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Nintendo's entry in the 16 bit console wars. Probably the most popular “retro” system due to its huge library of JRPGs, polished graphics, prevalence of GBA/DS ports and ease of emulation. The Super Famicom had a little-known second life in Japan well into the 32-bit era, due to re-writable cartridges that you loaded stuff onto at the store. The controller would be copied by Sony and become the iconic standard of button layout. There was a planned CD add-on that never materialized, though it turned into what we would know as the Playstation.
Aside from the stellar Axelay1), the system's lacking a good selection of shooters—head for the Mega Drive and PC Engine for those—but has a strong catalogue in most other console-fitting genres.