F
Folder
Unconfirmed Member
I like both versions and of course there were shunk-down spin-off reworks of the machine too.
Anyone remember why Nintendo released a different version in the US?
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I like both versions and of course there were shunk-down spin-off reworks of the machine too.
Anyone remember why Nintendo released a different version in the US?
F
Folder
Unconfirmed Member
I am rather partical to the purple and lilac buttons though...gofreak said:
Nintendo was REALLY scared about their image. Rather than adjust to the market as it was in 1991, they were trying to do the same exact thing they did when the NES launched. Part of that meant not allowing the machine to look too much like a "toy," thus the redesign.
The US SNES has to be one of the ugliest game machines in the history of man. And Nintendo had the balls to write a feature story in Nintendo Power on the guy who designed it, too. :lol
The US SNES has to be one of the ugliest game machines in the history of man. And Nintendo had the balls to write a feature story in Nintendo Power on the guy who designed it, too. :lol
I think it was a BIG error. Perhaps they tried to counter-attack the horrible and weird Genesis look by doing something even more weird.
The original design, the one we got in PAL zones, was perfect, it had the best logo Nintendo has ever had:
The 4 colored staints is something that brings me so awesome memories from the 90s...OMG, what happened Ninty ????
The original design, the one we got in PAL zones, was perfect, it had the best logo Nintendo has ever had:
The 4 colored staints is something that brings me so awesome memories from the 90s...OMG, what happened Ninty ????
Guns N' Poops
Banned
The PAL Snes is beautiful. I have one in my room.
the year 20XX
Member
They didn't have to redesign the whole system just to put those tabs in the cartridge slot.
(edit: too slow again! Enigma'd.)
(edit: too slow again! Enigma'd.)
RevenantKioku
PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
Pimpwerx said:
Well, the SNES has tabs that prevents the slotless SFAM carts from fitting in, and the SFAM carts are rounded on the front and the right angle edges of SNES carts prevent them from going into a SFAM. But the physical issues are the only "region locking" I'm aware of, and I have a stack of SFAM carts. Not to mention my 500 yen perfect working SFAM.
Do The Mario
Unconfirmed Member
I had a converter for my Australian SNES which allowed me play US games, I had SF2 Turbo, Mario Kart, Super Starwars etc.. well before there official Australian release all because my dad found a little store that sold imported games
FortNinety
Member
I just want to know why Nintendo went with that type of plastic for the SNES that made 9 out of 10 go yellow after a few years.
I wonder what they were thinking? Why wouldn't they want to use their European design for the US? Didn't Sony have something to do with the SNES's design? I remember the Sony CD vaporware. The more I look at the American SNES, the more it reminds me of something that is made to match Sony hardware. The other version looks more Nintendo.
Perhaps Nintendo intentionally did that because they had plans with Sony for a CD based add-on. Then it fell through, and Nintendo released the design they really wanted when it came out in Europe. This is, of course, assuming there was a fairly lengthy gap in between the US and then European SNES launch.
Perhaps Nintendo intentionally did that because they had plans with Sony for a CD based add-on. Then it fell through, and Nintendo released the design they really wanted when it came out in Europe. This is, of course, assuming there was a fairly lengthy gap in between the US and then European SNES launch.
TekunoRobby
Tag of Excellence
This is my favorite SNES:
http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/SNES2.htm
http://www.vidgame.net/NINTENDO/SNES2.htm
FortNinety
Member
I always loved the goofy little ridges at the bottom of the US unit.
Did the the Japanese version have it as well?
Did the the Japanese version have it as well?
JoshuaJSlone
Member
Attractive is a matter of opinion... but the boxy one with all sorts of ridges more streamlined than the smooth one?KiNeSiS said:
JoshuaJSlone
Member
That one looks a bit shy...TekunoRobby said:
Doesn't that model not work with S-Video, though?
TekunoRobby
Tag of Excellence
Oh shit you're right! Thank god I own the original as well. Just in case someone try it out, I wasn't able to since I'm in class right now.JoshuaJSlone said:
Here's what I pulled up:
http://www.gamesx.com/rgbadd/snes2svid.htm
http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/general/hook_svideo.jsp
RevenantKioku
PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS PEINS oh god i am drowning in them
JoshuaJSlone said:
It also lacks a power LED which is a slight annoyance at times.
Ninja Scooter
Member
yeah, its wierd. Its almost like in the late 80s/early 90s gaming companies were afraid of looking too japanese over here in North America. Boxarts and packaging artwork was also routinely changed from anime looking stuff to Dunegones and Dragons looking art (see Dragon Warrior)
Ninja Scooter said:
I don't know if any of you remember, but there was a HUGE backlash against japanese companies and products (in the USA) back in the late 80's early 90's. I mean people holding public demonstrations to smash up Japanese automobiles and stuff like that. Maybe that had something to do with it, methinks.
F
Folder
Unconfirmed Member
I don't think it was to avoid looking like a toy.
It predates Nintendo's Sony involvement and gaming was still a teenage bedroom thing, well before it migrated to the fashionable living rooms of bored tweny-somethings...
Was just wondering if there was ever an offical line.
It predates Nintendo's Sony involvement and gaming was still a teenage bedroom thing, well before it migrated to the fashionable living rooms of bored tweny-somethings...
Was just wondering if there was ever an offical line.
TekunoRobby
Tag of Excellence
They actually did model the NES to avoid looking like a simple children's toy. Now I don't have my copy of Game Over with me but that book illustrates the effort Nintendo went to make the NES look like a real high tech electronic device. R.O.B. the robot was also a result of their ambition.Folder said:I don't think it was to avoid looking like a toy.
