Let’s take a trip back in time to the early 16-bit era, a time when 3D gaming on home consoles was just a glimpse of what the future might one day hold. Polygonal 3D games began to gain popularity in arcades and on computers, but seemed out of reach for home consoles at the time. Sure, we had some polygonal flight simulators on the Sega Genesis, Hard Drivin’ had ports on both Sega and Nintendo 16-bit systems, and the SNES already had plenty of pseudo-3D games through the system’s Mode 7 scaling capabilities, such as the Super Mario Kart, F-Zero and Pilotwings – but true polygonal 3D games with high production values that actually managed to work well seemed to be in the future. That is, until 1993, when the Super FX chip debuted (Sega later released the SVP chip, which was unfortunately only used in one game, Virtua Racing). Developed by Argonaut Software, this little chip gave game developers the ability to create immersive and visually stunning (at the time) 3D on Nintendo’s 16-bit power. While there weren’t many games that took advantage of the chip, a few games that used the chip provided some gameplay experiences that gave us a glimpse of what the future of gaming has in store. So, without further ado, we’re going to take a look at all the Super FX chip games released on the Super Nintendo!
Starwing
![Star Fox SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEDJ14PrL8fdUvK4Gm3i3nX3AnbJ_SsFMVVsGq_Tfz3_2yrLoswhcseAPE_eAmWcnlzrq1CxSNJGdQmq-CwOIZsZEfzegZ1mB3cA7F1345r-L2abDZpe9-19Ij0zlw3ahDqsCzkUCYXVjxRj2ubLvFKLkgsKQ3b47ZfOQWlBNxhDsW9HppCWvVx6_0g/w320-h233/Star_Fox_SNES.jpg)
Released in 1993, Star Fox (known as Starwing in Europe) was the first game to use the Super FX chip. Developed by Nintendo and Argonaut Software, this rail shooter introduced the world to the thrilling intergalactic adventures of Fox McCloud and the Star Fox crew. It was a space epic unlike any other at the time, with groundbreaking 3D graphics and fast-paced gameplay that showcased the capabilities of the Super FX chip, setting a new standard for video game presentation and pushing the boundaries of what was possible on the SNES. Sure, the graphics could have been a little cheesy, but hey, it was the 90s and it looked great at the time! Star Fox is a true multi-character shooter classic, one of the best console games ever, and it also has an awesome soundtrack. 10 out of 10!
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Stunt Race FX (Wild Trax)
![Stunt Race FX SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDG601paquVARtPPcGNVAP9qvW-dSozXdBZ0E_2syCK8KusV1tcif0mUT1lR7GE2g9xB968YA4-iZ0kiTY8Lbjzi3EL9Sc1trH3SBTi9JCtbkAsFdzKRKxr0CNMSerdxtcMa8rdv-pcsyNOEryIYVTvpfxlf4qFqEA6jcvhGg5EK03KRyviylE3ML8qQ/w320-h223/stunt-race-fx.jpg)
The 1994 release of Stunt Race FX (Wild Trax in Japan) brought arcade-style racing to the Super Nintendo. Developed by Nintendo EAD and Argonaut, this title showcased the Super FX chip’s ability to provide reasonably smooth racing in a fully 3D environment, and featured some very impressive physics for the time. If you needed speed, Stunt Race FX was the game for you! With a wide variety of tracks, adorable anthropomorphic vehicles, visuals that were very impressive for their time, and personality to spare, Stunt Race FX offered a very unique racing experience, and it’s still very fun and magical today. It was a wild ride filled with bumps, jumps and turns – just like life but with less insurance requirements…
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A whirlwind
![Vortex SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrQ4Ljt_CWKh7qx_jqwSkpBgBgi7sbtHe6HSb8NFT8eeueRrWojoVz9ab1y-HamvZGgy-KRXtRU4uotffDE8vHwEbVgWHvzxIiL2DX5u1QrkBkN-sD9VRMuNAOwrBqEXy1lj9mPLy4cS-JVRKIOBtYpb8VzMt0xrQeXIQTgbqBDuS5qku7NQE9NdbkQ/w320-h228/Vortex-cover-art.webp)
Although not as well known as the previous two games, Vortex made its way to the SNES in 1994. Developed by Argonaut Software, this space combat game used the Super FX chip to create visually impressive and unique gameplay at the time. In the game, you will control a spaceship-transformer in a 3D environment, participating in battles with enemy forces. It’s certainly not a very good game – it’s too difficult and can also be very, very boring – but it’s at least interesting as an early attempt at a 3D action game on a home console.
