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Tri-Star

Accessory

Type: Cross-Platform Adaptor

The Tri-Star was made in 1993 by Future Laboratory and acts as a universal adaptor, allowing you to play both NES and Famicom games (like the HES Unidaptor for NES) on your SNES console. The unit sits on top of the Super NES and plugs into the cartridge slot. The Tri-Star has three slots: one for 60-pin Famicom carts, one for 72-pin NES carts and the third for SNES games, which means you can permanently leave the Tri-Star on top (unless you want to use a Pro Action Replay or Super GameBoy which are not compatible. Game Genie works okay and so will the Game Action Replay if modified) and you can still play SNES games through it.

The Tri-Star needs to be plugged into the back of the SNES via AV or RF cables (like the Sega 32X). Both PAL and NTSC compatible versions are available but both are physically designed to fit around the shape of the Super Famicom or PAL SNES, not the American design SNES.

When the console is turned on, the Tri-Star screen will be displayed, allowing you to select either 8-bit or 16-bit play. The SNES B button acts as the NES A button and the SNES Y button acts as the NES B button.

Of course, there are a few problems with the Tri-Star. The second player\'s Select and Start buttons don't work, most probably because of the original Famicom design where the second player's controller had no Select or Start buttons. Some games that require the "Zapper" or other peripheral may not be playable. Some games also have compatibility problems and although playable, may be distorted or scrambled.

Super 8 is the name given to the adaptor in the US. This is believed to be the only adaptor that allows you to play NES and Famicom games on SNES apart from the SuperDeck by Hornby, which only reached prototype stage. Future Laboratory later brought out the Tri-Star 64 for Nintendo 64. This works in the same way as the Tri-Star but is also lets you play SNES games on your Nintendo 64.

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