It predates Nintendo's Sony involvement and gaming was still a teenage bedroom thing, well before it migrated to the fashionable living rooms of bored tweny-somethings...
Was just wondering if there was ever an offical line.
Most likely a result of the 80's crash and their concious effort to make sure parents and children knew this wasn't simply another gaming machine but a real revolution in electronics. Atleast that was probably their mentality.
EDIT: I'm really sorry, I wish I had my copy of Game Over with me so I could be much more specific. That book went into detail over their philosophy over the NES model change for the US market. It was a pretty informative look into what Nintendo's gameplan was in the mid 80's.
No, I mean, that really is why they did it.Folder said:I don't think it was to avoid looking like a toy.
It predates Nintendo's Sony involvement and gaming was still a teenage bedroom thing, well before it migrated to the fashionable living rooms of bored tweny-somethings...
Was just wondering if there was ever an offical line.
With the NES, they wanted to separate themselves from the older video game systems by being more "sophisticated" so they could hopefully convince retailers to stock the product. At that time, nobody wanted anything to do with videogames because of the crash.With the SNES, they followed the NES model exactly, even though it was six years later and they very obviously didn't need to. Nintendo was extremely cautious about losing ground back then... maybe too much so. A far cry from the Nintendo of today, eh? :/
Particle Physicist
between a quark and a baryon
john tv said:
sorry, but that crown belongs to the xbox.
GamePnoy74
Member
I don't think the SFC had those ridges.FortNinety said:
Because of the different physical demensions between the SFC/PAL SNES and the US SNES, if the Sony-Nintendo deal went through there would also have been two physically different Playstations as well, each one to fit undernearth their respective region-specific machine (a smaller one without ridges on top for the SFC/PAL SNES, and a slightly bigger one with ridges on top for the US SNES).
F
Folder
Unconfirmed Member
So a quick update.
Im here with my buddy Moss and he says that its simply because the NES was square in the US so they made the US SNES square. The Famicom was round so they made the Super Famicom round. Manufacturing costs mean that it made more sense, added to cultural difference-driven survey data, meant that the Japanese version would be more Euro-friendly. Makes sense?
Does Game Over detail this point?
Is it wrong to have it bother you to the point of having to have to know?
Im here with my buddy Moss and he says that its simply because the NES was square in the US so they made the US SNES square. The Famicom was round so they made the Super Famicom round. Manufacturing costs mean that it made more sense, added to cultural difference-driven survey data, meant that the Japanese version would be more Euro-friendly. Makes sense?
Does Game Over detail this point?
Is it wrong to have it bother you to the point of having to have to know?
AndoCalrissian
Member
SantaCruZer said:
God, Square USA had some hideous art for that game, but the marketplace and the desert are still one of the most memorable experiences I have in gaming.
F
Folder
Unconfirmed Member
Funny thing is...Amir0x said:
I never owned a SNES at the time.
I was in a MegaDrive/SNES partnership with a buddy, you know the type Im sure!
I became obsessed with the platform in later life. Really badly. There's two in my kitchen. Right now!
I need help...
Folder said:Funny thing is...
I never owned a SNES at the time.
I was in a MegaDrive/SNES partnership with a buddy, you know the type Im sure!
I became obsessed with the platform in later life. Really badly. There's two in my kitchen. Right now!
I need help...
I was always a Genesis AND SNES person, but yeah nothing changed just how much I adored the library at the time. In retrospect I actually have a big problem with the way the SNES/Genesis library was, but I recognize the many good games that did come out.
Warm Machine
Member
That was back when publishers were ashamed that their games were of Japanese origin and covered it up as best as they could.
I thought the SNES design was fine, although I wasn't as fond of the purple highlights.
As for the Xbox, there was a video interview with the guy who designed the Xbox case on one of the early OXM discs. He went into considerable detail about the various design decisions he made, but the only thing I remember is thinking throughout the entire video, "did no one have the balls to tell you that design is just fucking ugly!?" I still don't get how anyone could look at the Xbox and think it was a case of good industrial design.
As for the Xbox, there was a video interview with the guy who designed the Xbox case on one of the early OXM discs. He went into considerable detail about the various design decisions he made, but the only thing I remember is thinking throughout the entire video, "did no one have the balls to tell you that design is just fucking ugly!?" I still don't get how anyone could look at the Xbox and think it was a case of good industrial design.
Folder -- I know some people who worked at NOA back when the SNES launched. I'm fairly certain about the reason I mentioned above (why it was changed for the US).
EDIT: BTW, did the Euro SNES have the two indented buttons like the US SNES did?
I never really understood that. They said it was so players could differentiate between the buttons, but I never had a problem with the Super Famicom pad...
EDIT: BTW, did the Euro SNES have the two indented buttons like the US SNES did?
I never really understood that. They said it was so players could differentiate between the buttons, but I never had a problem with the Super Famicom pad...
FortNinety
Member
Cruel Bastard Mario said:
I grew up in Washington state during the height of this. Needless to say, when Nintendo bought a part of the Mariners (a Japanese company buy a part of an all-American sports team), it went over splendidly with the city.
Okay, so I've always wanted to ask: why the fuck did they change the American cartridges after a year of so? Remember how bottom part was shallow like that little ridge area? It's hard to describe, anyone know what I'm talking about? I hated that SO much!
FortNinety
Member
Naked Shuriken said:
Ohh... mystery solved!
JoshuaJSlone
Member
Even Kutaragi would acknowledge that that's an awful design!Naked Shuriken said:
TekunoRobby said:
That's sad that its not as tuff as the old SNES.
I sold my old SNES once only to buy this one later with the Yoshi's Island pack. The cartridge is so loose into that version of the SNES that if there's a tiny breeze around, the cartridge moves and your game freeze. damn.