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Dirt Racer
![Dirt Racer SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRv32-oRBkeONfG0Hv6E6Dh1lTcmWMHyp1crnelFg0tfyPxPrlERdFhPSQa40vWGO8L-x545bBoS1IHnGlcXVve6lyVPIyXoyo791zjCkEmB3CAnmetDYFkD_R6sqddHnDtJcSSHK3Dfuj90R71simOvzZK3hNNblXHPVTDZvFk_lT7NDFWjeCaL1jOg/w400-h278/Dirt-Racer-Box-Art-SNES.jpg)
Dirt Racer developed by MotiveTime Ltd. and released only in Europe in 1995, demonstrated the potential of the Super FX chip in another genre – off-road racing. With impressive zooming and turning effects at the time, Dirt Racer offered players a glimpse of what a next-gen dirt track racing game could be like. Honestly, it’s pretty ridiculous and kind of lame, but yeah, it’s a Super FX chip racing game with system-impressive graphics. It’s kind of worth checking out on that basis alone. But if you are looking for a good Super FX racing game, just stick to Stunt Race FX.
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Yoshi’s Island (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island)
![Super Mario World 2 Yoshi's Island SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdqCA3_hTX2PYmMThn-o1RgxLdfqoxHNZYdfD1RrueoY8OYpsN_gavnKPgrhjEMExHTX-mkwWlQxr30n52G1DGu8cAk3Fh57dRkqN8RU-aPhvrbxg0RTMGF9myFH7DTcj2zJtcFPqtfQRsgSoF6BeapcjlfReC7HzzwYoMHFmA-89Tz3FlQZCreP62A/w320-h225/yoshis-island-snes-box-art.jpg)
Released in 1995, Yoshi’s Island was the culmination of the Super FX chip’s journey on the Super Nintendo. Developed by Nintendo, this iconic platformer featured a vibrant and whimsical world filled with imaginative level design and charming characters with a watercolor-style visual style. The next-gen Super FX 2 chip allowed the game to showcase some impressive visual effects, including sprite zoom and rotation effects, as well as some polygon-based 3D effects. Oh yeah, and it’s just a great game in terms of gameplay. Yoshi’s Island is a beloved Nintendo classic that showcases the Super FX chip’s ability to enhance both gameplay and art, even in a 2D platformer. Definitely one of the best games on the system – if you haven’t played it yet, you should definitely check it out ASAP.
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Loss
![Doom SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUbDi56HMHK6DhS3b9SDleTZrheXnQNU6X6CR4KsxCPnVMz2GJj3bEhqebW2Ckn56LXIc5lJzV73jbbRFLLGasZoU4F8vL32mG0QIiDLVblJ4DTMDQ918feGL0zz13OAVOY1LMwwFHTtQPDttMaO7-Cx4--JjlaMPz4NZVlC0I492Tg4UgZ5sZ_ztpKA/w320-h180/Doom-Snes-Box-Art.jpg)
Doom, the cult first-person shooter developed by id Software, made its way to the Super Nintendo with the more powerful Super FX 2 chip.Released in 1995, Doom on the SNES offered a shockingly faithful adaptation of the groundbreaking PC original. Although the Super FX 2 chip wasn’t as powerful as most of the competing platforms that Doom appeared on at the time, it still allowed the developers of this port to realize the intense horror action that the game was known for, though with some major compromises in terms of visual fidelity and frame rate. However, in some ways it was the most faithful console port of Doom to be released in the 1990s, surpassing even the PlayStation version in terms of more complex level design that mirrored the PC original rather than the simplistic levels of the other console versions. offered. An impressive port of an all-time classic, Doom on the Super Nintendo was a great addition to the console’s library and really showed what was possible with the Super FX chip.
