earlier [[Nintendo Entertainment System (Redesigned Model NES-101)|redesign of the NES]] (the NES-101 model), the new model was slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, but it lacked S-Video and RGB output, and it was among the last major SNES-related releases in the region. A similarly redesigned Super Famicom Jr. was released in Japan at around the same time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/2462190.html |title=Super Fami Gets Face-Lift |author=Yutaka Ohbuchi |publisher=GameSpot|date=1998-01-16|accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref>
 
Nintendo ceased production of the SNES in 1999,{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} about two years after releasing ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'' (its last first-party game for the system) on November 27, 1997, a year after releasing ''[[Frogger]]'' (its last third-party game for the system). In Japan, Nintendo continued production of the Super Famicom until September 25, 2003,<ref name="End">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6029220.html |title=Nintendo to end Famicom and Super Famicom production |first=Hirohiko |last=Niizumi |publisher=GameSpot |date=2003-05-30|accessdate=2007-07-15}}</ref> and new games were produced until the year 2000, ending with the release of ''Metal Slader Glory Director's Cut'' on November 29, 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/shvc/index.html |title=スーパーファミコン (Super Famicom) |accessdate=2007-05-19 |publisher=Nintendo Japan|language=Japanese}}</ref>
 
Many popular SNES titles have since been ported to the [[Game Boy Advance]], which has similar video capabilities. In 2005, Nintendo announced that SNES titles would be made available for download via the [[Wii]] and [[Wii U]]'s [[Virtual Console]] service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/615/615089p1.html |title=E3 2005: Nintendo's E3 2005 Press Conference|accessdate=2007-04-14|date=2005-05-17|publisher=IGN}}</ref> On October 31, 2007, Nintendo of Japan announced that it would no longer repair Family Computer or Super Famicom systems due to an increasing shortage of the necessary parts.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nintendo's classic Famicom faces end of road|url= http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jAJfrC1k8lDKLOCGJu4VonjOYxBg|format=Reprint|publisher=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]] |date=2007-10-31|accessdate=2007-11-09}}</ref>
 
==Technical specifications==
{{main|Super Nintendo Entertainment System technical specifications}}
The 16-bit design of the SNES<ref>{{cite web|url=http://problemkaputt.de/fullsnes.htm|title=Fullsnes - Nocash SNES Specs|publisher=|accessdate=6 February 2015}}</ref> incorporates powerful graphics and sound co-processors that allow tiling and simulated 3D effects, a palette of 32,768 colors, and high-quality 8-channel audio. These base platform features, plus the ability to dramatically extend them all through substantial [[#Enhancement chips|chip upgrades]] inside of each cartridge, represent a leap over the 8-bit NES generation and some significant advantages over the competition such as the Sega Genesis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/ps1-turns-10 |title=PS1 10th Anniversary retrospective |author=Jeremy Parish |publisher=1UP.com|date=2005-09-06|accessdate=2007-05-27}}</ref>
 
