Crash Course on the Satellaview System
THIS INFORMATION WAS FOUND AT:
http://eaglecc.stark.k12.oh.us/Communities/Com 1 /archive/webbankroft/Super NES
THIS IS NOT, I REPEAT, IS *NOT* MATERIAL THAT I HAVE WRITTEN MYSELF, THUS PROPER CREDIT GOES TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABOVE LINK.
The Satellaview is a modem add-on for the SNES, released 1995, in Japan only. The Satellaview uses a Japanese satellite system called 'St. GIGA' to get it's information. With the Satellaview you can download updates of new games and get hot news, cheats, tips, demos, info about new Nintendo games, events or interviews, charts and rumors. A problem with the system was that you could only download a certain game, for example the new 'Chrono Trigger demo' when it was being 'broadcasted' at a certain time. You had to wait until a certain time or day to be able to download it (just like recording a TV-show from the TV). The things you downloaded could then be saved in a thing that you plugged into the cartridge slot that could hold 1 Megabit of data. This little thingies was called BS-X Special Broadcast Cassettes and looked like the Super Game Boy. It was only from 4 pm to 7 pm you actually could download stuff with the BS-X because at the other time of the day the satellite channel that the Satellaview System used broadcasted normal TV-shows! On the other hand everything you downloaded was for free. Nintendo managed to blend in some advertising to make it profitable. When it was released in 1995 both Konami, Square, Taito and Data East was planning to use the Satellaview for their advertising but the only two companies that actually supplied software for the St. GIGA channel was Nintendo and Square!
Tech Specs
The base unit had a 512 Kbit memory (RAM) chip to boost the SNES's capabilities and 1 Megabit ROM chip that contained the operating system needed to control the Satellaview. It also had a 256 Kbit flash memory if the user hadn't bought him/herself an BS-X Special Broadcast Cassette that contained a 1 Megabit flash memory chip.
Navigating the Satellaview
The first picture you see when you turn on the unit is a picture of a town where the buildings acts as different stations, where you can do different things. There are 4 different stations:
- Electronic Magazine
Here the "surfers" could check out previews and demos of new games.
- Nation-wide game competition
In this section you could solve Quizzes and play with other gamers in multiplayer games. I'm not sure if this section really existed
because I don't know if the users could really upload data to the satellite. If they couldn't do that, it would be impossible to play
multiplayer games over the BS-X!
- Data Present
This section were packed with cheats, maps, tips and other relevant information on a bunch of different games.
- Town News
It's here you could find all the latest gossip, high scores etc. and if you were really lucky you might even find an exclusive demo or two!
List of Games (This may or may not be complete)
- BS 3ji no Wide Syou (J)
- BS Albert Odyssey (J)
- BS Arkanoid - Doh It Again (J)
- BS Bdash 2 Gatsu Gou (J)
- BS Bdash 3 Gatsu Gou (J)
- BS Busters - Digital Magazine 4-12-98 (J)
- BS Busters - Digital Magazine 5-10-98 (J)
- BS Busters - Digital Magazine 5-24-98 (J)
- BS Busters - Digital Magazine 8-23-98 (J)
- BS Cheap de Gorgeous (J)
- BS Chrono Trigger - Jet Bike Special (J)
- BS Chrono Trigger Character Library (J)
- BS Chrono Trigger Music Library (J)
- BS Columbus no Tamagoyaki 1 (J)
- BS Columbus no Tamagoyaki 2 (J)
- BS Columbus no Tamagoyaki 3 (J)
- BS Cu-On-Pa (J)
- BS Daibakusyou Jinseigekijyou (J)
- BS Dan Dan Belt Conveyor Milk no Maki (J)
- BS Dan Dan Belt Conveyor Ukulele no Maki (J)
- BS Do-Re-Mi No.2 5-10 (J)
- BS Do-Re-Mi No.2 5-25 (J)
- BS Dokapon Gaiden - Hono no Audition (J)
- BS Dr. Mario (J)
- BS Dragon Quest 1 (J)
- BS Dragon Slayer Eiyu Densetsu (J)
