Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNS-101) Repair

The SNS-101, also known as the SNES Mini, SNES 2, or SNES Jr., is a redesigned smaller version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This revision was released in North America on October 20th, 1997 and was sold at a lower price than the original SNES. This change helped Nintendo market the SNES Mini to people who wanted to get into video games without paying the higher price for a Nintendo 64 console.

Compared to the original SNES model, the SNES Mini has a smaller form factor with a rounded top. It has two purple buttons for power and reset on the top of the case along with a slot for loading game cartridges. Unlike the previous version, the SNES Mini does not have an eject button, you simply pull the cartridges up and out to remove them from the console. On the back, the SNES Mini has only a Nintendo AV multiout port for video connection. To further reduce the cost of the console, this port is only configured to output composite video, unlike the original model which had more video options.

To identify this console, look for the model number “SNS-101” on a sticker on the bottom of the device. The SNES Mini can play all the same games as the original, so you can use either model for retro games.

Processor

16 bit
Custom WDC 65C816 chip
3.58 MHz

Memory

128 KB

Video

15-bit color
Resolution between 256x224 and 512x448 (most games used the lower resolution because it resulted in less slowdown)
128 sprites on-screen (with a maximum of 32 sprites per scanline)
Nintendo AV multiout port (with composite video only)

Audio