Make Your Own SNES Games With Developer Cartridge

Have you always wished that you could develop games for the Super Nintendo but couldn’t because you were only 4 years old when it was released in 1990? Here’s a second chance. [Max] and his team have created a SNES developer’s cartridge that allows you to load your own code, run it on the SNES, and debug as needed. At its core is an Atmel AVR ATmega644 that is running a boot loader, allowing for firmware updates via USB. Once the system is powered on, ROM code is sent over USB to the 16 megabits of onboard SRAM. A debug terminal can be connected with an RS232 converter, providing status information and allowing some register manipulation.

We can believe there are a few hardcore SNES fans out there who will take the time to write custom code. We could also see this being used for the purposes of SNES sythesized music. But is there a wide demand for this type of hardware? If you’ve ever looked into developing for the SNES, let us know in the comments.

76 thoughts on “Make Your Own SNES Games With Developer Cartridge

  1. The nes chip is easaly by passed thats why thier were shity games like dr j and hook robodemons made by color dreams and plus its all firmware and basic c+ esept thier no bios matrix makeing it easy today its all about
    Portability and laptops are become more and more inter grate rather than runing all off a disk
    exept basic hardwere like modems and bus contollers basic mother boards stuff today all laptops are runing modems wirles adapters pointing devices even sound comply off firmwere wich is a bich if you ever change or reinstall os esp vista cus the hard were need additional firmwere and only supputs a os that had once came with the seris of the model like toshiba sat l300 to 360 ecedra usaly series on go by hundreds and each mod is ten up a difftense so a tip is to go to the manufactors site not the specifide driver site i tryed and its esp hard if your disply vga controllers are screwed cus for one you cant get to the card and it dont tell ya what the hells in side we all know the fucking intels

  2. Just to let you know, I never play’d on a NES or SNES,(Genesis kicks ass especially Genesis 2), but SNES looks a hell of a lot like a cheap crappy Xbox. (Classic, not 360) But the thing is… if this thing works on GM games, I could very easily make a neat game for the SNES and sell on eBay for a hell of a lot. This will do nicely as a way to start saving for something neat like, starting my own EMPIRE of Games, beat it, Atari Empire, the Cat Empire has just stepped into battle!

  3. nintendo keeps getting bigger systems and more room on their games (cartridge or now disks), but the games stay the same, just better graphics. I would like to see nintendo revert back to the old style games. can you imagine mario world, only with a map ten times bigger and with more secret worlds and more things to get? The new mario game was great; but the same 8 worlds, same levels, same number of power ups. why not release one with ALL of the power ups? where’s the star world, and super secret star world, and beyond that? i would love for delvelopers (amature or pro) to keep developing games and drop the 3-d. stop making the games more and more realistic, and focus on just keeping it fun. pixels are okay. they are our friends. i would love to develop games, but i can’t get past that whole “im not smart enough to program and build circuit boards” stuff. they need to open up game development to people who have a more artistic and creative brain rather than technical and mechanic. thank you for letting me get that off my chest.

    1. YOUR SO RIGHT! O.o
      We should form a Organisation/Facebook Page/Webside or something else XD or idk, but i really loved/love the old games, and i s**t on graphic, I♥Pixel!!!
      I really wish more games like the old ones :3

  4. I wanna have a SNES II (2). The same Style but maybe with a simple System ( Like theres already a cartridge inside of the SNES II ( A System like a simple Version of the Ps3 System ). There should be a Memory INTO the SNES II, and not in the games. It would be nice if it would be possible to connect Online, there should be a Friends list, maybe some online playable games and a Online Store (the SNES II memory should be like 16 GB or something… like a USB stick.

    But plz…
    DO NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY!
    its just a vision, cuz i really love my SNES, and i just like to imagine what would be if there would be a SNES II, so please dont take it serious!
    :DD

    PS: I really love ur Idea about making new SNES games, its DAMN GENIOUS!!!, but it looks pretty hard, so i thought that there also could be a Modifited SNES which can read more files so that we could add other games on a developer cartridge, I hope ull code some games – I´LL BUY THEM O.o – Good Job man, i like ur work…
    ;D

  5. I have a game I wrote for the SNES years ago that was never published. Is it possible for me to run it on this cart? If so could you let me know how I can get hold of one of these?

    @Joshua, there are no programming languages you need to write everything in 6502 (65C816 which is a 16 bit version of 6502 – not that it’s used that much, just for addition/subtraction) You will also need a hardware manual that specifies the addresses used for the screen / sprites, video mode etc…

  6. I’d really love to make a game for either the nintendo 64 or the nintendo gamecube (Google search lead me here, go figure) To try and remake a fan made game of the original Kameo: Elements of Power when it was originally made for the gamecube :/

  7. Would it be possible to put Markus Persson’s game called Minicraft on there no i do not mean minecraft i mean minicraft he made minicraft in the 22nd ludum dare in 2011 and it looks like a snes gsame

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