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History of video games/Platforms/Super A'Can

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History[edit | edit source]

The console was developed by the Taiwanese company FunTech.[1]

The Super A'Can was released on October 25th, 1995 only in Taiwan.[2][3] The system did not sell well, cost it's maker Funtech 6 million dollars, and unsold units were scrapped for parts.[4]

Technology[edit | edit source]

The die of a Motorola 68000 CPU, similar to the one used in the Super A'Can.

The Super A'Can used a 16 bit Motorola 68000 as its primary processor clocked at 10.6 megahertz.[3][5][2] Some sources list an 8 bit Motorola 6502 as a secondary processor clocked at 3.58 megahertz,[2][5] though a discrete official Motorola version of this chip is absent from the board, meaning it is integrated in another chip if present.

The Super A'Can has 64 kilobytes of RAM and 128 kilobytes of video RAM.[2]

The system sports a dedicated support chips that were manufactured by UMC, including the UM6618 graphics chip, and the UM6619 audio chip.[6]

The Super A'Can outputs 16 track PCM audio in stereo.[6]

Design[edit | edit source]

Console[edit | edit source]

The Super A'Can is a boxy grey console featuring both angular and smooth arching accents. Cartridges are loaded from the top of the device, which also features a power toggle, an eject button, and a reset button. The front of the console has two controller ports, which appear to be D-Sub 9 ports, similar to those used on the Atari 2600 and the Sega Mega Drive / Sega Genesis. Appropriately, on the port side of the console there is an expansion port. The console rear features vents, as well as IO including red, white, and yellow coded RCA jacks for high quality video output, an RF port for lower quality video output to older or lower end televisions, and a power input jack.

Controller[edit | edit source]

The official wired controllers sport a design similar to the controllers used by the Super Famicom / Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but with more curves. The controller sports a somewhat unique light purple direction pad on the left side, with a inner shield that does not quite reach the outer edges of the primary directions. The primary face buttons are on the right side of the controller are arranged in a diamond pattern, and include a red "Y" button on the top, a yellow "B" button on the right, a blue "A" button on the bottom, and a green "X" button on the left of the controller. The center of the controller features two oblong grey buttons, select on the left, and start on the right. The console logo and text "A'Can" are embossed on the upper center of the controller, just over where the cable connects on the back. The back of the controller features light purple L & R buttons, lightly labeled in the same color on the button itself, rather then in white next to the button as on the rest of the controller. On the bottom of the controller there is a turbo switch, as well as 6 screw holes screw holes. The back of the controller also features slight angles near the end, likely intended to offer an ergonomic grip.

Notable games[edit | edit source]

12 games exist for the Super A'Can.[3]

1995[edit | edit source]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Console[edit | edit source]

Accessories[edit | edit source]

Motherboard[edit | edit source]

Internals[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Why The Super A'Can Failed! - Rare Console History". Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  2. a b c d "Super A'Can". Video Game Console Library. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. a b c "ARCHIVE.ORG Console Library: Super A'Can : Free Software : Free Download, Borrow and Streaming : Internet Archive". archive.org. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. "System Overview: System Overview - Funtech Super A'Can - Beyond the Mind's Eye - Thoughts & Insights from Marriott_Guy". www.rfgeneration.com. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. a b "Funtech Super Acan - What about Channel 4?". www.rfgeneration.com. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  6. a b "Super A’Can by Funtech – The Video Game Kraken". http://videogamekraken.com/super-acan.