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Nintendo Power (cartridge)

Nintendo Power (Japanese: ニンテンドウパワー, Hepburn: Nintendō Pawā) was a video game distribution service for Super Famicom or Game Boy operated by Nintendo that ran exclusively in Japan from 1997 until February 2007. The service allowed users to download Super Famicom or Game Boy titles onto a special flash memory cartridge for a lower price than that of a pre-written ROM cartridge.

At its launch, the service initially offered only Super Famicom titles.[2] Game Boy titles began being offered on March 1, 2000.[3] The service was ultimately discontinued on February 28, 2007.[1]

History

Background

During the market lifespan of the Famicom, Nintendo developed the Disk System, a floppy disk drive peripheral with expanded RAM which allowed players to use re-writable disk media called "disk cards" at Disk Writer kiosks. The system was relatively popular but suffered from issues of limited capacity. However, Nintendo did see a market for an economical re-writable medium due to the popularity of the Disk System.

Nintendo's first dynamic flash storage subsystem for the Super Famicom is the Satellaview, a peripheral released in 1995 that facilitated the delivery of a set of unique Super Famicom games via the St.GIGA satellite network.

Release

The Super Famicom version of Nintendo Power was released in 1997.[2]

The Game Boy Nintendo Power was originally planned to launch on November 1, 1999;[4] however, due to the 1999 Jiji earthquake disrupting production in Taiwan, it was delayed[5] until March 1, 2000.[3]

Nintendo Power was discontinued in February 2007, with kiosks being removed from stores.[1][6]

Usage

The flash writer at a Nintendo Power kiosk in a convenience store
The flash writer at a Nintendo Power kiosk for adding games to flash cartridges

When this was on the market in the 1990s, the user would first purchase the RAM cartridge, then bring it to a store featuring a Nintendo Power kiosk.[7] The user selects games to be copied to the cartridge and the store provides a printed copy of the manual. Game prices varied,[2] with older games being relatively cheap, and newer games and Nintendo Power exclusives being more expensive.

Technical details

Each cartridge's flash ROM is divided internally into eight blocks. Unless an 8-block game is loaded onto the cartridge, however, one block is reserved for the game selection menu, leaving only seven blocks for games.

In addition, each cartridge has a small amount of SRAM for saved games, which is divided into sixteen blocks. Games are rounded up in capacity; for example, a 10 megabit Super Famicom game needs three flash ROM blocks totaling 12 megabits, and a Game Boy game that needs 100 kilobits of save space would need two SRAM blocks totaling 128 kilobits.

Nintendo Power has no Super Famicom enhancement chips such as the Super FX, so such games are incompatible.

Super Famicom

SF Memory Cassette (SFメモリカセット, SF Memori Kasetto)

Game Boy

GB Memory Cartridge (GBメモリカートリッジ, GB Memori Kātorijji)

Reception

When the Nintendo Power for Super Famicom launched, it was perceived by the press as being in part an effort to free up retailer shelf space for more Nintendo 64 products.[2]

