Regions
Regions
The SNES family was sold in three broad regions, and the differences shape which cartridges run and how the video looks. Understanding your region is as important as knowing your board.
The three regions
- North America (NTSC) — Runs at 60Hz. Uses the SNES cartridge shape and a North American lockout code.
- Japan (NTSC) — The Super Famicom, also 60Hz, with a different cartridge shape and lockout code.
- Europe / PAL — Runs at 50Hz. Many games run slightly slower and with borders unless patched or switched to 60Hz.
What region affects
- Lockout chip (CIC). The console checks a cartridge's region before booting it.
- Video timing. NTSC is 60Hz, PAL is 50Hz; mismatches cause speed and display issues.
How mods solve this
A SuperCIC region-free mod defeats the lockout and adds 50/60Hz switching, so a single console can run cartridges from any region at the correct speed. The FXPak Pro also auto-patches region for the games it loads, so flashcart users sidestep most region pain entirely.
Note that NTSC and PAL cartridges share the same physical shape, while the Super Famicom slot differs, which is why import play sometimes needs an adapter on top of a region mod.