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Dirt Trax FX
![Dirt Trax FX SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhbaaPtprbN5P3oMarSwTqEcuJCNTJgH3_i9pDgGuwGGkXFONd99sKyFnw6GH1T_7dSqEdAC8EmnHnwvdos-T32GCDb_jMwzETy1MKypFGQfOId-EXoVj8hpiPT05iOYDSl9s0JVWFx32JHiwCWR22Ft5MVzG5KzzAXWgXkWtykP1p0-7x1FFlugxtA/w320-h228/dirt-trax-fx-box-art.jpg)
Dirt Trax FX, developed by Sculptured Software and released in 1995, was another racing game that used the Super FX 2 chip. This off-road racing title aimed to provide a more immersive racing experience with dynamic track conditions and realistic physics. The Super FX 2 chip allowed developers to enhance the game’s engine and graphics with smooth zoom and rotation effects in addition to an impressive 3D polygon track. And as a racing game it’s actually not bad – sure it’s a bit repetitive and has some annoying quirks (like the weird horn that goes off every time you shift from 2nd to 1st and vice versa) but it actually works and plays pretty good and it’s kind of fun. All in all, Dirt Trax FX is worth checking out if you’re interested.
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Winter gold
![Winter Gold SNES Super Nintendo Box Art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheysWcATqDXdRqdJU10hoX7gzjA4YrRnqoQyz4DdLIwTTKDndUZ1Zo5B0u-4_xG4iai8npSYNxaMzpX4aofVdLY1soBek6mC-QvTLXQJ1HnHDfah5mDh4c98XfKMwyQTHDpp2vMQ9R45YVwfL9cRdU3GKAfgNf2W4AAcmvRuVIasW1Rea6P2O2Xd2XPQ/w320-h234/winter-gold-snes-box-art.jpg)
Winter Gold, also known as FX Skiing in Japan, was a sports game developed by Funcom and released in 1996. It included various winter sports, including skiing, bobsledding, snowboarding and figure skating. With the awesome power of the Super FX chip, Winter Gold 2 showed off some pretty impressive graphics, including some great stylized cutscenes that looked like you’d only seen on CD-based consoles. While it’s technically more of an FMV game than a 3D game, it still boasts some really cool visuals for Nintendo’s 16-bit console, with a level of presentation that could rival the early 32- bit titles for PlayStation and Sega Saturn. The game itself offers fairly simplistic gameplay related to extreme sports, but you can have fun here if you don’t require your games to have a lot of depth.
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Star fox 2
![Star Fox 2 SNES box art](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0h8laIx3JHfPEByp2wl8_A8r5QqXx-3qkZufYDWc2v7EhDISzCGSL1BKa4IfdpLWAYTqhtmfJK1tccLlfYPi0n5ExsxukL2j5PkSTcelUR44c9bM3XluHy2GXJeAbCJhFYcERPOQR1Do5WwWac4jk9xQnUESSM6ZKcQqVQnxvdElAtd7LMKWjq6Nye1Y/w320-h223/Star_Fox_2_box_art.jpg)
Star Fox 2 was 100% complete and ready for release in 1995, but Nintendo canceled the game to focus on the upcoming Nintendo 64 console. The game was leaked online years ago, but it was finally officially released as one of the featured games on of the classic Super Nintendo mini console from Nintendo. Based on the more advanced Super FX 2, Star Fox 2 expanded on the first game’s space-based gunplay with the ability to convert your ship into a ground mech and introduced real-time strategy elements to the game. It’s not as much fun as the original game was, but it’s a worthy sequel that added a lot of improvements to the series, some of which were seen in Star Fox 64 for the Nintendo 64. Although it was never officially released on the SNES, fans took obligation to produce multiple playable cartridges that can be played on official hardware.
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