- BS Dynami Tracer! (J)
- BS F-Zero 2 (J)
- BS F-Zero Ace (J)
- BS F-Zero Castle (J)
- BS F-Zero King (J)
- BS F-Zero Knight (J)
- BS F-Zero Queen (J)
- BS Fenek - June Edition (J)
- BS Fire Emblem Akaneia Senki 1 - Palace Kanraku (J)
- BS Fire Emblem Akaneia Senki 2 - Akai Ryu Kishi (J)
- BS Fire Emblem Akaneia Senki 3 - Seigi no Tozokudan (J)
- BS Fire Emblem Akaneia Senki 4 - Hajimari no Toki (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou 2 (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou 3 (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou 4 (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou 5 (J)
- BS Furoito No Chousenjou 6 (J)
- BS Gekkan Coin Toss Deck 1 (J)
- BS Goods Press 3 (J)
- BS Goods Press 6 Gatsu Gou (J)
- BS Goods Press 7 Gatsu Gou (J)
- BS Guruguru Ball (J)
- BS Heisei Gunjin Shogi (J)
- BS Hosi Kuzusi (J)
- BS IkarinoYousai (J)
- BS Kaizou Tyoujin Shubibinman Zero (J)
- BS Kirby no Omotya Bako Baseball (J)
- BS Kobo Kensyo Magazine (J)
- BS Kodomo Tyosadan Mighty Pockets 1 (J)
- BS Kodomo Tyosadan Mighty Pockets 2 (J)
- BS Kodomo Tyosadan Mighty Pockets 3 (J)
- BS Koi ha Balance - Battle of Lovers (J)
- BS Legend of Zelda 1 - Kodai no Sekiban (J)
- BS Legend of Zelda 2 - Kodai no Sekiban (J)
- BS Legend of Zelda 3 - Kodai no Sekiban (J)
- BS Legend of Zelda 4 - Kodai no Sekiban (J)
- BS Legend of Zelda Remix, The (J)
- BS Lets Pachinko Nante Gindama 1 (J)
- BS Lets Pachinko Nante Gindama 2 (J)
- BS Lets Pachinko Nante Gindama 3 (J)
- BS Lets Pachinko Nante Gindama 4 (J)
- BS Lord Monarke (J)
- BS Mario Collection 3 (J)
- BS Mario Excite Bike Bunbun Mario Stadium 1 (J)
- BS Mario Excite Bike Bunbun Mario Stadium 2 (J)
- BS Mario Excite Bike Bunbun Mario Stadium 3 (1-11) (J)
- BS Mario Excite Bike Bunbun Mario Stadium 3 (2-8) (J)
- BS Mario Excite Bike Bunbun Mario Stadium 4 (J)
- BS Mario Paint - 1-11 (J)
- BS Mario Paint - 6-4 (J)
- BS Mario USA 1 (J)
- BS Mario USA 2 (J)
- BS Mario USA 3 (J)
- BS Mario USA 4 (J)
- BS Marvelous Camp Arnold Course 1 (J)
- BS Marvelous Camp Arnold Course 2 (J)
- BS Marvelous Camp Arnold Course 3 (J)
- BS Marvelous Camp Arnold Course 4 (J)
- BS Marvelous Time Athletic Course 1 (J)
- BS Marvelous Time Athletic Course 2 (J)
- BS Marvelous Time Athletic Course 3 (J)
- BS Marvelous Time Athletic Course 4 (J)
- BS Nichibutsu 4 Player Mahjan 1 (J)
- BS Nichibutsu 4 Player Mahjan 2 (J)
- BS Nichibutsu Mahjong (J)
- BS Nintama Rantarou 2 (J)
- BS Nintendo HP 5-17 (J)
- BS Nintendo HP 5-31 (J)
- BS NP Magazine 107 (J)
- BS Out of Bounds Golf (J)
- BS Paneru De Pon 98 (J)
- BS Parlor Parlor 2 (J)
- BS Pokekame Magajin (J)
- BS Radical Dreamers (J)
- BS Same Game Koma Data (J)
- BS Satella2 1 (J)
- BS Satellaview BS-X (O.S.rom)
- BS Saterawalker 2 - Sate Bou wo Sukuidase (J)
- BS Shanghai Bannri no Tyojyo (J)
- BS Shin Oni Gashima 1 - Kataribe no Koya (J)
- BS Shin Oni Gashima 2 - Kataribe no Koya (J)
- BS Shin Oni Gashima 3 - Kataribe no Koya (J)
- BS Shin Oni Gashima 4 - Kataribe no Koya (J)
- BS Sousa Sentai Wappers 1 (J)
- BS Sousa Sentai Wappers 2 (J)
- BS Special Tee Shot (J)
- BS Spriggan Powered (J)
- BS St.Giga 10 Gatsu Gou (J)
- BS Super E.D.F. (J)
- BS Super Famicom Wars (J)
- BS Super Mahjong Taikai (J)
- BS Super Ninja Kun (J)
- BS Super Shogi Problem 1000 (J)
- BS Sutte Hakkun (J)
- BS Sutte Hakkun 2 10-8 (J)
- BS Sutte Hakkun 2 6-3 (J)
- BS Sutte Hakkun 98 (J)
- BS Tantei Club Saihousou 1 (J)
- BS Tantei Club Saihousou 2 (J)
- BS Tantei Club Saihousou 3 (J)
- BS Tora no Maki 5-17 (J)
- BS Tora no Maki 5-31 (J)
- BS Treasure Conflix (J)
- BS Wai Wai Check 3-7th (J)
- BS Wapaaz Souryu Hen (J)
- BS Wario (J)
- BS Wizardry 5 (J)
- BS Yoshi No Panepon (J)
- BS Yung Hakase no Shinsatsu Shitsu 1 (J)
- BS Yung Hakase no Shinsatsu Shitsu 2 (J)
- BS Zelda no Densetsu - Kamigami no Triforce (J)
- BS Zoot Mahjong (J)
- BS Zootte Mahjong! IVT (J)