===Central processing unit===
{|class="infobox" style="width:23em;font-size:90%;text-align:left;"
{|class="infobox" style="width:23em;font-size:90%;text-align:left;"
|-
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* Hardware multiplication and division
* Hardware multiplication and division
|}
|}
The [[Central processing unit|CPU]] is a Nintendo-custom [[Ricoh 5A22|5A22]] processor, based on a 16-bit [[WDC 65816|65c816]] core. The CPU employs a variable bus speed depending on the memory region being accessed for each instruction cycle: the input clock is divided by 6, 8, or 12 to obtain the bus clock rate. Non-access cycles, most [[Memory-mapped I/O|register]] accesses, and some general accesses use the divisor of 6. WRAM accesses and other general accesses use the divisor of 8. Only the controller port serial-access registers use the divisor of 12.<ref name="anomie_memmap">{{cite web |url=http://www.romhacking.net/docs/193/ |title=Anomie's SNES Memory Mapping Doc |accessdate=2009-02-12 |author=anomie |publisher=[http://www.romhacking.net/ Romhacking.net] |format=text }}</ref>
The chip has an 8-bit data bus, controlled by two address buses. The 24-bit "Bus&nbsp;A" is used for general accesses, while the 8-bit "Bus&nbsp;B" is used for support chip registers (mainly the video and audio processors).<ref name="anomie_memmap"/> Normally only one bus is used at a time; however, the built-in [[direct memory access|direct memory access (DMA)]] unit places a read signal on one bus and a write signal on the other to achieve block transfer speeds of up to 2.68&nbsp;MB/s.<ref group="lower-alpha">This quantity uses the standard decimal meaning of [[megabyte]]: 1,000,000 bytes.</ref><ref name="anomie_regs">{{cite web |url=http://www.romhacking.net/docs/196/ |title=Anomie's Register Doc |accessdate=2007-04-21 |author=anomie |publisher=[http://www.romhacking.net/ Romhacking.net] |format=text }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=July 2014}}
The DMA unit has 8 independent channels, each of which can be used in two modes. General DMA transfers up to 64&nbsp;kB<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix">Unless otherwise specified, [[kilobyte]] (kB), [[megabyte]] (MB), and [[megabit]] (Mbit) are used in the [[binary prefix|binary sense]] in this article, referring to quantities of 1024 or 1,048,576.</ref> in one shot, while [[Horizontal blanking interval|H-blank]] DMA (HDMA) transfers 1–4 bytes at the end of each video [[scanline]]. HDMA is typically used to change video parameters to achieve effects such as perspective, split-screen, and non-rectangular windowing without tying up the main CPU.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
The 5A22 also contains an 8-bit parallel I/O port (which is mostly unused in the SNES); controller port interface circuits, including both [[Serial communications|serial]] and [[Parallel communications|parallel]] access to controller data; a 16-bit multiplication and division unit; and circuitry for generating [[non-maskable interrupt]]s on [[Vertical blanking interval|V-blank]] and [[Interrupt request|IRQ]] interrupts on calculated screen positions.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
{{-}}
===Video===
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* [[Mode 7|Mode&nbsp;7]] matrix operations
* [[Mode 7|Mode&nbsp;7]] matrix operations
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The graphics processing unit ([[GPU]]) consists of two separate but closely tied IC packages, which may be considered as a single entity. It also contains 64 kB<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix"/> of [[Static random access memory|SRAM]] for storing video data (VRAM), 544 bytes of object attribute memory (OAM) for storing [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]] data, and 256&nbsp;×&nbsp;15 bits of color generator RAM (CGRAM) for storing [[Palette (computing)|palette]] data. The VRAM is actually divided into two 32 kB sections with separate address and data buses, essentially for the necessary access patterns used by BG Mode 7. The GPU is clocked by the same signal as the CPU, and generates a pixel every two or four cycles. Both NTSC and PAL systems use the same GPU chips, with one pin per chip selecting NTSC or PAL operation.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
Images may be output at 256 or 512 pixels horizontal resolution and 224, 239, 448, or 478 pixels vertically. Vertical resolutions of 224 or 239 are usually output in [[progressive scan]], while 448 and 478 resolutions are [[Interlaced video|interlaced]]. Colors are chosen from the [[List of monochrome and RGB palettes#15-bit RGB|15-bit RGB color space]], for a total of 32,768 possible colors. Graphics consist of up to 128 sprites and up to 4 background layers, all made up of combinations of 8×8 pixel ''tiles''. Most graphics use palettes stored in CGRAM, with color 0 of any palette representing transparency.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
Sprites can be 8&nbsp;×&nbsp;8, 16&nbsp;×&nbsp;16, 32&nbsp;×&nbsp;32, or 64&nbsp;×&nbsp;64 pixels, each using one of eight 16-color palettes and tiles from one of two blocks of 256 in VRAM. Sprites may be flipped horizontally and vertically as a whole. Up to 32 sprites and 34 8&nbsp;×&nbsp;8 sprite tiles may appear on any one line; excess sprites or tiles would be dropped. Each sprite lies on one of 4 planes, however a lower-numbered sprite will always cover a higher-numbered sprite even if the latter is on a higher priority plane. This quirk is often used for complex clipping effects.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
Background layers in most modes range from 32 x 32 to 64 × 64 tiles, each of size 8 x 8 or 16 x 16 pixels, with each tile on one of two planes ("foreground" and "background") and using one of 8 palettes. Tiles are taken from a per-layer set of up to 1024 (as VRAM permits) and can be flipped horizontally and vertically. Each layer may be scrolled both horizontally and vertically. The number of background layers and the size of the palettes depends on the mode:<ref name="anomie_regs"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emudocs.org/Super%20NES/General/snesdoc.html#RegVideo|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070712123926/http://www.emudocs.org/Super%20NES/General/snesdoc.html#RegVideo|title=SNES Graphics Information|archivedate=12 July 2007|publisher=|accessdate=6 February 2015}}</ref>
* '''Mode&nbsp;0''': 4&nbsp;layers, all using 4-color palettes. Each BG uses its own section of the SNES palette. Up to 96 colors can be displayed on the backgrounds, 24 colors per layer.
* '''Mode&nbsp;1''': 3&nbsp;layers, two using 16-color palettes and one using 4-color palettes. Up to 120 colors can be displayed by first two layers and 24 colors by third layer.
* '''Mode&nbsp;2''': 2&nbsp;layers, both using 16-color palettes. Each tile can be individually scrolled. Up to 120 colors can be displayed on screen.
* '''Mode&nbsp;3''': 2&nbsp;layers, one using the full 256-color palette and one using 16-color palettes. The 256-color layer can also directly specify colors from an 11-bit (RGB443) colorspace. Up to 256 colors displayed by first layer and 120 colors by second layer.
* '''Mode&nbsp;4''': 2&nbsp;layers, one using the full 256-color palette and one using 4-color palettes. The 256-color layer can directly specify colors, and each tile can be individually scrolled. Up to 256 colors displayed by first layer and 24 colors by second layer.
* '''Mode&nbsp;5''': 2&nbsp;layers, one using 16-color palettes and one using 4-color palettes. Tile decoding is altered to facilitate use of the 512-width and interlaced resolutions. Up to 120 colors displayed by first layer and 24 colors by second layer.
* '''Mode&nbsp;6''': 1&nbsp;layer, using 16-color palettes. Tile decoding is as in Mode&nbsp;5, and each tile can be individually scrolled. Up to 120 colors can be displayed on screen.
[[Image:Mode 7 Test-0000.png|thumb|right|A test image demonstrating the SNES's Mode&nbsp;7 capability]]
* '''[[Mode 7|Mode&nbsp;7]]''': 1&nbsp;layer of 128×128 tiles of size 8x8 from a set of 256, which may be interpreted as a 256-color one-plane layer or a 128-color two-plane layer. The layer may be rotated and scaled using [[matrix transformations]]. HDMA is often used to change the matrix parameters for each scanline to generate perspective effects.
Background layers may be individually [[pixelization|pixelized]], and layers and sprites can be individually [[Clipping (computer graphics)|clipped]] and combined by color addition or subtraction to generate more complex effects and greater color depths than can be specified directly.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
The GPU may be instructed to ''latch'' the current pixel position at any time during image output, both by game software and by the device attached to controller port&nbsp;2. The game software may then read back this latched position. The GPU may also be used for fast 16-bit by 8-bit signed multiplication.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
===Audio===
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* Noise generation
* Noise generation
|}
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The audio subsystem consists of an 8-bit [[Sony]] [[SPC700]], a 16-bit [[Digital signal processor|DSP]], 64&nbsp;kB<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix"/> of [[Static random access memory|SRAM]] shared by the two chips, and a 64&nbsp;byte [[Boot loader|boot ROM]]. The audio subsystem is almost completely independent from the rest of the system: it is clocked at a nominal 24.576&nbsp;MHz in both NTSC and PAL systems, and can only communicate with the CPU via 4 registers on Bus&nbsp;B.<ref name="anomie_apudsp">{{cite web |url=http://www.romhacking.net/docs/191/ |title=Anomie's S-DSP Doc |accessdate=2007-04-21 |author=anomie |publisher=[http://www.romhacking.net/ Romhacking.net] |format=text }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=July 2014}}<ref name="anomie_spc700">{{cite web |url=http://www.romhacking.net/docs/197/ |title=Anomie's SPC700 Doc |accessdate=2007-04-21 |author=anomie |publisher=[http://www.romhacking.net/ Romhacking.net] |format=text }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=July 2014}}
RAM is accessed at 3.072&nbsp;MHz, with accesses [[Time-division multiplexing|multiplexed]] between the SPC700 ({{fraction|1|3}}) and the DSP ({{fraction|2|3}}). This RAM is used to store the SPC700 program and [[Call stack|stack]], the audio sample data and [[pointer (computer programming)|pointer]] table, and the DSP's echo buffer.<ref name="anomie_apudsp"/> The SPC700 runs programs (uploaded using the boot ROM program) to accept instructions and data from the CPU and to manipulate the DSP registers to generate the appropriate music and sound effects. The DSP generates a 16-bit waveform at 32&nbsp;kHz by mixing input from 8 independent voices and an 8-tap [[Finite impulse response|FIR filter]] typically used for [[reverberation]]. Each voice can play its sample at a [[Frequency modulation synthesis|variable rate]], with [[Gaussian interpolation]], [[Panning (audio)|stereo panning]], and [[ADSR envelope|ADSR]], linear, non-linear, or direct volume envelope adjustment. The voice and FIR filter outputs are mixed both for direct output and for future input into the FIR filter. All audio samples are compressed using [[ADPCM]] and a [[linear prediction <!-- Note: [[linear predictive coding]] seems to be something different, don't link there -->|linear predictive coding]], a method dubbed [[Bit Rate Reduction|BRR]].<ref name="anomie_apudsp"/>
Hardware on the cartridge, expansion port, or both can provide stereo audio data for mixing into the DSP's analog audio output before it leaves the console.<ref name="anomie_ports"/> Since the audio subsystem is mostly self-contained, the state of the audio subsystem can be connected to, or emulated on, a host computer. Its output may be saved as an [[SPC700 sound format]] (.SPC) file, or the audio subsystem can be emulated in a stand-alone manner to play back all game music except for a few games that constantly stream their samples from ROM. Custom cartridges or [[hardware hacking|PC interfaces]] can be used to load and play .SPC files onto a real SNES SPC700 and DSP.
{{-}}
===Onboard RAM===
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| style="background:#eee;"|'''Main&nbsp;RAM'''
| style="background:#eee;"|'''Main&nbsp;RAM'''
|128&nbsp;kB<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix"/>
|128&nbsp;kB
|-
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|'''Video&nbsp;RAM'''
| style="background:#eee;"|'''Video&nbsp;RAM'''
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|64&nbsp;kB
|64&nbsp;kB
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The console contains 128&nbsp;kB<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix"/> of [[Dynamic random access memory|DRAM]]. This is mapped to various segments of Bus&nbsp;A, and can also be accessed in a serial fashion via registers on Bus&nbsp;B. The video and audio subsystems contain additional RAM reserved for use by those processors.<ref name="anomie_regs"/>
==Hardware==
 
