Super Famicom
- Manufacturer
- Nintendo
- Production
- 1990–2003
- Generation
- Gen 4
- Type
- Home
- Region
- JP
- Media
- Cartridge
- Units sold
- 17.2M
About Super Famicom
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released as the Super Famicom (SFC) in Japan on November 21, 1990, as the Super NES in North America on August 23, 1991, and internationally throughout 1992. It was Nintendo's second programmable home console, following the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). A fourth-generation console, the SNES primarily competed with the Sega Genesis in the console war, a fierce battle for market share in the United States and Europe.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Library & collector facts
1,448licensed games
- Japan: 1,448
Pricing
Launch price (1990)
- 🇯🇵 JPY
- ¥25,000
Launch titles & exclusives
Super Mario World · F-Zero · Pilotwings · Bombuzal · Populous · Gradius III · Actraiser · Final Fight
None (sold as standalone hardware in Japan)
Super Mario World · Chrono Trigger · Final Fantasy IV/V/VI · Seiken Densetsu series · Dragon Quest V & VI · Romancing SaGa series · Tales of Phantasia · Star Ocean · Treasure of the Rudras · Bahamut Lagoon · Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut (2000, Nintendo's last SFC release via Power Loader) is widely cited as the final licensed game
Star Fox 2 cartridge (cancelled, finally released on SNES Classic 2017); Power Loader rewritable carts; many JP-exclusive late RPGs in CIB condition command strong premiums
Hardware specs
- Weight
- ~0.96 kg (2.12 lb)
- Dimensions
- 203 × 68 × 254 mm
Hardware revisions
- Original Super Famicom SHVC-001(1990)
original launch hardware
⚠ cream plastic does not yellow like NA SNES did
- Super Famicom Jr. SHVC-101(1998)
final cost-reduced redesign, smaller footprint, composite-only
Launch colorways & special editions
- Satellaview-bundled Super Famicom (BS-X service); various JP retailer color variants
Modding scene
- Difficulty
- soft-mod
- Custom firmware
- N/A; FXPak Pro / SD2SNES (flashcart)
Reception & legacy
Massive launch in Japan — initial 300k units sold out instantly, scalpers reported in Tokyo within hours
Yakuza groups reportedly extorted retailers around launch leading Nintendo to schedule shipments mid-week to avoid public chaos; Satellaview broadcasts (download-only games) created preservation challenges that persist today
Defining JP home console of the 16-bit era; Square and Enix's collaboration with Nintendo here produced the JRPG canon that defined the genre worldwide
References
More from Nintendo
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Super Famicom in the news
Recent coverage mentioning the Super Famicom, gathered from 80+ gaming-news sources.
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Has Been Translated Into English With New Features
🤝 Like our website? Support us as an independent publisher by tipping, joining our paid community or checking out our accessories brand GAMENOOK! It's been over three decades since Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon released on the Game Boy and Super Famicom/SNES in Japan, and if you'
This New Patch Lets You Play Chunsoft's Landmark Super Famicom Sound Novel 'Kamaitachi no Yoru' In English
"No generative AI or LLMs have touched any part of this translation". The original Super Famicom version of Chunsoft's highly influential "sound novel" Kamaitachi no Yoru has just received a fan translation, allowing players to experience it in English for the very first time. Released in 1994,...
Super Bomberman Collection Adds Super Famicom Game In Free August Update
Panic Bomber W returns. Bomberman made a return in February with an entirely new collection and in a surprise announcement, Konami has revealed it will be releasing a free update next month. On 20th August 2026, Super Bomberman Collection for Switch and Switch 2 will add the Hudson Soft...
Edia's Next Collection Brings Together Three Super Famicom Titles From The Publisher Yanoman
The 'Super Yanoman Collection' arrives this December in Japan. Three Super Famicom titles are set to be rereleased on PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch on Thursday, December 10th, 2026, in Japan, as part of a new collection from the Japanese developer/publisher Edia (h/t: Gematsu). The Super...
'Super Bomberman Collection' Is Adding Yet Another Japan-Exclusive Bomberman Entry
'Super Bomberman: Panic Bomber W' joins the party. We have some potentially good news for Bomberman fans to start your week off with a bang. Super Bomberman: Panic Bomber W is finally making its way West, over 31 years after its release on the Super Famicom, courtesy of a free update for the Super...
Super Bomberman Collection update announced, adding Panic Bomber W for free
A new update is in the works for Super Bomberman R which will add Panic Bomber W for free, Konami just announced. This is planned for August 20, 2026. Panic Bomber W originally released on the Super Famicom. It’s a puzzle game in which you can attack opponents with combos and “Big Bombs”. Super...