Despite being discontinued nearly 20 years ago, Nintendo’s second home console, the Super Famicom (or Super NES, as it’s known outside of Japan), has suddenly found itself in the news once again.
While rumors have been circulating that Nintendo is planning to release a miniature, plug-and-play version of the console this holiday season (following the rather abrupt discontinuation of the NES Classic Edition, a mini replica of the company’s first home console), the original Super Famicom itself is also getting a new game release in Japan this summer according to 4Gamer (via Kotaku).
The title, a side-scrolling beat-‘em-up called Kaizou Choujin Shubibinman Zero, isn’t exactly a new game; it was originally released for the platform via the Satellaview peripheral in 1997, but this marks the first time players will be able to purchase a physical copy of the game. The cartridge is being released to commemorate the title’s 20th anniversary and will retail for 6,998 yen (roughly $62) when it goes on sale in June.
The Satellaview was an add-on for the Super Famicom that was never released outside of Japan. The peripheral, a satellite modem that plugged into the console, debuted in 1995 and allowed players to access digital content such as magazines, additional content for existing titles, and even full games through a subscription broadcast service. The games weren’t permanently stored on the Satellaview; rather, they were broadcast at regular intervals and could only be played while they were “airing.” Some of the more notable titles to be borne from the Satellaview were Radical Dreamers (the text adventure that would serve as the basis for the PS1 classic Chrono Cross) and “BS Zelda,” a remixed version of the original Legend of Zelda that featured improved graphics and even voice acting. The service was ultimately discontinued in 2000.
News about Nintendo’s second console has been surprisingly prevalent of late. Recently, popular console modder Ben Heck managed to repair the fabled Nintendo PlayStation, the prototype for what was to be a CD-ROM-expanded version of the SNES before Nintendo backed out of its arrangement with Sony and partnered with Philips. An enterprising fan known as Clown TV has also created a beautiful skin inspired by the Super Famicom for Nintendo’s newest system, the Switch.