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The Video Game Console Library - Console Name

Satellaview logo Nintendo Satellaview BS-X Satellaview logo

  DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
Page content, development and design by Marriott_Guy
Developer Manufacturer Release Date Country(s) Initial Price Model Number Game Releases Overall Rating
Nintendo & St. GIGA Nintendo Mar-95 Japan $149 USD 100 15 (stand alone) NA
Ratings Reviews Pictures\Video Specs Games\Emulation Models Clones Links
Nintendo Satellaview BS-X
Ratings
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release.  Ratings based upon a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).
Console Design (appearance, functionality) N\A
Console Durability (sturdy or frail and fragile) N\A
Controllers (design, response, feel, use) N\A
Graphics (graphical capability and presentation) N\A
Audio (sound, music, speech, effects) N\A
Media (game media format, design, durability) N\A
Packaging (appeal, durability of packaging) N\A
Game Library (quality, quantity of game library) N\A
Innovations (technological industrial strides) N\A
Gamer Value (good investment for the gamer?) N\A
Collector Value (good collector investment?) N\A
Games Rarity (general availability of games) N\A
Console Rarity (general availability of a system) N\A
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Reviews


Nintendo Satellaview BS-X 

  DW FACTS
  - by Dark Watcher

The Satellaview was not really a console, but was an interesting add-on for the Super Famicom. It was licensed by Nintendo and was released in Japan in 1995. It cost 14,000 yen (about $150) and a subscription fee had to be paid monthly to use the service. The unit sat under the Super Famicom and was the only device to utilize the port found underneath the console. It connected to a satellite channel called St. GIGA and allowed subscribers to download games, demos, news, interviews, and whatever else Nintendo felt like offering. There were no costs beyond the price of the device itself and subscription; all downloads were free. The system focused more on BS exclusive games rather than just demos of existing titles. The games could be saved for use later and could only be downloaded between 4 PM and 7 PM. The small time window was because St. GIGA was also used to broadcast normal TV programming.

The base unit contained a 1 megabit ROM chip which contained the system's operating system, 256k of flash memory to store downloaded games on, and 512k of RAM to add to the Super Famicom's capabilities (this may or may not have also been necessary to run the OS and its various functions). If the 256k of flash memory wasn't enough, you could also buy Game Boy sized carts containing 1 megabit of flash memory that fit into a Super Game Boy style cartridge, called the BS-X Special Broadcast Cassette (which retailed for around $30).

The Satellaview broadcasted from 23rd April 1995 to June 30th 2000. It continued receiving new games up until March 1999. The first game on the system was a graphical update of Zelda no Densetsu (aka. The Legend of Zelda).


  HANDS ON REVIEW
 

Coming soon...
 

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Pictures & Video

Various picture\video media for this console.  Click pictures to enlarge.
Satellaview BS-X - 1995 TV Commercial (Japan)
Video courtesy of Diskun128.		 Satellaview - How it Works

Satellaview - How it Works

 Satellaview BS-X - Start Up Interface
Video courtesy of VanishedOne.
Satellaview - Front

 Satellaview - Front
 Satellaview - Back

 Satellaview - Back
 Satellaview - Attached to Super Famicom

 Satellaview - Attached to Super Famicom
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Specs

For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.
 Processor Type  Processor Speed  Other Processor Information RAM \ Video RAM
 See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page		 See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page		 See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page		 512 KB RAM (added to the Super
Famicom's existing 128 KB)

Screen Resolution

Color Palette

Polygons \ Sprites

 Audio
256 x 224 32K (256 on screen) 128 Sprites See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page

Media Format

Media Capacity

Games Released

Other Supported Formats
Digital (downloadable) Unknown 15 (stand alone) None

Internal Storage

External \ Removable Storage

Game Controllers

Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
1 MB ROM (operating system files),
256 KB Flash (for games)		 Memory Pack Cart (included
in the deluxe release)		 See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page		 None - this is a peripheral device
(modem)
Controller Ports Network Ports

Other Ports

Audio \ Video

See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page

 None - this is a network device
(modem)		 None See the Nintendo Super Famicom \
SNES web page

Power Supply

Other Outputs

 Other Details \ Notes
Ran off of the power supply provided by the Nintendo Super Famicom None None
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Games & Emulation

Game screen shots and\or videos released for this system.

Satellaview BS-X - F-Zero
Video courtesy of kiddocabbusses.

Satellaview BS-X - Super Mario USA
Video courtesy of cvglens.

Satellaview BS-X - Dragon Quest
Video courtesy of kiddocabbusses.

Satellaview BS-X - Kirby no Omocha Hako
Video courtesy of PekoponTAS.

 Satellaview BS-X - Dr. Mario
Video courtesy of mrgamer1.		 Satellaview BS-X - Zelda: Kodai no Sekiban


Video courtesy of DarkenZero24.
Third Party Emulators
Program Website Description

ZSNES

http://www.zsnes.com/

 This is a popular and amazing Super NES emulator. We chose to keep the DOS version which is more compatible with older systems, but there are other versions available.
ZSNES is also able to emulate BSS games.
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Models

Additional authorized releases for this console.
Nintendo Satellaview BS-X

The Satellaview was offered in two versions - the standard and deluxe.  The hardware
was identical in each, but the deluxe version contained the Memory Pak card.
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Clones

Non-licensed releases (clones).
No clones were released for this system.
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Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.
Name Website Description
Nintendo Database http://web.archive.org/.../sns_jp-bsx.shtml Details the complete broadcast history of the Satellaview
Blame the Control Pad http://blamethecontrolpad.com/bsx/bsx.htm Contains great info on this Super Famicom add-on
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