*Super Famicom
===Regional lockout===
*Super Nintendo
Nintendo employed several types of [[regional lockout]], including both physical and hardware incompatibilities.
 
[[File:SNES-SFAM-Cartridges.jpg|thumb|A cartridge shape comparison<br />''Top'': North American design<br />''Bottom'': Japanese and PAL region design.
----The bottom cartridge also illustrates the optional pins used by [[#Enhancement chips|enhancement chips]] such as the [[Super FX]] 3D chip.]]
On a physical level, the cartridges are shaped differently for different regions. North American cartridges have a rectangular bottom with inset grooves matching protruding tabs in the console, while other regions' cartridges are narrower with a smooth curve on the front and no grooves. The physical incompatibility can be overcome with use of various adapters, or through [[modding|modification]] of the console.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}
 
Internally, a regional [[lockout chip]] ([[CIC (Nintendo)|CIC]]) within the console and in each cartridge prevents PAL region games from being played on Japanese or North American consoles and vice versa. The Japanese and North American machines have the same region chip. The console CIC releases the reset signal to the rest of the system only after completing a handshake with the chip in the cartridge.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} This can be overcome through the use of adapters, typically by inserting the imported cartridge in one slot and a cartridge with the correct region chip in a second slot. Alternatively, disconnecting one pin of the console's lockout chip will prevent it from locking the console; hardware in later games can detect this situation, so it later became common to install a switch to reconnect the lockout chip as needed.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://home.freeuk.com/markk/Consoles/SNES_Lockout.txt |title=Disabling the SNES/Super Famicom "Lockout Chip"|accessdate= 2007-04-14 |author=Mark Knibbs|date=1997-12-27 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20030121165526/http://home.freeuk.com/markk/Consoles/SNES_Lockout.txt |archivedate=2003-01-21}}</ref>
 
PAL consoles face another incompatibility when playing out-of-region cartridges: the [[NTSC|NTSC video standard]] specifies video at 60&nbsp;Hz while [[PAL]] operates at 50&nbsp;Hz, resulting in approximately 16.7% slower gameplay. Additionally, PAL's higher resolution results in [[letterbox]]ing of the output image. Some commercial PAL region releases exhibit this same problem and therefore can be played in NTSC systems without issue, while others will face a 20% speedup if played in an NTSC console. To mostly correct this issue, a switch can be added to place the SNES PPU into a 60&nbsp;Hz mode supported by most newer PAL televisions. Later games will detect this setting and refuse to run, requiring the switch to be thrown only after the check completes.<ref name="SNES-pal-switch">{{cite web |url=http://home.freeuk.net/markk/Consoles/SNES_50-60Hz_Switch.txt
|title=Super NES/Super Famicom 50/60Hz Switch Modification |accessdate=2007-04-14 |author=Mark Knibbs|date=1998-01-25 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010502190046/http://home.freeuk.net/markk/Consoles/SNES_50-60Hz_Switch.txt |archivedate=2001-05-02}}</ref>
{{-}}
 
