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Nintendo Play Station Superdisc Discovered

by Donald Theriault - July 3, 2015, 11:57 am EDT
Total comments: 10 Source: Reddit

The console that served as a turning point for gaming itself finally emerges.

A series of photos and a Youtube video point to the existence of a Nintendo Play Station Superdisc - one form factor of the SNES CD-ROM - in the wild.

The prototype system has a cartridge slot, two SNES controller ports, and a tray loading disc slot. The photos show a prototype cartridge, and a controller that appears to look like the classic Super Famicom controller but badged with the Sony logo and the prototype PlayStation logo. The bottom of the console has the SNES expansion port on it.

Originally, the SNES CD Rom was to be produced by Sony in a fashion similar to the Sega CD, as either an expansion to the Super Nintendo or in a combo system. Nintendo ended up working with Philips and the CD-ROM addon never released, while Sony refined the ideas into the original PlayStation console in 1994.

The console was in the private collection of a former Nintendo employee and was posted to Reddit. Photos are available below, originally from imgur, and the owner has posted a Youtube video:

Images

Talkback

Couple of things:
1) I wanted dead positive proof of that thing being real, since there were signs of it being fake, but the video was enough proof for me to run with it. I didn't want a Rayman in Smash situation.

2) I love how the console is actually yellowed the same way a standard Super Nintendo is.

ShyGuyJuly 03, 2015

I want to see it turned on.

ThePermJuly 03, 2015

interesting, the poster of the video hadn't posted a youtube video in 3 - 4 years.

Nile Boogie ReturnsJuly 03, 2015

I'm sure this thing must be worth a small fortune...or $34 in trade at GameStop.

AdrockJuly 03, 2015

My uncle, who works for Nintendo, has had one of these for like 25 years. I've seen it. I was playing Super Mario CD back in 1991.

Why does it have 5 video outputs? three of which appear to be composite, one rf, and one s video. No one needs that.

ThePermJuly 03, 2015

Sony

Quote from: John

Why does it have 5 video outputs? three of which appear to be composite, one rf, and one s video. No one needs that.

Sony in 1992

Bman87301July 04, 2015

Quote from: John

Why does it have 5 video outputs? three of which appear to be composite, one rf, and one s video. No one needs that.

It's true no one would need that for a commercial model... Of course, since it was never released, this would have to be a development model, which very likely WOULD need multiple outs for testing purposes. Nevertheless, I'm still assuming this is fake-- the fact that he just happens not to have the power cords to turn it on, seems far too convenient.

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)July 05, 2015

I read the full story elsewhere, this is the father of the owner, a non-gamer. He's just doing what his son asked him to do, he has no idea what it is.

pyrokamileonJuly 06, 2015

I never owned the snes but I really like the controller with its colored buttons, the one that didn't come out in the US. I see this prototype and it looks great with its colorful controller but then I saw the American snes with its purple and lighter purple colors and it just makes me sad. if I did have the American snes I would probably import the Japanese controller!

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