Super Famicom
Released November 21, 1990 in Japan. Famous for Mode 7 rotation/scaling and enhancement chips like Super FX.
At a Glance
- Manufacturer: Nintendo
- Launch (Japan): 1990-11-21
- Media: ROM cartridges (with enhancement chips)
- Graphics: Mode 7 rotation/scaling, rich color palette
Design & Features
Super Famicom emphasized colorful 2D, layered parallax, and special effects via Mode 7. Cartridges could include coprocessors—Super FX, SA-1, DSP—pushing visuals far beyond base specs.
Mode 7 Magic
Affine transforms enabled pseudo-3D effects seen in racers and JRPG world maps.
Chips in the Cart
Enhancement chips let late-era titles rival early 32-bit visuals.
Games & Impact
A landmark library defined by first-party polish and RPG classics.
- Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI
- Huge JRPG influence, robust 2D action and platformers.
Collector’s Notes
- Japan-only carts: Deep exclusive catalog; save batteries may need replacement.
- Yellowing: Shell discoloration common—condition affects value.
- Chip variants: Some carts contain different coprocessors; sought by enthusiasts.
Specs (Quick)
- CPU: Ricoh 5A22 (~3.58 MHz)
- Resolution: ~256×224 typical; 32,768-color palette
- Audio: S-SMP (Sony) 8-channel sample-based
- Media: ROM cartridges (enhancement chips optional)