===Casing===
<center>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"
|[[File:Super-Famicom-Console-Set.jpg|none|135px|Original Japanese SNES]]
|[[File:SNES-Mod1-Console-Set.jpg|none|145px|Original U.S. SNES]]
|[[File:Wikipedia SNES PAL.jpg|none|120px|Original PAL SNES]]
|[[Image:SuperFamicom jr.jpg|none|110px|Super Famicom Jr.]]
|[[File:SNES-Model-2-Set.jpg|none|135px|Super Famicom Jr.]]
|- valign="top"
|width="80"|<small>Original Japanese version<br>(1990–1998)</small>
|width="80"|<small>Original North American version<br>(1991–1997)</small>
|width="80"|<small>Original PAL version<br>(1992–1998)</small>
|width="80"|<small>Super Famicom Jr.<br>(1998–2003)</small>
|width="80"|<small>[[Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Model SNS-101)|North American redesign]]<br>(1997–1999)</small>
|}</center>
All versions of the SNES are predominantly gray, although the exact shade may differ. The original North American version, designed by Nintendo of America industrial designer Lance Barr<ref name="NP25" /> (who previously redesigned the Famicom to become the NES<ref name="barr-interview">{{cite web|url= http://www.nintendojo.com/archives/interviews/view_item.php?1130801472 |title=Lance Barr Interview |accessdate=2013-03-02|author= Chad Margetts & M. Noah Ward |publisher=Nintendojo|date=2005-05-31}}</ref>), has a boxy design with purple sliding switches and a dark gray eject lever. The loading bay surface is curved, both to [[Affordance|invite interaction]] and to prevent food or drinks from being placed on the console and spilling as had happened with the flat surfaced [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]].<ref name="NP25">{{cite journal |date=June 1991 |title=Super Nintendo Entertainment System |journal=Nintendo Power |volume=25 |pages=45–46 |location=Redmond, Washington |publisher=Nintendo of America}}</ref> The Japanese and European versions are more rounded, with darker gray accents and buttons. The North American [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Redesigned Model SNS-101)|SNS-101 model]] and the Japanese Super Famicom Jr. (the SHVC-101 model), all designed by Barr, are both smaller with a rounded contour; however, the SNS-101 buttons are purple where the Super Famicom Jr. buttons are gray. The European and American versions of the SNES controllers have much longer cables compared to the Japanese Super Famicom controllers.
 
All versions incorporate a top-loading slot for game cartridges, although the shape of the slot differs between regions to match the different shapes of the cartridges. The card-edge connector has 62 contacts; however, many cartridges only connect to the middle 46. All versions also incorporate two 7-pin controller ports on the front of the unit, and a plug for a power supply and a Nintendo-proprietary "MULTI OUT" A/V connector on the back.<ref name="anomie_ports">{{cite web |url=http://www.romhacking.net/docs/195/ |title=Anomie's SNES Port Doc |accessdate=2007-07-13 |author=anomie |publisher=[http://www.romhacking.net/ Romhacking.net] |format=text }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=July 2014}} The MULTI OUT connector (later used on the [[Nintendo 64]] and [[Nintendo GameCube|GameCube]]) can output [[composite video]], [[S-Video]] and [[RGB#Video electronics|RGB]] signals, as well as [[RF connector|RF]] with an external [[RF modulator]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} Original versions additionally include a 28-pin expansion port under a small cover on the bottom of the unit<ref name="anomie_ports"/> and a standard RF output with channel selection switch on the back;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/supernes/hook_rftotv_sns.jsp|title=Nintendo Support: Original-Style Super NES RF to TV Hookup|accessdate=2010-02-28|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> the redesigned models output composite video only, requiring an external modulator for RF.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/supernes/hook_rftotv_snn.jsp|title=Nintendo Support: New-Style Super NES RF to TV Hookup|accessdate=2010-06-30|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref>
 
[[File:Oxidized-snes.jpg|thumb|right|Yellowing of console plastic]]
The [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS plastic]] used in the casing of some older SNES and Super Famicom consoles is particularly susceptible to oxidization on exposure to air, likely due to an incorrect mixture of the stabilizing or flame retarding additives. This, along with the particularly light color of the original plastic, causes affected consoles to quickly become yellow; if the sections of the casing came from different batches of plastic, a "two-tone" effect results.<ref>{{cite web |first=Benj |last=Edwards |title=Why Super Nintendos Lose Their Color: Plastic Discoloration in Classic Machines |url=http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/189 |publisher=Vintagecomputing.com |date=2007-01-12 |accessdate=2009-08-19}}</ref>  The color can sometimes be restored with UV light and a hydrogen peroxide solution.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ragan |title=How-To:Restore the color of LEGO bricks |url=http://makezine.com/2010/07/22/how-to-restore-the-color-of-old-leg/ |date=2010-07-22 |publisher=Makezine.com}}</ref>
 
===Game cartridge===
The [[ROM cartridge|cartridge]] media of the console is officially referred to as Game Pak in most Western regions,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/general/trouble_game.jsp |title=Game Pak Troubleshooting |work=Customer Service |publisher=Nintendo of America, Inc. |accessdate=2010-08-23}}</ref> and as {{nihongo|Cassette|カセット|Kasetto}} in Japan and parts of Latin America.<ref>{{cite manual |title=ゼルダの伝説 神々のトライフォース 取扱説明書 |publisher=Nintendo Co., Ltd. |date=1991-11-21 |page=1}}</ref> While the SNES can address 128&nbsp;Mbit,<ref group="lower-alpha" name="binary prefix"/> only 117.75&nbsp;Mbit are actually available for cartridge use. A fairly normal mapping could easily address up to 95&nbsp;Mbit of ROM data (48&nbsp;Mbit at FastROM speed) with 8&nbsp;Mbit of battery-backed RAM.<ref name="anomie_memmap"/> However, most available memory access controllers only support mappings of up to 32&nbsp;Mbit. The largest games released (''[[Tales of Phantasia]]'' and ''[[Star Ocean (video game)|Star Ocean]]'') contain 48&nbsp;Mbit of ROM data,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ogasawara |first=Nob |date=November 1995 |title=Future Fantasies from overseas |journal=GamePro |volume=7 |issue=11 |page=126 |publisher=Infotainment World |location=San Mateo, CA |issn=1042-8658}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |date=July 1996 |title=Star Ocean |journal=Nintendo Power |issue=86 |pages=60–61 |publisher=Nintendo of America |location=Redmond, WA |issn=1041-9551}}</ref> while the smallest games contain only 2&nbsp;Mbit.
 
Cartridges may also contain battery-backed SRAM to save the game state, extra working RAM, custom coprocessors, or any other hardware that will not exceed the maximum current rating of the console.
 
