nintendo

SNES launch highlighted Mode 7 and richer color to surpass the NES

Nintendo launched the Super Nintendo in North America on Aug. 23, 1991 and immediately showcased its technical leap over the original NES. Developers used a much larger on-screen color palette and the SNES's Mode 7 feature to spin and rotate backgrounds, creating an illusion of three-dimensional depth. Those visual advances let games offer more ambitious experiences than the NES and redefined expectations for 16-bit console graphics.

• Super Nintendo launched in North America on Aug. 23, 1991.
• Nintendo emphasized the SNES could deliver experiences the original NES could not.
• The SNES supported many more colors on-screen than the NES.
• Mode 7 let games spin and rotate backgrounds to create the illusion of 3D depth.