Super Famicom
スーパーファミコン
Super Famicom
- Manufacturer
- Nintendo
- Type
- Home video game console · 16-BIT
- Note
- Model SHVC-001
03
Overview
Overview
A 16-bit home console released by Nintendo in 1990 as the successor to the Family Computer. It used the Ricoh 5A22 CPU and a palette of 32,768 colours. It was released in North America and Europe as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
- Name in North America
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Name in Europe
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
04
Industrial Design
Industrial design
A rounded grey body; the controller's A, B, X and Y buttons are colour-coded. The North American model had a different design by Nintendo of America industrial designer Lance Barr.
05
Technical Specifications
Technical specifications
- Model number
- SHVC-001
- CPU
- Ricoh 5A22 (65C816-compatible) up to 3.58 MHz
- Memory
- RAM 128 KB / VRAM 64 KB / audio RAM 64 KB
- Graphics
- S-PPU1 + S-PPU2
- Display
- 256×224 to 512×448; palette of 32,768 colors
- Bits (period term)
- 16-bit
- Generation (Wikipedia)
- 4th generation
Values are from the sources below. Where sources differ, see the notes under Sources.
06
Controller
Controller
The controller adds X and Y to the A and B face buttons in a diamond arrangement, plus L and R shoulder buttons.
07
Media Format
Media format
- ROM cartridge
ROM cartridge
A software medium housing ROM chips on a circuit board inside a plastic shell. The Famicom used this format from its 1983 launch; Nintendo's Western packaging called them 'Game Paks'.
08
Launch & Context
Launch & historical context
- Release (Japan)
- 21 Nov 1990[2]
- Release (North America)
- 23 Aug 1991[1]
- Release (Europe)
- Jun 1992[1]
- Release (Australia)
- 3 Jul 1992[1]
- Launch price (Japan)
- ¥25,000[2]
- Launch price (North America)
- $199.00[1]
- Units
- 49.10 million(sold, as reported · worldwide · Life-to-date in Nintendo IR data through FY3/2025)[3]
Released in Japan on 21 November 1990 at ¥25,000. Its suggested retail price was cut to ¥9,800 on 14 August 1996.
09
Notable Games
Notable games
- G-0011990Super Famicom
F-Zero
F-ZERO
- Release
- JP 1990.11.21
- Dev
- Nintendo EAD
- Genre
- Racing
- G-0021990Super Famicom
Super Mario World
スーパーマリオワールド
- Release
- JP 1990.11.21
- Dev
- Nintendo EAD
- Genre
- Platformer / Action
- G-0031992Super Famicom
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior
ストリートファイターII
- Release
- JP 1992.06.10
- Dev
- Capcom
- Genre
- Fighting
- G-0041995Super Famicom
Chrono Trigger
クロノ・トリガー
- Release
- JP 1995.03.11
- Dev
- Square
- Genre
- RPG / JRPG
10
Gallery
Gallery
Super Famicom with controller
Super Famicom controller
Super Famicom / SNES controller face buttons
13
Sources
Sources
- [1]Super Nintendo Entertainment SystemReferenceAccessed 2026-09-26
Wikipedia (English)
- [2]スーパーファミコンReferenceAccessed 2026-09-26
Wikipedia (日本語)
- [3]Consolidated Sales Transition by Region (historical data)ManufacturerAccessed 2026-09-26
Nintendo Co., Ltd.
- [4]任天堂の歴史ManufacturerAccessed 2026-09-26
任天堂
Notes on conflicting sources
JP price tax treatment not stated in fetched sources. CPU clock is switchable 1.79/2.68/3.58 MHz per JA Wikipedia. Max resolution: EN 512×448, JA 512×478 — EN value used. JA Wikipedia describes the 4,910万台 figure as 出荷 (shipments); Nintendo IR labels it consolidated sales (Japan 17.17 million). NA model SNS-001, PAL SNSP-001A.
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Image Credits
Image credits
Super Famicom with controller
Super Famicom console with controller
PhotoEvan-Amos
Wikimedia Commons·Public domain
Super Famicom controller
Super Famicom controller with four face buttons and shoulder buttons
PhotoEvan-Amos
Wikimedia Commons·Public domain
Super Famicom / SNES controller face buttons
Close-up of the Super Famicom–style controller's face buttons
PhotoEvan-Amos
Wikimedia Commons·Public domain