Editing Nintendo Power (cartridge)

{{system infobox
|title=Nintendo Power
|image=[[File:NPFlashlogo.PNG]]
|release={{flag list|Japan|September 30, 1997}}
|discontinued={{flag list|Japan|February 28, 2007}}
}}
'''{{wp|Nintendo Power (cartridge)|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 onto special, white flash memory cartridges known as SF Memory Cassettes. At a later date, players were able to download [[Game Boy]] games onto 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 rewrite service of [[Family Computer Disk System]] games, the Nintendo Power service was intended to be a cheaper alternative to purchasing full retail games.

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>

==Purchasing and downloading games==
[[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 {{wp|Lawson}} convenience stores based in Japan. Although the cartridges were also sold at the Japanese supermarket {{wp|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 {{wp|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.

In addition to blank cartridges, pre-written versions of Nintendo Power games could be purchased. These cartridges look identical to blank Nintendo Power cartridges, although they usually included a sticker of the relevant game on the box, and with the exception of ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'', a 'how to play' sheet was included. Some games included special merchandise, such as Balloon Fight GB, which included a badge pin that was packaged with the game.

Purchasing pre-written versions of Nintendo Power games was relatively cheaper than buying a blank cartridge and manually downloading games. An exception is the Deluxe Pack version of [[fireemblem:Fire Emblem: Thracia 776|''Fire Emblem: Thracia 776'']], that featured special merchandise and was retailed for ¥9800.

===Beginning of the Game Boy service===
The Game Boy re-writing service was originally scheduled to begin in all Lawson stores from November 1, 1999. However, the impact of Taiwan's {{wp|1999 Jiji earthquake|921 earthquake}} in September 1999 meant that it became increasingly difficult to produce a stable supply of GB Memory cartridges. This meant that the beginning of the Game Boy service was postponed until March 1, 2000. 

In October 2000, as an apology for the service being postponed, players could order a pre-written version of ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]''. This was a promotional item that was not re-sold. In later years, it was only possible to obtain ''Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'' through the Nintendo Power service by re-writing it on to an existing cartridge.

===Termination of the service===
As of August 31, 2001 the Nintendo Power service was partly terminated and it was no longer possible to purchase Nintendo Power cartridges at Lawson or use the Loppi ticketing system to download games.<ref>[http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20020531/ninten.htm GameWatch]</ref> However, from September 1, 2001 players could directly send used cartridges to Nintendo through customer services to have them replaced with a different game. 

As of February 28, 2007 the service was fully closed.

==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)). The system does have one limitation - games that utilize a special chip (such as the {{wp|Super FX}}) like ''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'' cannot be placed on the NP cartridge, as the needed chip was not in the cartridge.

==''Super Mario'' games released on the Nintendo Power service==
====SF Memory Cassette====
[[File:Nintendo Power SF Memory Cassette.jpg|thumb|SF Memory Cassette]]
Along with rereleases of hit Super Famicom games, several Nintendo Power titles were released exclusively for the service. The Super Famicom version of ''[[Dr. Mario (game)|Dr. Mario]]'' is the same as the one found in the compilation ''[[Tetris & Dr. Mario]]'', which was not released in Japan. ''[[Wrecking Crew '98]]'' was first available on the Nintendo Power service and was later released as a regular retail version.<ref>[https://nindb.net/snes/np-jp.html Super Famicom – Nintendo Power at NinDB]</ref>
*''[[Dr. Mario (game)|Dr. Mario]]''
*''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' (''Super Donkey Kong'')
*''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest]]'' (''Super Donkey Kong 2: Dixie & Diddy'')
*''[[Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!]]''<ref>[http://www.gamersgraveyard.com/repository/snes/history/nintendopower.html Gamer's Graveyard Nintendo Power Article]</ref> (''Super Donkey Kong 3: Nazo no Kremis Shima'')
*''[[Mario's Super Picross]]''<ref>[http://www.jupiter.co.jp/e/product/game/snes/ Jupiter Corporation lists Mario Super Picross for Nintendo Power]</ref>
*''[[Picross NP|Picross NP Vol.2]]'' (A collection of 12 Picross games based on ''[[Yoshi's Story]]'')
*''[[Picross NP|Picross NP Vol.6]]'' (A collection of 12 Picross games based on ''[[Super Mario 64]]'')
*''[[Picross NP|Picross NP Vol.7]]'' (A collection of 12 Picross games based on ''[[Wario Land II]]'')
*''[[Picross NP|Picross NP Vol.8]]'' (A collection of 12 Picross games based on ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'')
*''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' (''Super Mario Collection'')
*''[[Super Mario World]]''
*''[[Wrecking Crew '98]]''

====GB Memory Cartridge====
[[File:Nintendo Power GB Memory Cartridge.jpg|thumb|GB Memory Cartridge]]
*''[[Alleyway]]''
*''[[Donkey Kong (Game Boy)|Donkey Kong]]''
*''[[Donkey Kong Land]]'' (''Super Donkey Kong GB'')
*''[[Donkey Kong Land 2]]'' (''Donkey Kong Land'')
*''[[Dr. Mario (game)|Dr. Mario]]''
*''[[Game & Watch Gallery]]'' (''Game Boy Gallery'')
*''[[Game & Watch Gallery 2]]'' (''Game Boy Gallery 2'')
*''[[Game & Watch Gallery 3]]'' (''Game Boy Gallery 3'')
*''[[Golf]]''
*''[[Mario's Picross]]''
*''[[Picross 2]]''
*''[[Super Mario Bros. Deluxe]]''<ref>[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n02/dmg/ahyj/index.html Official Japanese website of ''Super Mario Bros. Deluxe'']</ref>
*''[[Super Mario Land]]''
*''[[Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins]]''
*''[[Tetris Attack]]'' (''Yoshi no Panepon'')
*''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3]]'' (''Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land'')
*''[[Yoshi's Cookie]]''

====Gallery====
<gallery>
SF Memory Cassette.JPG|SF Memory Cassette contents
NP SML3 Wario Land.jpg|The pre-written version of ''[[Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3|Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land]]''
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
TGBD Nintendo Power Cartridge Manga 1.jpg|Manga introducing the service from ''[[Nintendo DREAM|The GB DREAM]]'', by [[Shigehisa Nakaue]]
TGBD Nintendo Power Cartridge Manga 2.jpg|Manga introducing the service from ''The GB DREAM'', by Shigehisa Nakaue
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Ita=Nintendo Power<ref name=SMBE>''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|Super Mario Bros. Enciclopedia]]'', pag. 242</ref><ref>''[[Wrecking Crew '98]]'' description on [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online]]</ref>
|Ita2=Nintendo Pover{{sic}}<ref name=SMBE/>
}}

==Related links==
*[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n03/index.html Nintendo Corporation Ltd. Nintendo Power website] (in Japanese)

==References==
{{NIWA|Bulbapedia=1|NWiki=1}}
<references/>

[[Category:Accessories]]
[[Category:Reissues]]