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Topic: Why do the PAL and NTSC SNES controllers have different coloured buttons?

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the8thark

Why do the PAL and NTSC SNES controllers have different coloured buttons?

Simple question, but one I never knew the answer to. Does anyone here know?

the8thark

HobbitGamer

Same reason Famicom and NES are different; marketing.

#MudStrongs

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the8thark

@HobbitGamer
The whole cart vs disk thing was a reason too not just advertising.

@StableInvadeel

Each to their own. Neither is cooler than the other.

the8thark

Bunkerneath

Because the multi-colour is better, especially as there is no concave buttons.

I AM ERROR

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HobbitGamer

@the8thark Famicom is not Famicom Disk System.

#MudStrongs

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ThanosReXXX

@the8thark The actual reason is marketing and differences in target audience, or rather: target area. There's documentation available about how Nintendo's local marketing team decided to change the design of the US version of the SNES, as well as the colors on it, to be more suitable/attractive to an American audience. They thought that the European/Japanese design would not go down well, and wouldn't sell as good, so it basically comes down to a marketing ploy to make the console more attractive to that specific audience.

A couple of years back, Nintendo Life also made a short article about it. Here it is:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/06/random_heres_the_re...
Underneath the article, there's a link to the entire interview, in case you're interested.

As for two of the buttons being concave: there's no real documentation on that, far as I know, but I think that the most simple reason for it could be to make them immediately distinguishable to the touch, or for ergonomic reasons. Or perhaps it was just an easy way to differentiate between the primary (A, B) and secondary set (X, Y) of buttons.

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

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KingMike

I think I read in Nintendo Power years ago that the button shape was to make them easily identifiable.

KingMike

the8thark

@HobbitGamer
I know this. But thanks for pointing it out so everyone also knows now too.

@ThanosReXXX
Thanks. That article didn't mention the controllers though, just the console itself. However your opinions on the subject feel quite legitimate and I agree with them as the seem quite plausible.

the8thark

ThanosReXXX

@the8thark That's exactly why I added my own thoughts about the buttons on the end.
Also seems like the most plausible option, having the "feel" of the buttons being different, because they're all purple, albeit two shades of purple, but still...

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

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