==Peripherals==
==Peripherals==
[[File:SNES-SFAM-Controllers.jpg|thumb|right|Top: Japanese Super Famicom controller, bottom: North American SNES controller]]
==Games==
The standard SNES controller adds two additional face buttons (X and Y) to the design of the NES iteration, arranging the four in a diamond shape, and introduces two shoulder buttons. The inclusion of six active buttons was made with the popularity of the [[Street Fighter]] arcade series in mind.<ref>{{cite book| last=Ashcraft| first=Brian|title=Arcade Mania!: The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game Centers|publisher=[[Kodansha]]|year=2008|page=192|isbn=978-4-7700-3078-8}}</ref> It also features an ergonomic design by Lance Barr, later used for the NES-102 model controllers, also designed by Barr.<ref name="NP25" /><ref name="barr-interview" /> The Japanese and PAL region versions incorporate the colors of the four action buttons into system's logo. The North American version's buttons are colored to match the redesigned console; the X and Y buttons are lavender with concave faces, and the A and B buttons are purple with convex faces. Several later consoles derive elements of their controller design from the SNES, including the [[PlayStation]], [[Dreamcast]], [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]], and [[Classic Controller|Wii Classic Controller]].<ref name="IGN-top-25"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wii.kombo.com/article.php?artid=6355 |title=Evolution of Controllers |author=Sud Koushik |publisher=Advanced Media Network|date=2006-01-30|accessdate=2007-05-25|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20090207024218/http://wii.kombo.com/article.php?artid=6355|archivedate=2009-02-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/features/controller-history?pager.offset=3|page=4|title=Controller's History Dynamite|author=Chris Kohler|publisher=1UP.com|date=2005-09-13| accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref>
*[[Actraiser]]
 
*[[ActRaiser 2]]
Throughout the course of its life, a number of peripherals were released which added to the functionality of the SNES. Many of these devices were modeled after earlier add-ons for the NES: the [[Super Scope]] is a [[light gun]] functionally similar to the [[NES Zapper]] (though the Super Scope features wireless capabilities) and the [[Super Advantage]] is an [[Video arcade|arcade]]-style [[joystick]] with adjustable turbo settings akin to the [[NES Advantage]]. Nintendo also released the [[SNES Mouse]] in conjunction with its ''[[Mario Paint]]'' title. [[Hudson Soft]], under license from Nintendo, released the [[SNES Multitap|Super Multitap]], a multiplayer adapter for use with its popular series of ''[[Bomberman]]'' games. Some of the more unusual controllers include the one-handed ASCII Stick L5, the [[BatterUP]] baseball bat, and the TeeV Golf golf club.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}
*[[Addams Family (The)]]
 
*[[Aladdin]]
[[File:Super-gameboy-player.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Super Game Boy]] allowed [[Game Boy]] games to be played on the SNES]]
*[[Asterix & Obelix]]
While Nintendo never released an adapter for playing NES games on the SNES (though the instructions included a way to connect both consoles to the same TV by either daisy chaining the RF switches or using AV outputs for one or both systems), the [[Super Game Boy]] adapter cartridge allows games designed for Nintendo's portable [[Game Boy]] system to be played on the SNES. The Super Game Boy touted several feature enhancements over the Game Boy, including palette substitution, custom screen borders, and (for specially enhanced games) access to the SNES console.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} Japan also saw the release of the Super Game Boy 2, which added a communication port to enable a second Game Boy to connect for multiplayer games.
*[[Axelay]]
 
*[[Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss]]
Like the NES before it, the SNES saw its fair share of unlicensed third-party peripherals, including a new version of the [[Game Genie]] [[cheat cartridge]] designed for use with SNES games. In general, Nintendo proved to be somewhat more tolerant of unlicensed SNES peripherals than they had been with NES peripherals.
*[[Cybernator]]
 
*[[Donkey Kong Country]]
Soon after the release of the SNES, companies began marketing [[Game backup device|backup devices]] such as the Super Wildcard, Super Pro Fighter Q, and [[Bung Enterprises|Game Doctor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emucamp.com/red/SNES/index.shtml |title=SNES Backup Units |publisher=RED #9 |accessdate=2007-09-17 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070626053528/http://www.emucamp.com/red/SNES/index.shtml |archivedate=2007-06-26}}</ref> These devices were sold to create a backup of a cartridge, in the event that it would break. However, they could also be used to play copied [[ROM image]]s that could be downloaded from [[Bulletin board system|BBSes]] and the Internet, or to create copies of rented video games, often violating [[Copyright infringement of software|copyright]] laws in many jurisdictions.
*[[Donkey Kong Country 2 : Diddy's Kong Quest]]
 
*[[Donkey Kong Country 3 : Dixie Kong's Double Trouble]]
[[Image:Satellaview with Super Famicom.jpg|thumb|right|[[Satellaview]] with Super Famicom.]]
*[[Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden]]
Japan saw the release of the [[Satellaview]], a [[modem]] which attached to the Super Famicom's expansion port and connected to the [[St.GIGA]] [[satellite radio]] station. Users of the Satellaview could download gaming news and specially designed games, which were frequently either [[Video game remake|remakes]] of or sequels to older Famicom titles, released in installments. Satellaview signals were broadcast from April 23, 1995 through June 30, 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=213&page=2 |title=NintendOnline |author=Glen Bayer |publisher=N-Sider.com |accessdate=2008-07-16}}</ref> In the United States, the similar but relatively short-lived [[XBAND]] allowed users to connect to a network via a dial-up modem to compete against other players around the country.
*[[Final Fight 2]]
 
*[[Flashback]]
During the SNES's life, Nintendo contracted with two different companies to develop a [[CD-ROM]]-based peripheral for the console to compete with [[Sega|Sega's]] CD-ROM based addon, [[Sega Mega-CD|Mega-CD]]. Ultimately, deals with both [[Sony]] and [[Philips]] fell through, (although a [[SNES-CD|prototype console]] was produced by Sony) with Philips gaining the right to release a series of titles based on Nintendo franchises for its [[Philips CD-i|CD-i]] [[multimedia]] player and Sony going on to develop its own console based on its initial dealings with Nintendo (the [[PlayStation]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=231 |title=SNES-CD Profile |accessdate=2008-07-16 |author=Glen Bayer |publisher=N-Sider.com}}</ref>
*[[Flintstones :  The Treasure of Sierra Madrock (The)]]
 
*[[F-Zero]]
==Enhancement chips==
*[[Ganbare Daiku No Gensan (Hammerin Harry)]]
{{main|List of Super NES enhancement chips}}
*[[Ganbare Goemon 2 Kiteretsu Shogun Magginesu]]
[[Image:SNES Star Fox.png|thumb|left|''[[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]]'', the first game to utilize the [[Super FX]] chip, as shown with the polygonal models that compose a large portion of the game's graphics]]
*[[Goof Troop]]
As part of the overall plan for the SNES, rather than include an expensive CPU that would still become obsolete in a few years, the hardware designers made it easy to interface special coprocessor chips to the console (just like the MMC chips used for most NES games). This is most often characterized by 16 additional pins on the cartridge card edge.<ref>[http://wiki.superfamicom.org/snes/show/Schematics,+Ports,+and+Pinouts#cart_connector_6 "SNES Development--Schematics, Ports, and Pinouts"] "Many carts connect only to pins 5-27 and 36-58, as the remaining pins are mainly useful only if the cart contains special chips."</ref>
*[[Great Circus Mystery starring Mickey & Minnie (The)]]
 
