Super Nintendo Entertainment System
1991 NintendoGeneration 4
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System brought 16-bit gaming to the masses with stunning graphics, incredible sound, and some of the greatest games ever made. The SNES competed fiercely with Sega Genesis in the legendary 'Console Wars' of the 1990s.
783
Total Games
1991
Release Year
Want to play SNES games on a handheld?
We compared SNES emulation across 11 handhelds with published testing. 11 of them handle it, and the page lists them cheapest first with a source on every rating.
Which handheld runs SNES?Technical Specifications
Processor
Ricoh 5A22 (65C816 variant) at 3.58 MHz
Memory
128 KB main RAM, 64 KB video RAM
Media
Game cartridges with enhancement chips
Graphics
PPU supporting 256x224 resolution, 256 colors on screen
Audio
8-channel Sony SPC700 sound processor
SNES games
10 titles catalogued. Games with their own page are the ones published emulation testing names directly.
| Title | Year | Developer | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario World | 1990 | Nintendo | Platformer |
| The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | 1991 | Nintendo | Action, Adventure |
| Super Metroid | 1994 | Nintendo R&D1 | Action, Adventure, Platformer |
| Chrono Trigger | 1995 | Square | RPG |
| Final Fantasy VI | 1994 | Square | RPG |
| Donkey Kong Country | 1994 | Rare | Platformer |
| Street Fighter II | 1991 | Capcom | Fighting |
| F-Zero | 1990 | Nintendo | Racing |
| Secret of Mana | 1993 | Square | Action RPG |
| Super Mario Kart | 1992 | Nintendo | Racing, Arcade |
Questions about the SNES
- When was the Super Nintendo Entertainment System released?
- The Super Nintendo Entertainment System was released in 1991 by Nintendo. It is a generation 4 console with a library of roughly 783 titles.
- What are the SNES specifications?
- Processor: Ricoh 5A22 (65C816 variant) at 3.58 MHz. Memory: 128 KB main RAM, 64 KB video RAM. Graphics: PPU supporting 256x224 resolution, 256 colors on screen. Audio: 8-channel Sony SPC700 sound processor. Media: Game cartridges with enhancement chips.
- Can you emulate SNES games on a retro handheld?
- 11 of 11 handhelds with published testing run SNES well enough to play. The cheapest is the Miyoo Flip at around $60. Every rating traces to testing by someone who had the hardware.
- Which SNES games are covered here?
- 10 titles: Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Donkey Kong Country, Street Fighter II, F-Zero, Secret of Mana, Super Mario Kart.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- • Featured advanced Mode 7 graphics for pseudo-3D effects
- • Some cartridges had special chips like the Super FX for 3D graphics
- • The controller introduced the iconic diamond button layout
- • Star Fox was the first console game to use real-time 3D polygons