Editing Nintendo Power (cartridge)
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[[File:NPFlashlogo.PNG|thumb|The Nintendo Power logo]] | |||
'''Nintendo Power''' was a service in Japan that ran from September 30, 1997 to February 28, 2007 and allowed players to download [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System#Super Famicom|Super Famicom]] games on to special, white flash memory cartridges known as SF Memory Cassettes. At a later date, players were able to download [[Game Boy]] games on to white GB Memory Cartridges. The cartridges were manufactured in Taiwan.<ref>Back of a Game Boy memory cartridge</ref> | |||
''' | |||
Following the relative success of the | Following the relative success of the [[Disk Writer]], the service was intended to be a cheaper alternative to purchasing the full retail game. | ||
While the majority of games available for the service were existing retail games, some games were exclusive to the service. For example, ''[[Picross NP]]'' was a series of eight Super Famicom Picross games based on popular Nintendo franchises. While ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]'' was previously available overseas, it was only available in Japan via the Nintendo Power flash RAM service.<ref>[https://nindb.net/gb/np-jp.html Game Boy – Nintendo Power at NinDB]</ref> | While the majority of games available for the service were existing retail games, some games were exclusive to the service. For example, ''[[Picross NP]]'' was a series of eight Super Famicom Picross games based on popular Nintendo franchises. While ''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]'' was previously available overseas, it was only available in Japan via the Nintendo Power flash RAM service.<ref>[https://nindb.net/gb/np-jp.html Game Boy – Nintendo Power at NinDB]</ref> | ||
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==Purchasing and downloading games== | ==Purchasing and downloading games== | ||
[[File:Nintendo Power Writer.jpg|thumb|The device retail clerks used to write the games to the cartridges]] | [[File:Nintendo Power Writer.jpg|thumb|The device retail clerks used to write the games to the cartridges]] | ||
Nintendo Power cartridges were originally sold over the counter of | Nintendo Power cartridges were originally sold over the counter of [[wikipedia:Lawson|Lawson]] convenience stores based in Japan. Although the cartridges were also sold at the Japanese supermarket [[wikipedia:Daiei|Daiei]], re-writing services at stores other than Lawson were not formally introduced. | ||
A user would first purchase a SF Memory Cassette or GB Memory Cartridge, then bring it to a store which had an NP copier for the | A user would first purchase a SF Memory Cassette or GB Memory Cartridge, then bring it to a store which had an NP copier for the [[wikipedia:Loppi (ticketing system)|Loppi]] ticketing system. | ||
The player would select games to be placed on the cartridge, and then had them loaded on. In addition, the store would provide the purchaser with a printed copy of the manual for the game and blank stickers. The player was expected to write on the stickers and place them on the cartridge to mark what games they had downloaded. Game prices varied, with older titles being relatively cheap, and newer titles and NP exclusives being more expensive. | The player would select games to be placed on the cartridge, and then had them loaded on. In addition, the store would provide the purchaser with a printed copy of the manual for the game and blank stickers. The player was expected to write on the stickers and place them on the cartridge to mark what games they had downloaded. Game prices varied, with older titles being relatively cheap, and newer titles and NP exclusives being more expensive. | ||
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==Specifications== | ==Specifications== | ||
Each cartridge's flash RAM 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 (i.e. a 10 megabit Super Famicom game needs three flash RAM blocks (12 megabits), a Game Boy game that needs 100 kilobits of save space would need 2 SRAM blocks (128 kilobits)) | Each cartridge's flash RAM 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 (i.e. a 10 megabit Super Famicom game needs three flash RAM blocks (12 megabits), a Game Boy game that needs 100 kilobits of save space would need 2 SRAM blocks (128 kilobits).) The system does have one limitation - games that utilize a special chip (such as the [[wikipedia:Super FX|Super FX]]) cannot be placed on the NP cartridge, as the needed chip was not in the cartridge. | ||
== | ==Mario games released on the Nintendo Power service== | ||
====SF Memory Cassette==== | ====SF Memory Cassette==== | ||
[[File:Nintendo Power SF Memory Cassette.jpg|thumb|SF Memory Cassette]] | [[File:Nintendo Power SF Memory Cassette.jpg|thumb|SF Memory Cassette]] | ||
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NP SML3 Wario Land.jpg|The pre-written version of ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3|Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land]]'' | NP SML3 Wario Land.jpg|The pre-written version of ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3|Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land]]'' | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==Related links== | ==Related links== | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{NIWA|Bulbapedia=1|NWiki=1}} | {{NIWA|title=Nintendo Power|Bulbapedia=1|NWiki=1}} | ||
{{wikipedia}} | |||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Accessories]] | [[Category:Accessories]] | ||
[[Category:Reissues]] | [[Category:Reissues]] | ||