List of games

Super Famicom games

First party games

Third party games

Game Boy games

First party games

Third party games

References

  1. ^ a b c "NINTENDO POWER". Nintendo (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 February 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d Svensson, Christian (February 1997). "Nintendo's Download Dream". Next Generation. No. 26. Imagine Media. p. 28.
  3. ^ a b "任天堂マガジン表紙・99年10月号（No.14）" [Nintendo Magazine Cover – October '99 issue (No. 14)]. Nintendo Online Magazine (in Japanese). No. 14. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022.
  4. ^ "平成11年11月１日、ゲームボーイ書き換えサービススタート！！". Nintendo Online Magazine (in Japanese). No. 14. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  5. ^ "NINTENDO POWER". Nintendo (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 23 October 1999.
  6. ^ Robinson, Andy (February 8, 2007). "Nintendo Closes Nintendo Power". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "Tidbits...". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 90. Ziff Davis. January 1997. p. 26.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Super Famicom Nintendo Power Game List (Japan)". NinDB. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "スーパーファミコン" [Super Famicom]. nintendo.co.jp (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c "スーパーファミコン用のその他のソフト：3" [Other software for Super Famicom: 3]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  11. ^ a b c d e "スーパーファミコン用のロールプレイング系ソフト：4" [RPG software for Super Famicom: 4]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 4. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  12. ^ a b "スーパーファミコン用のシミュレーション系ソフト：2" [Simulation software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000.
  13. ^ a b c d "スーパーファミコン用のシューティング系ソフト：1" [Shooting software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  14. ^ a b c d e "スーパーファミコン用のロールプレイング系ソフト：2" [RPG software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  15. ^ a b c "スーパーファミコン用のパズル系ソフト：1" [Puzzle software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
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  17. ^ "ゲームソフト 1997年9月30日発売 - ゲームソフト発売スケジュール（2ページ目）" [Game software released September 30, 1997 — Game software release schedule (Page 2)] (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  18. ^ "スーパーファミコン用の新作ソフト：3" [New software for Super Famicom: 3]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived from the original on 9 December 2002.
  19. ^ a b c "スーパーファミコン用のパズル系ソフト：2" [Puzzle software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  20. ^ a b "スーパーファミコン用のシューティング系ソフト：2" [Shooting software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. Archived from the original on 11 December 2002.
  21. ^ "スーパーファミコン用のロールプレイング系ソフト：3" [RPG software for Super Famicom: 3]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g "スーパーファミコン用のシミュレーション系ソフト：3" [Simulation software for Super Famicom: 3]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000.
  23. ^ a b c "スーパーファミコン用の新作ソフト：1" [New software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 15 February 2001.
  24. ^ a b c d e "スーパーファミコン用のロールプレイング系ソフト：1" [RPG software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  25. ^ a b c d e f "スーパーファミコン用のアクション系ソフト：1" [Action software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 12 October 2000.
  26. ^ https://www.famitsu.com/schedule/calendar/all/1997/12/01/2/
  27. ^ "スーパーファミコン用のロールプレイング系ソフト：5" [RPG software for Super Famicom: 5]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 5. Archived from the original on 18 October 2000.
  28. ^ a b c d e "ゲームソフト 1997年12月1日発売 - ゲームソフト発売スケジュール" [Game software released December 1, 1997 — Game software release schedule] (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  29. ^ "ゲームソフト 1998年8月1日発売 - ゲームソフト発売スケジュール" [Game software released August 1, 1998 — Game software release schedule] (in Japanese). Famitsu. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
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  31. ^ a b c "スーパーファミコン用のスポーツ系ソフト：2" [Sports software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 10 December 2002.
  32. ^ a b c d "スーパーファミコン用のアクション系ソフト：4" [Action software for Super Famicom: 4]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 4. Archived from the original on 10 December 2002.
  33. ^ a b c d "スーパーファミコン用のシミュレーション系ソフト：1" [Simulation software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 13 October 2000.
  34. ^ a b "スーパーファミコン用のアクション系ソフト：5". Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 5. Archived from the original on 12 October 2000.
  35. ^ "スーパーファミコン用のアクション系ソフト：6" [Action software for Super Famicom: 6]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 6. Archived from the original on 12 October 2000.
  36. ^ a b "スーパーファミコン用の新作ソフト：2" [New software for Super Famicom: 2]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 2. Archived from the original on 14 June 2000.
  37. ^ a b "スーパーファミコン用のスポーツ系ソフト：3" [Sports software for Super Famicom: 3]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 3. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000.
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  39. ^ "スーパーファミコン用のスポーツ系ソフト：1" [Sports software for Super Famicom: 1]. Nintendo Power (in Japanese). Nintendo. p. 1. Archived from the original on 14 October 2000.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai "Game Boy Nintendo Power Game List (Japan)". NinDB. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  41. ^ "NINTENDO POWER ソフト一覧表" [Nintendo Power Software List]. Nintendo Power. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 4 December 2002.

External links