*[[Illusion of Time]]
The Super FX is a [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] CPU designed to perform functions that the main CPU could not feasibly do. The chip was primarily used to create 3D game worlds made with polygons, texture mapping and light source shading. The chip could also be used to enhance 2D games.<ref name="snes9x-readme"/>
*[[Indiana Jones Greatest Adventures]]
 
*[[International Superstar Soccer Deluxe]]
The Nintendo fixed-point [[digital signal processor]] (DSP) chip allowed for fast vector-based calculations, bitmap conversions, both 2D and 3D coordinate transformations, and other functions.<ref name="overload-dsp">{{cite web|url= http://users.tpg.com.au/advlink/dsp/ |title= Digital Signal Processing |work=Overload's Puzzle Sheet |accessdate=2007-05-09 |author=Overload |date=2006-05-29 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070311122346/http://users.tpg.com.au/advlink/dsp/ <!--Added by H3llBot--> |archivedate=2007-03-11}} Refer to the command summaries for all four DSP versions.</ref> Four revisions of the chip exist, each physically identical but with different [[microcode]]. The DSP-1 version, including the later 1A and 1B bug fix revisions, is used most often; the DSP-2, DSP-3, and DSP-4 are used in only one title each.<ref name="nsrt-chip-info">{{cite web |url=http://nsrt.edgeemu.com/INFO/chipinfo.htm |title=SNES Add-on Chip information |accessdate=2007-05-09 |author=Nach |author2=Moe, Lord Nightmare  |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708061024/http://nsrt.edgeemu.com/INFO/chipinfo.htm |archivedate=2007-07-08}}</ref>
*[[Joe and Mac Caveman Ninja]]
 
*[[Killer Instinct]]
Similar to the 5A22 CPU in the console, the SA-1 chip contains a 65c816 processor core clocked at 10&nbsp;MHz, a memory mapper, DMA, decompression and bitplane conversion circuitry, several programmable timers, and CIC region lockout functionality.<ref name="snes9x-readme"/>
*[[Kunio-Kun no Dodgeball]]
 
*[[Legend of Zelda : A Link to the Past (The)]]
In Japan, games could be downloaded for a lower price (than standard cartridges) from [[Nintendo Power (cartridge)|Nintendo Power kiosks]] onto special cartridges containing [[flash memory]] and a MegaChips MX15001TFC chip. The chip managed communication with the kiosks to download ROM images, and provided an initial menu to select which of the downloaded games would be played. Some titles were available both in cartridge and download form, while others were download only. The service was closed on February 8, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.n-sider.com/hardwareview.php?hardwareid=16 |title=Nintendo Power |publisher=N-Sider.com |accessdate=2007-07-03}}</ref>
*[[Lion King (The)]]
 
*[[Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (The)]]
Many cartridges contain other enhancement chips, most of which were created for use by a single company in a few titles;<ref name="nsrt-chip-info"/> the only limitations are the speed of the SNES itself to transfer data from the chip and the [[Electric current|current]] limit of the console.
*[[Mega Man X]]
 
*[[Mortal Kombat]]
==Emulation==
*[[Mortal Kombat II]]
{{see also|List of SNES emulators}}
*[[NBA Jam]]
[[File:Snes9x screenshot july 2014.png|250px|thumb|right|[[Snes9x]] 1.43 on [[Windows 8|Windows 8.1]]]]
*[[Parodius]]
Like the NES before it, the SNES has retained interest among its fans even following its decline in the marketplace. It has continued to thrive on the second-hand market and through console emulation. The SNES has taken much the same revival path as the NES (see [[History of the Nintendo Entertainment System#The twilight years (1990–1995)|History of the Nintendo Entertainment System]]).
*[[Pinocchio]]
 
*[[Rock N' Roll Racing]]
[[Console emulator|Emulation]] projects began with the initial release of VSMC in 1994, and Super Pasofami became the first working SNES emulator in 1996.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}} During that time, two competing emulation projects—Snes96 and Snes97—merged to form a new initiative entitled [[Snes9x]].<ref name="snes9x-readme">(2007-05-01) Snes9x readme.txt v1.51. ''Snes9x''. Snes9x. Retrieved on 2007-07-03.</ref> In 1997, SNES enthusiasts began programming an emulator named [[ZSNES]].<ref name="zsnes-games">{{cite web |url=http://zsnes-docs.sourceforge.net/text/about.txt |title=ZSNES v1.51 Documentation |work=ZSNES |publisher=ZSNES |accessdate=2007-07-16 }}</ref> These two have remained among the best-known SNES emulators, although development continues on others as well. In 2003, members of both the Snes9x and ZSNES teams and others began a push for exact emulation;<ref group="lower-alpha">As opposed to emulation "good enough" for most purposes, exact emulation facilitates the use of the emulator for homebrew game development and documents the operation of the hardware against such time as all existing consoles cease functioning.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snes9x.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=6 |title=Snes9x Development Forum |accessdate=2007-06-13 |work=Snes9x forums 2002-02-28&nbsp;– 2004-05-24 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070514212747/http://www.snes9x.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=6 |archivedate=2007-05-14}}<!-- Yes, this is a forum. But it is also the place where much of the SNES emulation research of the day was coordinated. Please discuss on the talk page. --></ref> this movement is now led by the development of [[Higan (emulator)|higan]] by a developer named byuu.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wayback.archive.org/web/20110718161206/http://board.zsnes.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=22 |title=bsnes Dev Talk |accessdate=2010-04-25 |work=ZSNES Forums}} {{cite web |url=http://board.byuu.org/viewforum.php?f=3 |title=byuu's message board&nbsp;— bsnes |accessdate=2010-04-25}}<!-- Yes, this is a forum. It is also the place where Byuu (bsnes's author) receives bug reports, discusses theories, and pretty much everything else. Please discuss on the talk page. --></ref>
*[[Run Saber]]
 
