SNES enhancement in-cart chips

Perhaps some of you wonder why SNES could display so good graphics despite having a relatively slow CPU. While some games used "tricks" to do this (like the pre-rendered graphics in Donkey Kong Country), the answer for the most part is in the special in-cart enhancement chips. Rather than giving the SNES a powerful but expensive CPU that would still become outdated, Nintendo opted to developed those special chips that would help each individual game at rendering the graphics. The best example of the usage of these chips has to be Star Fox as the game would be impossible on the SNES (or atleast severely downgraded) if it wasn't for the Super FX chip. Sega later copied this concept with their Virtua Racing for the Genesis and the SVP chip but that was mostly an exception. The in-cart chips became prominent and died with the SNES and later cartridge based systems didn't use them.

Here you can watch a great introduction to and explanation how these chips work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1UyQDqHBfA

And here is some more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_NES_enhancement_chips

dang thats cool, i never knew that...is that why nintendo went with the expansion port on the n64?

dang thats cool, i never knew that...is that why nintendo went with the expansion port on the n64?

MouldsLP

Might be wrong,but didn't capcom use something like it on their megaman x games?lbjkurono23

NES/Famicom games also had enhancment in-cart chips. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_Management_Controller

In the US NES games only could used chips made by Nintendo. In Japan many 3rd party developers made their own chips. Which is why many NES games looked inferior than the Famicom versions.

NES/Famicom games also had enhancment in-cart chips. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_Management_Controller

In the US NES games only could used chips made by Nintendo. In Japan many 3rd party developers made their own chips. Which is why many NES games looked inferior than the Famicom versions.

LoserMike

Probably the most famous SNES in-cart chip was the Super FX chip. SMRPG, Starfox, Stunt Race, all had the Super FX chip.

Always liked the Sony standalone sound processor and Mode 7 capability of the SNES as well. The combination of the two is what made F-Zero, imo.

Nice video thanks!

but i have a question: somebody knows why we can't upgrade the RAM in last gen or current gen consoles?

Nice video thanks!

but i have a question: somebody knows why we can't upgrade the RAM in last gen or current gen consoles?

JuarN18

[QUOTE="JuarN18"]

Nice video thanks!

but i have a question: somebody knows why we can't upgrade the RAM in last gen or current gen consoles?

Darkman2007

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="JuarN18"]

Nice video thanks!

but i have a question: somebody knows why we can't upgrade the RAM in last gen or current gen consoles?

JuarN18

It would annoy people if they had to buy a certain extra to play certain games.ModeDude

the SA-1 was another 3d graphics chip IMO. look at the way the 3d looks

kirby super star snes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Irl2Q9_4YA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4olMeTRtd4&feature=related

mario rpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFkNUboHvD0

the SA-1 was another 3d graphics chip IMO. look at the way the 3d looks

kirby super star snes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Irl2Q9_4YA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4olMeTRtd4&feature=related

mario rpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFkNUboHvD0

bigM10231

[QUOTE="bigM10231"]

the SA-1 was another 3d graphics chip IMO. look at the way the 3d looks

kirby super star snes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Irl2Q9_4YA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4olMeTRtd4&feature=related

mario rpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFkNUboHvD0

Darkman2007

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="bigM10231"]

the SA-1 was another 3d graphics chip IMO. look at the way the 3d looks

kirby super star snes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Irl2Q9_4YA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4olMeTRtd4&feature=related

mario rpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFkNUboHvD0

bigM10231

Thanks for replying instead of me Darkman :P

NES/Famicom games also had enhancment in-cart chips. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memory_Management_Controller

In the US NES games only could used chips made by Nintendo. In Japan many 3rd party developers made their own chips. Which is why many NES games looked inferior than the Famicom versions.

LoserMike

I've heard that. A chip in SMB.3 helped with the split screen scrolling. And the Japanese Contra (Gryzor) had better graphics and more animation.

[QUOTE="bigM10231"][QUOTE="Darkman2007"] none of those are 3D polygons in the slightest , its all pre renderd sprites, the exact same as Donkey Kong Country.Darkman2007

Kirby Superstar and Super Mario RPG do sport some very good graphics though.

