Nintendo Power (cartridge)


The Nintendo Power is a Japan-only peripheral produced by Nintendo for the Super Famicom and the Game Boy. The service allowed owners to download Super Famicom or Game Boy games onto a special flash memory cartridge for a lower price than that of the full cartridge.
The Super Famicom version of Nintendo Power was released in late 1996. The Game Boy Nintendo Power was released on March 1, 2000. The service as a whole was discontinued on February 28, 2007.

History

Background

During the days of the Family Computer, Nintendo developed the Disk System, a disk drive expansion for the Famicom with expanded RAM which allows players to use rewritable disk media called "disk cards" at Famicom Disk Writer kiosks. The system was relatively popular but suffered from issues of limited capacity. However, Nintendo did see a market for an economical rewritable medium due to the popularity of the Disk System.
Nintendo's first dynamic flash storage subsystem for the Super Famicon was 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 late 1996.
The Game Boy Nintendo Power was originally planned to launch on November 1, 1999; however, due to the 1999 Jiji earthquake disrupting production in Taiwan, it was delayed until March 1, 2000.

Legacy

In 2003, Nintendo launched another game delivery kiosk network for the iQue Player in China.

Usage

A user would first purchase the RAM cartridge itself, then bring it to a store which had a Nintendo Power copier. The player would select games to be copied to the cartridge. In addition, the store would provide the purchaser with a printed copy of the manual for the game. Game prices varied, with older titles being relatively cheap, and newer titles and Nintendo Power exclusives being more expensive.
Due to being a proprietary medium, Nintendo Power memory cartridges made copyright infringement by illicit duplication much more difficult than if a standard format had been used.

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 game saves, 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.
Games that utilize an enhancement chip cannot be placed on the Nintendo Power cartridge, as the required chip is not present.

Specifications

Super Famicom

"SF Memory Cartridge "
MSRP – ¥3,980
"GB Memory Cartridge "
MSRP – ¥2,500
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.

List of games

Super Famicom

;First party
TitleRelease date
Heisei Shin Onigashima: KōhenDecember 1, 1997
Heisei Shin Onigashima: ZenpenDecember 1, 1997
Wrecking Crew '98January 1, 1998
Kirby no Kirakira KizzuFebruary 1, 1998
Super Punch-Out!!March 1, 1998
'April 1, 1998
Super Famicom WarsMay 1, 1998
Dr. MarioJune 1, 1998
Zootto Mahjong!July 1, 1998
Sutte HakkunAugust 1, 1998
Derby Stallion '98September 1, 1998
Mini 4WD Let's & Go!! Power WGP2October 1, 1998
Power Lode RunnerJanuary 1, 1999
Power SōkobanJanuary 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 1April 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 2June 1, 1999
'July 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 3August 1, 1999
'September 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 4October 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 5December 1, 1999
Picross NP Vol. 6February 1, 2000
Picross NP Vol. 7April 1, 2000
Picross NP Vol. 8June 1, 2000
'November 29, 2000

;Third party