Innovation Super 8 for SNES

by Rory

Super 8 Box Front

The Super 8 is an NES/Famicom converter for the SNES distributed by a company called Innovation. It connects to the console’s cartridge slot and supports Super Nintendo*, Super Famicom*, Nintendo, and Famicom games. Inside the device is a piece of electronics commonly referred to as “NES on a chip”.

When you power on the system you are shown a menu screen that will allow you to select between 16-bit and 8-bit mode. In 8-bit mode, Y is B and B is A on the Super Nintendo controller. The default (and unchangeable) button configuration is perfect.

Super 8 Instructions

As you can see in the instructions, the Super 8 is inserted like any SNES game but also requires the same type of video looping as the 32X.

Super 8 Back

This is what the rear of the system looks like when attached correctly… without the AC adapter.

Super 8 with games

There is a plastic flap that prevents a Famicom and Nintendo game from being inserted at the same time. You could put both in at once I guess.

Super 8 with Famicom game

Famicom games go in backwards. Star Juster is the game in the photo.

Super 8 with Famicom game close up

I can’t read any of that. Probably something about seizures.

Super 8 under

Just like Ben Heckendorn, I, too, am a hardcore console modder. This was my first and only mod. I taped two stacks of pennies to the underside of the Super 8 to prevent damaging it or the SNES when inserting games. There is a half inch gap between the back half of the Super 8 and the lower edge of the SNES.

Fun Fact: The Super 8 will play Super Famicom games because it lacks the plastic tabs normally found inside the Super Nintendo. You can break these things off but if you don’t feel like taking pliers to your system then the Super 8 has you covered.

*One drawback of the Super 8 is that it will not play SNES or Super Famicom games that use the expanded cartridge connectors (8 pins on either side of the main board). The connection between the input and output end of these 16 pins is actually severed but it could be reconnected with a quick soldering job.

If you’d like to see the Super 8 in action, check out this great demonstration by GameNexus.

Next up is more weird Game Boy Color stuff.