To many retro gamers it doesn't get much better than the Super Nintendo, otherwise known as the Super Famicom in its native Japan. This year Nintendo celebrated this 16-bit wonder with the release of the SNES Classic Mini, which was a timely reminder of how great the console was.
It was on this console that Nintendo refined so many of the franchises which had made it famous on the original NES; Mario, Zelda and Metroid all came of age on the platform. Third party support was almost unprecedented; big-hitters like Capcom, Konami, Square, Irem and Enix all flocked to the console with their biggest and best releases.
It doesn't take much to get us gushing about the SNES here at Nintendo Life, but today is a very special day. It's the Super Famicom's 27th birthday. Released on 21st November 1990 in Japan, this is yet another anniversary to make you feel old. Of course North America wouldn't get the redesigned Super NES until the following year and Europe would have to wait until 1992. Ah, the good old days eh?
Share your fond memories of the Super Famicom with a comment below, and don't forget to check out our hardware classics feature on the machine.
Comments 38
Haha, what a lovely console too.
Oh yeah, only a year onder than me and what a legendary system it is.
One of my favourite consoles ever. Those sprite visuals and that sound it pumped out. Unmistakable and an amazing piece of hardware that I still treasure to this day.
Okay, who are the "Two Kids" of SNES ?
I still remember the day I went to the toy store with my mom on my ninth birthday to pick up a NES. When we got there the lady at the counter tried to persuade us into buying a SNES instead and I refused.
What the hell was I thinking?
Swapped my Amiga for a super Famicom got contra 3 and super tennis for my first games awesome console .
It was super
@Anti-Matter I heard the Snes had a relationship with a woman named 3ds, but I'm not sure
PlayStation is one of the kids not sure about the other
Ah, the blue Nintendo Life logo. Those were the days...
Still crazy after all these years.
I thought it only had one kid (Mini)...
Where does time go... and speaking of SNES, go grab this one if you haven't already.
I was already married and owned a house when it came out! But the Super Nintendo has always been my favorite console. In fact, I wrote the release date on a calendar (Sept 1991) and was counting down the days till it came out, way back then... and I still have that calendar too! Love love love the Super Nintendo! 😍
Happy Birthday, Super Famicom--still my favorite all-round console ever (well, the UK Super Nintendo anyway).
One of my favorite consoles! Well technically it was the US version I liked but they’re still the same on the inside.
My brother had the SF2 SNES (UK) for Xmas when released in the UK. At that point I had a Megadrive. To be honest I was always a little jealous of how much more capable the SNES seemed to be, "Mode 7" graphics and later "FX" chipped carts. I've never known the specs, but presumably the SNES was a more powerful 16bit console compared to the Megadrive?
@Shiryu Whoa I never heard of that guy that stuff is fantastic. There's a comparable GB and Famicom(NES) setup as well. Stunningly well done. Some of the others are a bit hit and miss on some samples used for game/franchise specific but amazing all around.
https://shiryu.bandcamp.com/album/snes-xx
https://shiryu.bandcamp.com/album/game-boy-memoria-xxv
https://shiryu.bandcamp.com/album/famicom-memoria-xxx
@tanookisuit Some say he doesn't even require sleep.
@Anti-Matter
SNES Mini and SNES Classic Edition.
Oh right, OK, the SNES is 27 years old and an article is published, but the Wii U just turned half a decade old and nobody cares.
Really smooth.
@Shiryu Har har I was being funny but serious good one. You do really good work seriously. With all that's there I imagine sleep may be a choice, not a requirement.
@tanookisuit I will pay the price when I reach middle age.
@Shiryu Of this I have no doubt, so keep it up while you can, then retire and let the fans help line some side money for your efforts.
@tanookisuit I have the distinct feeling I will die a poor man like Philip K. Dick but hope my works will outlive my own existence.
@Shiryu It's the internet, 50/50 it lives on for decades or gets lost. As long as someone archives, buys it, or keeps reimaging it to youtube or whatever is there 10 20 years out it'll stand. Especially if people keep caring about and Nintendo keeps in business at least for those tracks. Obscurity is murder and much of what's on your site is gamer culture relevant.
@WaveBoy You know where the door is if it's that upsetting to you right?
Mortgage and 2 kids at age 27? Yikes!
@WaveBoy Hah sorry, looks up, nope doesn't say NintendoSafeSpace.com I think we're good.
@Bod2019 the megadrive had a faster processor, so games with many sprites like shooters had less lagtime than SNES counterparts that could cause rampant slowdown and drop in frames per second, BUT in every other category: graphics card, sound card, RAM, and chip customization, the SNES was the more advanced 16 bit system, although it came out 2 years after the megadrive so it had the benefit of developing technologies. I love them both, but if a game is available for both opt for the superior graphics and sound of the SNES version.
The Super Nintendo was a fantastic console, I'll always remember the rain in the beginning of Zelda, the opening song to Secret of Mana, and the great times I had with its dozens of great games. Glad for my modded SNES classic too.
Still have my original SNES (aus pal) which I play with my boys. The happy day it came ibto my life was Xmas 1992 ,It was the mario paint pack, . A few months later when I smashed my piggy bank to go to the toy shop to buy SMKart was one of the happiest days of my childhood.
I sold my n64 ( kind of regret it now) awhile back after finding it and the snes in storage after almost 15 years. I couldn't part with my snes, and ended up splurging on a complete boxed Zelda LTTP which I had never owned.
As much as me and my boys love the switch we have, the snes is still #1 in my house.
Would've bought a snes mini if I didn't already have all bar one or two of the games. I think i would rather spend $100 on buying super metroid original cart than the snes mini.
@CheezIt do you still have it?
@WaveBoy 《《 troll... fact.
@impurekind aus pal here. Coloured buttons ftw
@Mikemario of course I still have it! And it still works, and I still play it, and I still have a giant box full of games for it that I love and still play!
@WaveBoy I don't agree, ive owned both systems when they were current. Why do you still frequent it if it's so repetitive for you? Bit of troll work?
@CheezIt absolutely. Me too !!
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