Super Nintendo (North American version) (Cartridge)
Day one kicked off my Mario game media countdown in honour of Mario’s 40th anniversary. Today it’s the turn of the SNES (North American version).
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is my all-time fave console. I’m glad Europe got the sleek Super Famicom-style design, but the North American SNES, with its purple buttons and chunkier cartridges, caught my eye too.
Apparently, Nintendo of America redesigned the SNES because they wanted a more “serious” look for US consumers. You have to remember this was the era of the console wars with Sega, with the Mega Drive/Genesis having a meaner aesthetic, and also with a 2 year head start.
Super Mario World (1991) and Super Mario RPG (1996)
Super Mario World was a launch title, introducing Yoshi and showcasing some of the most polished 2D platforming ever made. For many fans (and me!), it’s still the greatest Mario game of all time.
Back in the ’90s, I imported games like Super Mario RPG, just so I didn’t have to wait months for the European releases. Yes, I was that impatient! In fact, I can still remember picking up Super Mario Kart from the GamesMaster Live show in the UK, like it was yesterday.
NTSC versions of the SNES ran at 60Hz, making them faster than European consoles. They also avoided the frustrating letterbox effect that squished everything on screen. US and Japanese carts were also region-locked but shared the same 16-bit internal architecture.
The SNES cartridge format also introduced internal backup saves for Mario games, which felt revolutionary at the time – imagine being able to pause your Mario journey for the first time and pick it back up later! Something we take for granted now!
The SNES era was a golden age for Mario, with the franchise evolving dramatically.
Super Mario Kart (1992) and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario World 2 (1995)
Nintendo invented the kart racing genre with Super Mario Kart, wowing with its Mode 7 graphics, delivering a pseudo-3D racing experience.
Later games like Yoshi’s Island also exploited the power of the Super FX2 chip to create massive bosses, warping sprites, and more.
Early Years edutainment and competition cartridges
The US SNES also had region exclusives, like the Early Years edutainment trilogy (1994): Preschool Fun, Fun with Numbers, and Fun with Letters. These were also ported to PC by The Software Toolworks. All three used the same basic game engine and presentation style.
A real oddity? The Donkey Kong Country Competition cartridge (1994) was a time-attack variant made for Nintendo’s PowerFest competition. Only 2,500 were released to the public, with some given as prizes or accidentally sold, making it a serious collector’s item today.
Mario’s SNES adventures secured his legacy, even in these formative years.
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