Im guessing Nintnendo wanted to save money, Sega did the same with the Master System sound chip

in japan , the sound chip was considerably better then the one in the west.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOKHsl632vQ&playnext=1&list=PLDFABF3FAB33B9E98

Phantasy Star JP, with the better sound chip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gujjNjW2qVc&feature=related

Phantasy Star on a western Master System

originally the Sega Mark 3 had the same sound as the western master system did, but when Sega redesigned the SMS in Japan , they added the new sound chip.

that is so interesting. So the snes when it comes to specs would not have been able to handle all of those games without the chip? That is crazy. And i guess all of this stopped when cartridges stopped?

that is so interesting. So the snes when it comes to specs would not have been able to handle all of those games without the chip? That is crazy. And i guess all of this stopped when cartridges stopped?

fadeetoblackk

[QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"]

that is so interesting. So the snes when it comes to specs would not have been able to handle all of those games without the chip? That is crazy. And i guess all of this stopped when cartridges stopped?

Darkman2007

It didn't have cartridge games and in-cart chips though.

So yea, SNES was the last console to have this.

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"]

that is so interesting. So the snes when it comes to specs would not have been able to handle all of those games without the chip? That is crazy. And i guess all of this stopped when cartridges stopped?

nameless12345

It didn't have cartridge games and in-cart chips though.

So yea, SNES was the last console to have this.

im a noob to saturn, the cartridges were just for more ram? They never did anything else? And they also store memory on games as well. Me and my friend found his old guardian heroes data on one of them the other day :D

im a noob to saturn, the cartridges were just for more ram? They never did anything else? And they also store memory on games as well. Me and my friend found his old guardian heroes data on one of them the other day :D

fadeetoblackk

there are a few types of carts for the Saturn , ill explain them.

Saturn memory card - saves games

ROM cartridge - only 2 games I know of use this , KOF95 and Ultraman. these were before the RAM carts were introduced, and basically only work with the games they were intended for.

RAM cartidge - the more universal cart used later on in the Saturn's life , there are both 1MB (quite a few Neo Geo ports use this one) and 4MB (used by alot of the Capcom arcade games) variations.

ST-Key - lets you play imports, but does not have the functionality of the RAM carts.

Action Replay 4 in 1 - lets you play imports/cheat/acts as a backup , and also has the RAM cart functionality built in.

thats basically it, the cartridge slot was also used for the Saturn modem for some online games.

:shock:online saturn games. I might have to pick up one of those action replays

:shock:online saturn games. I might have to pick up one of those action replays

fadeetoblackk

[QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"]

:shock:online saturn games. I might have to pick up one of those action replays

Darkman2007

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"]

:shock:online saturn games. I might have to pick up one of those action replays

fadeetoblackk

[QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"][QUOTE="Darkman2007"] yes online Saturn games. in Japan it was through an online service a la Seganet, but in the US , it was through direct dial. this means that if you still had dial up just now (and a few people do) and had a Saturn modem, you could still play online games with it even today. some of the games I know supported the online mode - Duke Nukem 3D - Saturn Bomberman - Daytona CCE (required a special version) - Virtual On (required a special version) I think there were a few more.Darkman2007

There is still a really small community that plays these Saturn games online through the Saturn's Netlink here: http://www.saturnleague.com/mxbb/

[QUOTE="Darkman2007"][QUOTE="fadeetoblackk"] damn you really know you stuff. to be honest I am new here and i though I knew a lot but I was completely wrong. That is awesome it be interesting to see how many people still go on and play these games.AcidSoldner

There is still a really small community that plays these Saturn games online through the Saturn's Netlink here: http://www.saturnleague.com/mxbb/

It would annoy people if they had to buy a certain extra to play certain games.ModeDude

As far as the N64 expansion pak - at least Donkey Kong 64, Legend of Zelda: Major's Mask, and Perfect Dark all required it. Games popular enough that people didn't mind paying extra.

Here's a link to a list of many other games that at least used it in some way:
http://www.epinions.com/review/game-Hardware-Accessories-N64-Nintendo_N64_Expansion_Pak/game-review-7437-388E1A4C-39BBB83A-prod5

Oh, and let's not forget the Rumble Pack introduced with Star Fox 64.