Next up in my series covering the best way to play those weird Japanese (and US) games without having to remortgage your house is Nintendo’s 16-bit marvel - the SNES, or Super Famicom as it was known in Japan...
Why Bother Importing?
Much like the NES before it, the SNES/Super Famicom was far more popular in the USA and more specifically it’s native Japan. Consequently the system was extremely well supported in terms of games in these two territories. Based on articles I’ve read, the US SNES probably had around 200 more games released for it than the European version, while the Super Famicom has an estimated 1450 games compared to the paltry 550 titles that the PAL system had!
Of course, some of those 900 games will undoubtedly be rubbish like pachinko and mah-jong simulations, but it goes without saying that there are all manner of quirky Japan-only titles that are well worth experiencing. In the case of the US, the sheer volume of games available over there means that once again you can pick up many titles from across the Atlantic for a fraction of the price you’d pay in the UK.
Hardware Modification
Effectively your options are similar to what I said in my previous NES and Saturn articles. However there is of course an added complication if you want to play Japanese and US games on your PAL system – Super Famicom cartridges will fit in your console, but have region lockout, while the US cartridges are a completely different shape so you have double trouble in the form of region lockout AND a cartridge that won’t fit in your standard PAL SNES! 
So, you can buy a foreign console – a Super Famicom can be picked up for under £40 shipped from Rob Webb or Japan Game Stock, while the same price should get you a US SNES from Ebay or similar. Either way you’re still going to end up with a console that won’t play games from one of the regions.
The next option is modifying the console to remove region lockout and optionally widening the cartridge slot and adding a 50/60Hz switch. Mmmonkey’s Console Modification Page covers two of these three mods but a quick look will show you they are not easy and do not provide 100% compatibility. Consequently the £25 plus P&P for a complete SNES modification offered by Console Passion seems like a pretty good deal.
Finally, and typically the cheapest option, you can pick up one of the numerous import game converters from Ebay for around £10, though they don’t come around too often and are usually pretty desirable. Amazon UK actually has an entry for the Fire International Universal Adaptor which is available from several marketplace sellers, however when I tried to get one I was sent a boxed copy of Phantasy Star IV for the Genesis instead! I tried to get it exchanged but got no response from the seller, so sold the game for double what it cost me... 
If you do pick up an import game converter to use with your UK SNES then there will still be some US and Japanese games that may not work due to enhanced lockout chips – Super Mario RPG is a well-known offender. You will also have the usual 50Hz issues if that bothers you – I actually decided to get around this by buying a Super Famicom and an import converter so I now play my UK games in 60Hz through the adapter on the SFC!
Where To Buy Cheap Games
Firstly it has to be said that you’ll be very lucky to pick up any foreign games for the £2-3 you can get some NES and Saturn imports for. Realistically you’re looking at £4-5 for a loose cartridge and close to a tenner for the cheapest boxed games.
As always, Ebay is your best bet for the cheapest games. Several Asian Ebay Shops have substantial quantities of Super Famicom games and accept ‘Best Offers’ that can help you save a few quid if you buy bulk lots. My recommendations are Superb Articles From Japan, Hit Japan and Toys Online HK. The latter has over 1000 Super Famicom games in stock but I have had problems with slow shipping and incorrect items from them, though in each case they have resolved any issues without complaint.
Away from Ebay Japan Game Stock also have substantial stocks of SFC games and offer 4 loose carts for the price of 3, while UK-based ConsoleMAD and Rob Webb offer a decent selection of games from all territories at competitive prices. Finally if you’re prepared to pay collector’s prices the head to Genki, Console Passion or VGI but I strongly recommend checking prices on other sites before buying from these places – quality products they may stock, but at a premium!
What Games To Buy
As I’ve already mentioned, by making your SNES import-friendly you’re opening yourself up to a world of literally hundreds of games that never made it to Europe. I’ve only just begun to explore this world myself and the biggest problem is actually finding a good resource to tell you about the many obscure games that may be worth a look. Thus far I’ve found the reviews at Video Game Den, RVGFANATIC and the product descriptions at Genki Video Games to be of most use, though take the latter with a pinch of salt as they are trying to sell you the games after all! 
A few games worth considering from those I have discovered thus far, most of which can be obtained for less than a fiver if you just buy the cartridge, are:
- Rockman Soccer – a football game featuring characters from the Rockman (Mega Man) universe, with lots of in-game options and power ups.
- Vs. Collection - Cute Penguin-like characters battle in four different multiplayer games, including a Tetris-like puzzler, a racing game and a snowball fight!
- The SD Great Battle series – a wacky collection of games that would only ever sell in Japan, featuring Super-Deformed versions of iconic characters Gundam, Ultraman and Kamen Rider amongst others. At least ten games exist spanning genres such as scrolling beat em up, sports, a Mario Kart style racer and even an RPG!
The only boxed game I’ve picked up thus far is one of the few Mario games never to make it to the West. Mario & Wario cost me less than £10 and is a puzzle/platform hybrid that uses the SNES mouse.
Finally there are quite a few games that did receive European releases that you will certainly find cheaper in their US or Japanese formats, examples being most of the Mario games, the Donkey Kong Country series (known as Super Donkey Kong in Japan) and shmups such as Thunder Spirits and Darius Twin.
As always, please share your own SNES import experiences by leaving a comment! 