Famicom vs Super Famicom
The Famicom and the Super Famicom are two different Nintendo generations — 8-bit and 16-bit, seven years apart. Here is what changed, and why the newer machine cannot play the older one’s games.
Updated:
| Famicom | Super Famicom | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Family Computer (Famicom) | Super Famicom (Super Family Computer) |
| Maker | Nintendo | Nintendo |
| Generation | 3rd generation (8-bit) | 4th generation (16-bit) |
| Released (Japan) | July 15, 1983 | November 21, 1990 |
| Launch price | ¥14,800 | ¥25,000 |
| CPU | Ricoh 2A03 @ 1.79 MHz | Ricoh 5A22 |
| Signature tech | 1,000+ licensed games | Mode 7 graphics, Sony SPC700 sound |
| Plays Famicom cartridges | — | No — not backward compatible |
Two generations, seven years apart
The Famicom and the Super Famicom are two different Nintendo machines from two different generations. The Famicom launched in Japan on July 15, 1983 as an 8-bit, 3rd-generation console. The Super Famicom followed more than seven years later, on November 21, 1990, as Nintendo’s 16-bit, 4th-generation machine.
What the jump to 16-bit bought
The Super Famicom moved from the Famicom’s Ricoh 2A03 to the more capable Ricoh 5A22, added the Mode 7 hardware that scales and rotates backgrounds, and used a Sony-built SPC700 sound chip for far richer audio. The result was deeper colour and a sound library that helped define the 16-bit era.
Not backward compatible
The Super Famicom cannot play Famicom cartridges. They are different hardware generations with different cartridges, so a Famicom game will not run on a Super Famicom. If you want to play the 8-bit library, you need the Famicom itself.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a Super Famicom play Famicom games?
- No. The Super Famicom is a different, 16-bit generation and is not backward compatible with the 8-bit Famicom’s cartridges. To play Famicom games you need a Famicom.
- What is the difference between the Famicom and Super Famicom?
- The Famicom (1983) is Nintendo’s 8-bit, 3rd-generation console. The Super Famicom (1990) is its 16-bit, 4th-generation successor, adding Mode 7 graphics and a Sony SPC700 sound chip.
- Which came first, the Famicom or the Super Famicom?
- The Famicom launched in Japan on July 15, 1983. The Super Famicom followed more than seven years later, on November 21, 1990.