The History of the SNES: The Console That Turned the 90s into a Golden Age

The story of the SNES is one that every video game fan has experienced or knows at least a little about. It was with this console that Nintendo survived the console wars of the 90s and showed that it knew how to reinvent itself and remain number one in the market. The successor to the NES was the console that secured the company's leadership in one of the most competitive decades in gaming history.

When the Reign of the NES Began to Be Threatened

In the late 80s, Nintendo was in a comfortable position in the video game market. The Famicom (in Japan) and NES (in the West) had dominated the market and revived the industry after the great crash of 1983. Mario was already a gaming icon, the Zelda franchise was growing in popularity, and everything seemed under control. But the world of video games was changing rapidly.

Arcades were becoming increasingly advanced, computers were gaining strength, and Sega, which already had experience with arcades, began to act aggressively. In 1988, it launched the Sega Genesis in Japan, a more powerful console than the Famicom/NES that was designed for a new generation of gamers.

Hiroshi Yamauchi, president of Nintendo at the time, knew that it wasn't possible to live off a single success. The NES was becoming technologically obsolete, and if Nintendo wanted to maintain its market leadership, it needed to take the next step. That's when the development of the Famicom's successor began.

The Birth of the Super Famicom in Japan

The project for the new console began in 1987. Nintendo's idea was to create a more modern video game system without losing focus on accessible and high-quality games. While Sega bet on speed and aggressive marketing, Nintendo preferred a more balanced approach; guerrilla marketing wasn't characteristic of the company.

The Super Famicom didn't have the fastest processor of its generation, but it compensated with a well-thought-out set of features. The graphics system was capable of displaying more colors, creating effects such as rotation and scaling of scenes (the famous Mode 7) with impressive visuals for the time. But one of the biggest highlights was the sound.

The console's audio chip was developed by Sony, led by Ken Kutaragi (the creator of the PlayStation). Thanks to this, the Super Nintendo had music with digitized sound effects and soundtracks that sounded much cleaner compared to its competitor. Ironically, the partnership with Sony would later give rise to the PlayStation, but at that moment it was essential to Nintendo's success.

The Super Famicom was released in Japan in November 1990, arriving in stores to enormous success. Games like Super Mario World and F-Zero (using Mode 7) impressed players, and other titles included Pilotwings, SimCity, and Gradius III, which showcased the capabilities of the new console. Within days, stocks sold out, and the new video game became a craze among children, teenagers, and even adults.

The Arrival in the West and a Very Different Scenario

While the Super Famicom dominated Japan, the situation in the West wasn’t as simple. In the U.S. and Europe, Sega took the lead. The Genesis had been in stores since 1989 and was growing rapidly thanks to marketing campaigns and a more mature and radical image for the time.

The famous slogan “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” made it clear that Sega wanted a head-to-head competition with Nintendo, something unthinkable a few years earlier. When the SNES arrived in the United States in August 1991, it already had a strong and well-established rival.

Even so, Nintendo bet on the strength of its games. The console arrived bundled with Super Mario World, a game so complete that many people bought the console just for it. Furthermore, the console's design was adapted for a Western audience, with a more robust and less colorful look than the Japanese model.

Gradually, the Super Nintendo began to gain ground. The Nintendo brand was still very strong, and those who played quickly realized that the console offered something different.

The Console Wars of the 90s

The rivalry between the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Sega Genesis became a spectacle. The famous "console war" was marked by provocative advertisements, technical comparisons, and passionate fans. For the first time, Nintendo didn't reign alone.

Sega bet on attitude, speed, and rebelliousness. Sonic the Hedgehog became the perfect mascot for this proposal, while Nintendo maintained its more family-friendly image, with characters like Mario, Link, and Samus. Each company had its own well-defined identity.

The partnership with Capcom brought ports of Final Fight and Street Fighter 2 to the SNES, both games being immediate successes, bringing many arcade fans to Nintendo's side.

Technically, the consoles were quite different. The Genesis had a faster processor, which helped in faster-paced and action-packed games. The Super Nintendo stood out for its more colorful visuals, advanced graphics effects and superior sound.

Nintendo found a creative solution to keep the console competitive: special chips in the cartridges. The most famous of these was the Super FX, which allowed for basic 3D graphics in games like Star Fox. This allowed the Super Nintendo to continue evolving even years after its release.

The Games That Made History

If there's one definitive reason why the Super Nintendo is so fondly remembered, it's the games. The console received an absurd number of great titles, many of which are considered masterpieces to this day.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past took the Zelda franchise to another level, with a huge world, clever dungeons, and a more complex and engaging story. Super Metroid created a unique atmosphere in gaming, mixing exploration and action in a way that few games have managed to replicate.

When Donkey Kong Country arrived, many people thought it wasn't on a 16-bit console. The pre-rendered graphics impressed so much that interest in the SNES grew at a time when the competition was already talking about the next generation.

The console became practically unbeatable in RPGs. Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and other titles showed that video games could also tell exciting stories, with memorable characters and unforgettable soundtracks. In Japan, this helped the Super Famicom become the definitive console of this genre.

Nintendo’s Reign

Over the years, it became clear that Nintendo had achieved its goal. Even with Sega offering strong competition, the SNES managed to maintain its first-place position. Its library and the quality of its games made all the difference.

In total, the console sold over 49 million units worldwide, an impressive number for such a competitive generation. The SNES helped the market to have a different perspective on games. Players who grew up with the NES now wanted deeper experiences, and Nintendo knew how to deliver that.

The company also restructured its image. Without abandoning its younger audience, it began releasing more complex, challenging games with more mature stories, keeping pace with the evolution of those who had been playing since the 1980s.

Conclusion: The Legacy of the Super Nintendo

When 3D graphics began to dominate the industry and consoles like the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 emerged, the Super Nintendo had already secured its place in history. It wasn't just a successful console, but a landmark in video games.

Even today, many gamers consider this Nintendo's best era. A time when technical limitations forced creativity, and each game seemed crafted with meticulous care. The SNES showed that you didn't need to be the most powerful to be the best.

The Super Nintendo was the console that kept Nintendo on top during the 90s. A video game that defined a generation, leaving a legacy that continues to live on in re-releases, collections, and in the fond memories of millions of gamers.