Fourth generation of video game consoles
Nintendo executives were initially reluctant to design a new system, but as the market transitioned to the newer hardware, Nintendo saw the erosion of the commanding market share it had built up with the Nintendo Entertainment System. Nintendo's fourth-generation console, the Super Famicom, was released in Japan on November 21, 1990; Nintendo's initial shipment of 300,000 units sold out within hours. The machine reached North America as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System on August 23, 1991, and Europe and Australia in April 1992.
Nintendo video game consoles
The Super NES was Nintendo's second home console, following the Nintendo Entertainment System. Whereas the earlier console had struggled in the PAL region and large parts of Asia, the Super NES was a global success, albeit one that could not match its predecessor's popularity in Northeast Asia and North America—due in part to increased competition from Sega's Genesis console (released in Europe as the Mega Drive). Despite its relatively late start, the Super NES became the best selling console of the 16-bit era, selling 49.10 million systems worldwide. The Super NES library is known for upgrading some of Nintendo's most famous franchises, and making the games even more critically acclaimed, such as "Super Metroid", "", "Final Fantasy IV" and "VI", "Donkey Kong Country" and "Super Mario World", as well starting some popular franchises such as "Star Fox" and "Mega Man X".