Nintendo Brings SNES and DS (PCGH-Retro, November 21)

…1990: The console that revolutionized the video game market is getting a successor: on November 21, 1990, the manufacturer is launching the “Super Nintendo Entertainment System” (SNES) in Japan, home of Nintendo, which is called “Super Famicom” there. The gaming console is based on a 16-bit processor running at 3.58 MHz and has 128 KiByte of RAM. With a total of 49 million units sold, the SNES became one of the most successful consoles in video game history at the time.

Like the previous system, the SNES is fed with cartridges, while the competition from Sega with the optional “Mega CD” drive is already using CD-ROMs with significantly higher capacities. Nintendo follows suit – and commissions Sony to develop a SNES CD extension called “Super CD”. However, the deal fell through and Sony quickly developed the drive into its own console: the Playstation.

…2004: On November 21, 2004, Nintendo will launch the Nintendo DS handheld console, initially in the USA. The Gameboy-like device uses two screens for the first time, the lower one of which acts as a touchscreen and, thanks to the included stylus, enables new game concepts. An ARM9 with 67 MHz is used as the CPU, 4 MiByte RAM is supported by 656 KiByte video memory. In addition to many popular games, some applications are coming onto the market for the DS, such as an Opera-based browser. The DS becomes a huge success for Nintendo – despite new competition in the form of the faster but more expensive Sony PSP.

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