*[[Secret of Mana]]
Nintendo of America took the same stance against the distribution of SNES [[Read-only memory|ROM]] image files and the use of emulators as it did with the NES, insisting that they represented flagrant [[Copyright infringement of software|software piracy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.com/corp/legal.jsp |title=Legal Information (Copyrights, Emulators, ROMs, etc.) |publisher=[[Nintendo|Nintendo of America]] |accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref> Proponents of SNES emulation cite discontinued production of the SNES constituting [[abandonware]] status, the right of the owner of the respective game to make a personal backup via devices such as the [[Retrode]], [[space shifting]] for private use, the desire to develop [[Homebrew (video games)|homebrew games]] for the system, the frailty of SNES [[ROM cartridge]]s and consoles, and the lack of certain foreign imports.{{Citation needed|date=July 2014}}
*[[Soul Blazer]]
 
*[[StarWing]]
The SNES was one of the first systems to attract the attention of amateur fan translators: ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'' was the first major work of [[Fan translation (video gaming)|fan translation]], and was completed in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|title=Romhacking.net - Translations - Final Fantasy V|url=http://www.romhacking.net/translations/353/|website=Romhacking.net|accessdate=17 November 2014|ref=rhn-ffv}}</ref>
*[[Street Fighter II Turbo : Hyper Fighting]]
 
*[[Street Racer]]
Emulation of the SNES is now available on handheld units, such as [[Android (operating system)|Android]] devices,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/203154/android_a_gamers_guide.html |title=Android: A Gamer's Guide |first=Chris |last=Head |date=2010-08-12 |publisher=PCWorld |accessdate=2010-08-22}}</ref> Apple's [[iPhone]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/01/snes-emulator-f/ |title=SNES Emulator for iPhone |first=Charlie |last=Sorrel |date=2008-01-23 |publisher=Wired |accessdate=2010-08-22}}</ref> and [[iPad]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/video-snes-for-ipad-controlled-by-iphone/ |title=Video: SNES for iPad, Controlled by iPhone |first=Charlie |last=Sorrel |date=2010-06-09 |publisher=Wired |accessdate=2010-08-22}}</ref> Sony's [[PlayStation Portable]] (PSP),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://psp-news.dcemu.co.uk/ |title=Emulators for PSP&nbsp;– Snes |work=PSP News |publisher=DCEmu |accessdate=2007-09-09}} Emulators listed include Ruka's Unofficial Snes9xTYL, Snes9x PSP, Snes9x Optimised, SnesPSP_TYL, UoSnesPSP_TYL, UoSnes9x PSP, and UoSnes9x PD.</ref> the [[Nintendo DS]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nintendo-ds.dcemu.co.uk/ |title=Emulators for DS&nbsp;– Snes |work=DS News |publisher=DCEmu |accessdate=2007-09-09}} Emulators listed include SnesDS, SNEmulDS, and SnezziDS</ref> and [[Game Boy Advance]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gbaemu.dcemu.co.uk/|title=Emulators 4 GBA&nbsp;– Snes |work=GBA News |publisher=DCEmu |accessdate=2007-09-09}} Emulators listed include Snes Advance, Snes Advance Hacks, Snes Advance SnesPad Version, and Snezziboy.</ref> the [[Gizmondo]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ngage.dcemu.co.uk/ |title=Gizmondo Section&nbsp;– Snes |work=Alternative Handheld Emulation|publisher=DCEmu|accessdate=2007-09-09}} Emulators listed include GizSnes.</ref> the [[Dingoo]] and the [[GP2X]] by GamePark Holdings,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gp2x-emulation.dcemu.co.uk/ |title=Emulators for GP2x&nbsp;– Super Nintendo |work=GP2x News |publisher=DCEmu |accessdate=2007-09-09}} Emulators listed include PocketSnes, SnesGP2X, SquidgeSnes, and SquidgeSnes Hack.</ref> as well as PDAs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smartphonemag.com/cms/blogs/3/1939 |title=The definitive guide to playing SNES games on Windows Mobile (and Symbian) |author=Werner Ruotsalainen |work=Expert Blogs |publisher=Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine |date=2007-05-10|accessdate=2009-02-12}}<!-- From [[WP:V]]: "'Blogs' in this context refers to personal and group blogs." The "blogs" on this site are stated to be "by Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine Experts". Thus, I believe the general proscription against blogs does not apply in this instance. --> Emulators listed include MorphGear, Snes9xJ4u, Snes9xPPC, and many [[fork (software development)|forks]] of PocketSNES.</ref> While individual games have been included with emulators on some GameCube discs, Nintendo's [[Virtual Console]] service for the [[Wii]] marks the introduction of officially sanctioned general SNES emulation, though SNES9x GX, a port of SNES9x, has been made for the Wii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://code.google.com/p/snes9x-gx/ |title=snes9x-gx&nbsp;— SNES emulator for Wii and GameCube, based on Snes9x 1.53 - Google Project Hosting |publisher=Code.google.com |accessdate=2012-04-20}}</ref>
*[[Sunset Riders]]
 
*[[Super Adventure Island]]
==Legacy==
*[[Super Aleste]]
49.10&nbsp;million SNES units were sold worldwide, with 23.35&nbsp;million of those units sold in the Americas and 17.17&nbsp;million in Japan.<ref name="consolidatedsales">{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e0912.pdf |title=Consolidated Sales Transition by Region |accessdate=2010-02-14 |date=2010-01-27 |publisher=Nintendo |format=PDF |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5nXieXX2B |archivedate=2010-02-14}}</ref> Although it could not quite repeat the success of the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]], which sold 61.91&nbsp;million units worldwide,<ref name="consolidatedsales"/> the SNES was the [[List of million-selling game consoles|best-selling console]] of its era.
*[[Super Castlevania IV]]
 
