A girl. A mansion. Scissors. The game taught survival horror before Resident Evil named the genre.
Clock Tower was released in September 1995 by Human Entertainment for the Super Famicom — a point-and-click horror game in which Jennifer Simpson searched an enormous mansion for survivors while being stalked by a scissor-wielding pursuer called Scissorman. The game had no combat: Jennifer could only hide, flee, and use her environment to evade. Multiple endings were determined by choices and actions throughout. Clock Tower was never officially released outside Japan on Super Famicom; a fan translation gave it international exposure in the 1990s. It is credited as an early example of the pursue-and-hide survival horror structure that later games like Haunting Ground and Amnesia would formalize. A PlayStation port was later released with an English localization.
About this game
Clock Tower, released in September 1995, is a point-and-click survival horror adventure designed by Hifumi Kono as a direct homage to Italian horror filmmaker Dario Argento, particularly his 1985 film Phenomena. Players control Jennifer, a teenage girl exploring the Barrows mansion while being stalked by 'Scissorman' — a child with oversized scissors who kills on contact. There is no combat: survival depends entirely on hiding, running, and puzzle-solving. The game features multiple branching endings based on player choices.
The Story Behind
Clock Tower never received an official Western Super Famicom release — it remained Japan-exclusive for nearly 30 years until the 2024 Clock Tower: Rewind release. A 1996 PlayStation sequel was localized in North America, which is how most Western players encountered the franchise. The game is cited alongside Alone in the Dark (1992) as foundational to the Japanese survival horror genre, predating Resident Evil (1996) and Silent Hill (1999) that would later define it commercially.
Tricks & Tales
Scissorman became one of gaming's most iconic horror villains — a child monster that could not be fought, only fled from, creating a specific kind of helpless terror that survival horror later codified as a genre convention. Kono designed the game specifically without combat as a deliberate choice: he believed fear was more effectively generated by helplessness than by shooting enemies. The game has at least five different endings, ranging from escape to capture to unexpected twists.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Japan exclusive on Super Famicom. No official Western SNES release. Clock Tower: Rewind (2024) is the first official English release of the original game.
Maintenance Tips
The 72-pin cartridge connector is the most common maintenance point. Clean the gold-plated pins on cartridges with a cotton swab and 90%+ isopropyl alcohol; never use abrasive erasers on cartridge contacts. The connector slot on the console itself can be cleaned by inserting and removing a cartridge several times, or with a dedicated pin cleaner. For video output, S-Video provides significantly cleaner image quality than composite and uses the same multi-out port -- a passive adapter cable is all that is required. On early SHVC board revisions, a capacitor near the power LED can leak; inspect the board if the console shows instability. Use the original AC adapter or a verified equivalent: the SFC runs on 10V DC and is not compatible with Famicom or NES power supplies.
Going deeper
More on keeping a Super Famicom / SNES alive, and what to check before you buy one:
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Clock Tower copies regularly.
Will this Japanese Super Famicom cartridge work on a North American Super Nintendo (SNES)?
No, not directly. The Super Famicom and SNES are incompatible in two ways: the cartridge shape differs (the SFC cartridge has a different width and notch layout), and both consoles include a regional lockout chip (the CIC chip) that rejects foreign cartridges. Third-party adapters exist that address both issues simultaneously by bridging the physical shape and bypassing the lockout chip. Some collectors modify their SNES console to disable the CIC chip entirely. A Japanese Super Famicom cartridge is always best paired with a Japanese Super Famicom.
How should I clean a Super Famicom cartridge?
Apply 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol to a cotton swab and gently wipe the gold-plated edge contacts visible inside the cartridge's connector slot. Never blow into the cartridge. If the shell needs to be opened for deeper cleaning, Super Famicom cartridges use 3.8mm security game bit screws — the same proprietary screw as the Famicom. Standard Phillips screwdrivers will not fit and will strip the screw heads. Clean gently and allow the contacts to dry fully before reinserting the cartridge.
How do I check whether a Super Famicom cartridge is authentic?
Several details distinguish authentic cartridges from reproductions. Authentic Super Famicom cartridges use proprietary security screws — visible Phillips head screws indicate the shell has been opened or replaced. The Nintendo logo on the back of an authentic cartridge is embossed (raised into the plastic), not printed or applied as a sticker. Natural UV yellowing of the gray plastic, consistent with the cartridge's age, is expected on genuine copies; uniformly pristine white plastic on a 30-year-old cartridge is a warning sign. The QA certification stamp on the back label of an authentic cartridge is a pressed indentation, typically absent on bootlegs. For high-value titles, cross-referencing PCB markings and chip date codes with verified collector databases is recommended.
Before You Buy
Things worth knowing before you buy Clock Tower
A short checklist for buying a used Super Famicom cartridge wisely — useful with any seller, anywhere.
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Choose a seller who tests it before shipping
A copy that has actually been powered on and checked is a known quantity. An untested one is a gamble you only settle after it arrives.
Look for a seller who states it was function-tested and says what they confirmed. A serious seller can tell you exactly what was checked.
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Make sure it fits your console
This is a Japanese Super Famicom cartridge; its shell is shaped differently from the North American SNES and will not fit without modification.
Play it on a matching Japanese console or a region-free system, and confirm the listing states the region.
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If this title saves your progress, check the battery
Cartridges that save use a small coin-cell battery that fades over decades — a dead one wipes your save without warning.
Ask the seller whether the save function was tested. Replacing the battery is possible, but doing so erases any existing save.
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Check that the contacts are clean
Dirty edge contacts are the most common cause of startup and sound trouble in cartridges of this age.
Choose a seller who cleans the contacts before shipping. A note that it was tested and cleaned means the basics were handled.
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Confirm it is genuine, not a reproduction
Sought-after titles are targets for reproduction boards with replacement labels.
Ask for a photo of the circuit board and look for factory markings. Favour a shop with a licensed second-hand dealer permit (古物商) — by law its stock has a traceable origin, your simplest guard against fakes.
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Read the seller's reviews and return policy
A 100% positive record across thousands of sales is close to a guarantee — packing, communication and problem-solving all work for everyone. A return policy protects you if something is off.
Read the feedback and confirm a clear return window before you buy.
The last step before buying anywhere is knowing what it's worth.
See what it's selling for on eBay →Unexpected Discoveries
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