SNES to SFC adapter? Is it a thing?

[The Hiryuu | 1]

So my SNES died a couple months back (A nasty fall, some plastic inside broke and the PCB had a crack in it, potentially other things, but enough to not bother repairing). But I have a Super Famicom kicking around. I'd like to be able to play my SNES carts still but would rather avoid chopping up the SFC or my Game Genie if at all possible.

 

Every search I've done seems to exclusively turn up adapters for the other way around. Am I missing something or is there just not a market for what I need?

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

There are a whole bunch of them on eBay, they're just all super expensive.  I think you'll have a tough time finding one for under fifty bucks...

[The Hiryuu | 1]

Shit. All the ones that are the opposite looked super cheap. Of course I'd have to have the fancy problem.

I guess it's time to chop up the Game Genie.

[Code Monkey | 2,006]

I thought you could just plug the cartridge directly into the console. Why do you need an adapter?

[Deadeye | 1,596]

8 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I thought you could just plug the cartridge directly into the console. Why do you need an adapter?

Super Famicom cartridge shells have a different shape.  You see the curve in the console port?  The front sides of a cartridge have rounded corners.  I don't think you can fit The Super Nintendo cartridges in a Super Famicom, where as the other way around is not too much trouble.

  

[Tanooki | 4,932]

13 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I thought you could just plug the cartridge directly into the console. Why do you need an adapter?

You can't...not without damage.  The SFC carts aren't as wide or boxy as the SNES shells.  He wants SNES games in a SFC.  That would require filing the hell out of the SFC tearing upt he plastic to make this ugly wide uneven mess of a rectangle to fit the games.

I think you're thinking of SFC inside a SNES, you smooth off with a file 2 little tabs, it's game time.  I did the same in the 1990s.

 

There are adapters, just 2-3 years ago they were fairly cheap, but we're in an exploitation market with gov't checks and upcoming of that again plus tax refunds... it's going to suck even harder here anytime as it'll be a bullshit re-run of the price raising 2020 gave us.  Free money, plus more free money yearly from refund = GREED.

[Code Monkey | 2,006]

So take the shell off. I thought you were under the impression it wouldn't work if you got it to plug in, I didn't know the actual plugging in was the problem.

[Deadeye | 1,596]

I believe @The Hiryuuis already aware that taking off a shell works in a pinch, as they were avoiding shell modification in the original post.  Instead looking for a finished solution, i.e. the snes to SFC adapter.

[fcgamer | 4,723]

I'll take a look when I go home, see what if anything I dig up.

[Deadeye | 1,596]

As @Dr. Morbissaid, SNES to SFC adapters exist, but for the price, you may be better just buying a SNES.  Might have the adapters for cheaper on Yahoo auctions though.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintron-Super-Nintendo-SNES-to-Super-Famicom-Super-Game-Converter-Adapter-NOS-/324354089297?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

 

Edit: here is a cheaper one $45

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SNES-Nintendo-SUPER-GAME-CONVERTOR-CAESAR-plus-Super-Famicom-Nintendo-231809-/264981806282?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

Edited January 18, 2021 by Deadeye

[phart010 | 1,707]

There is an adapter but it costs like $40+ used. Wasn’t someone selling a custom SFC top snap on panel that had the cartridge port shaped like the snes carts?

**Edit: ok I had that backwards. Someone made a slot adapter that can be put on the snes jr. to allow it to fit SFC  carts.

Now someone just needs to design a slot adapter that can be put on SFC  to allow it to fit SNES carts. It would have to be the whole top panel assembly. I bet you could 3d print this.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by phart010

[Tulpa | 3,492]

1 hour ago, Code Monkey said:

So take the shell off. I thought you were under the impression it wouldn't work if you got it to plug in, I didn't know the actual plugging in was the problem.

Every time you want to play an SNES game? That'll get tiring real fast.

Not to mention the wear on the screw holes.

Edited January 18, 2021 by Tulpa

[phart010 | 1,707]

6 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

Every time you want to play an SNES game? That'll get tiring real fast.

Not to mention the wear on the screw holes.

I did that for a while. It got old quick

[fcgamer | 4,723]

Here's my adaptor. I'll check and see if the seller still has any available or not, it only cost me about $10-$15.

For another option, just buy a cheap game copier to use as a passthrough. The way the cartridge slots are designed on these, they'll take both versions.

[The Hiryuu | 1]

2 hours ago, Deadeye said:

I believe @The Hiryuuis already aware that taking off a shell works in a pinch, as they were avoiding shell modification in the original post.  Instead looking for a finished solution, i.e. the snes to SFC adapter.

Yeah. That, and taking the shell off isnt particularly kid-friendly. 

[Tanooki | 4,932]

I've considered some of these methods.  I kind of miss my old SFC collection but it's a rabbit hole I've put off like 5+ years now not diving back into.  In all fairness though, it's like 50/50 bitterness and taking up space as the negatives.  Last time I did it was when importing games were cheap and complete as it was before paper was something to hang someone over like a noose for extra...and I'm trying to get rid of more and more and adding like a couple dozen games defeats that purpose.

The SFC library is awesome, and yeah I do have a SD2SNES but actually owning something you care about makes you use it, not flip through them like pages in a comic book.

Just find a convertor, or hell, make one perhaps?  I don't know your skill level, but between 3D printing or cannibalizing the parts are out there.  In theory you could put a few bucks down on a replacement pin connector, solder connections from that to an array of pins, mount that into a 3D printed shell (or cannibalize another SFC cart) and rig it up.  Probably be too much work vs bypassing using some game genie or action replay device.

[Sumez | 2,941]

Import adapters for SNES are pretty common, cheap and easy to find. They are all over eBay.
I use one of those to play all of my North American SNES carts, and have been for the past 20 years.

Maybe if you're searching "SNES to Super Famicom" specifically, that's why you're not getting the results you want. The region protection isn't a part of the adapter, so it really doesn't matter if it's SNES to SFC or SFC to SNES.
I don't have a Super Famicom, but the same adapter can be used in a SFC as well as a regular SNES because the design is the same, and the region protection is handled via a donor cartridge if needed. You just want to make sure to get one that plugs into a traditional SNES design rather than the boxy North American one.

Something like this:
 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Sumez