*[[Super Ghouls'n Ghosts]]
In 2007, GameTrailers named the SNES as the second-best console of all time in their list of top ten consoles that "left their mark on the history of gaming", citing its graphic, sound, and library of top-quality games.<ref>{{cite video |date=2007-04-19 |title=Top Ten Consoles |url=http://www.gametrailers.com/video/top-ten-gt-countdown/18703 |format=Flash video |publisher=GameTrailers |accessdate=2010-10-24 |time=8:40}}</ref> In 2015, they also named it the best Nintendo console of all time, saying, "The list of games we love from this console completely annihilates any other roster from [[Nintendo|the Big N]]."<ref>{{cite video |date=2015-03-28 |title= Top Ten Nintendo Systems |url=http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/slu4pc/gt-countdown-top-ten-nintendo-systems |format=Flash video |publisher=Gametrailers |accessdate=2015-03-29 |time=10:48}}</ref> Technology columnist Don Reisinger proclaimed "The SNES is the greatest console of all time" in January 2008, citing the quality of the games and the console's dramatic improvement over its predecessor;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-9858188-17.html |title=The SNES is the greatest console of all time |first=Don |last=Reisinger |date=2008-01-25 |publisher=CNET Blog Network |accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref> fellow technology columnist Will Greenwald replied with a more nuanced view, giving the SNES top marks with his heart, the NES with his head, and the PlayStation (for its controller) with his hands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9858826-1.html |title=The greatest game console of all time? |first=Will |last=Greenwald |date=2008-01-28 |publisher=CNET Blog Network |accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref> GamingExcellence also gave the SNES first place in 2008, declaring it "simply the most timeless system ever created" with many games that stand the test of time and citing its innovation in controller design, graphics capabilities, and game storytelling.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamingexcellence.com/features/15.shtml?page=4 |title=The Top Ten Consoles of All Time |first=Andrew |last=Sztein |date=2008-03-28 |publisher=GamingExcellence |accessdate=2010-10-24}}</ref> At the same time, GameDaily rated it fifth of ten for its graphics, audio, controllers, and games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-10-greatest-consoles/?page=6 |title=Top 10 Greatest Consoles |first=Chris |last=Buffa |date=2008-03-05 |publisher=GameDaily |accessdate=2010-10-24 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080309153306/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/galleries/top-10-greatest-consoles/?page=6 |archivedate=2008-03-09}}</ref> In 2009, [[IGN]] named the Super Nintendo Entertainment System the fourth best video game console, complimenting its audio and "concentration of AAA titles".<ref name="IGN-top-25">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/4.html |title=Top 25 Videogame Consoles of All Time |publisher=IGN |date=2009-09-04 |accessdate=2010-10-24 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5nY8sBeuv |archivedate=2010-02-14}}</ref>
*[[Super Mario All-Stars]]
 
*[[Super Mario Kart]]
==See also==
*[[Super Mario World]]
{{Portal bar|Nintendo|Video games|Mario|1990s}}
*[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]
* [[List of Super Famicom games (A-H)|List of Super Famicom games]]
*[[Super Metroid]]
* [[List of Super Nintendo Entertainment System accessories]]
*[[Super Probotector : Alien Rebels]]
* [[List of Super Nintendo Entertainment System games]]
*[[Super Punch-Out!!]]
* [[List of best-selling Super Nintendo Entertainment System video games]]
*[[Super Star Wars : Return of the Jedi]]
* [[Nintendo Selects]]
*[[Super Street Fighter II : The New Challengers]]
 
*[[Super SWIV]]
==Notes==
*[[Super Tennis]]
{{reflist|30em|group=lower-alpha}}
*[[Super Turrican]]
 
*[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV : Turtles in Time]]
==References==
*[[U.N. Squadron]]
{{reflist|30em}}
*[[WWF Royal Rumble]]
 
[[File:Super Famicom logo.png|thumb|left|The four color Super Famicom mark was also used as part of the Super NES logo in the PAL region. They correspond to the colors of the ABXY buttons of the control pad in those regions.]]
==Bibliography==
[[Category:Hardware Collection]]
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFKent2001 |last=Kent |first=Steven L. |authorlink=Steven L. Kent |title=The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World |year=2001 |publisher=Prima Publishing |location=Roseville, California |isbn=0-7615-3643-4}}
[[Category:Home Systems]]
* {{cite book |ref=CITEREFSheff1993 |last=Sheff |first=David |title=[[Game Over: How Nintendo Zapped an American Industry, Captured Your Dollars, and Enslaved Your Children]] |year=1993 |edition=First |publisher=Random House |location=New York |isbn=0-679-40469-4}}
 
==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Super Famicom and variants}}
* {{wikibooks-inline|Super NES Programming}}
* {{waybackdate|site=http://www.nintendo.com/doc/snes_games.pdf|date=20070325003029|title=SNES  games list}}, archived from Nintendo.com.
* {{dmoz|Games/Video_Games/Console_Platforms/Nintendo/SNES|Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
 
{{Super Nintendo Entertainment System}}
{{Nintendo hardware|SNES}}
{{Fourth generation game consoles}}
{{Home video game consoles}}
 
{{Authority control}}
 
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System| ]]
[[Category:Home video game consoles]]
[[Category:Fourth-generation video game consoles]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1990]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1991]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1992]]
[[Category:1990s toys]]
[[Category:1999 disestablishments]]
[[Category:2003 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Discontinued products]]

Latest revision as of 16:36, 21 March 2018

CPU reference
Processor Ricoh 5A22, based on a 16-bit 65c816 core
Clock rates (NTSC) Input: 21.47727 MHz
Bus: 3.58 MHz, 2.68 MHz, or 1.79 MHz
Clock rates (PAL) Input: 21.28137 MHz
Bus: 3.55 MHz, 2.66 MHz, or 1.77 MHz
Buses 24-bit and 8-bit address buses, 8-bit data bus
Additional features
  • DMA and HDMA
  • Timed IRQ
  • Parallel I/O processing
  • Hardware multiplication and division
Video reference
Resolutions Progressive: 256×224, 512×224, 256×239, 512×239
Interlaced: 512×448, 512×478
Pixel depth 2, 4, 7, or 8 bpp indexed; 8 or 11 bpp direct
Total colors 32768 (15-bit)
Sprites 128, 32 max per line; up to 64 × 64 pixels
Backgrounds Up to 4 planes; each up to 1024 × 1024 pixels
Effects
  • Pixelization (mosaic) per background
  • Color addition and subtraction
  • Clipping windows (per background, affecting color, math, or both)
  • Scrolling per 8 × 8 tile
  • Mode 7 matrix operations
Audio reference
Processors Nintendo S-SMP
Clock rates Input: 24.576 MHz
SPC700: 1.024 MHz
Format 8 channel ADPCM
Output 32 kHz 16-bit stereo
Effects
  • ADSR envelope control
  • Frequency scaling and modulation using Gaussian interpolation
  • Echo: 8-tap FIR filter, with up to .24s delay
  • Noise generation
Memory reference
Main RAM 128 kB
Video RAM 64 kB main RAM
512 + 32 bytes sprite RAM
256 × 15 bits palette RAM
Audio RAM 64 kB

Hardware

  • Super Famicom
  • Super Nintendo

Peripherals

Games

The four color Super Famicom mark was also used as part of the Super NES logo in the PAL region. They correspond to the colors of the ABXY buttons of the control pad in those regions.
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