Nintendo’s PlayStation prototype seen in action for the first time

By Danny Cowan Published November 9, 2015

The owner of a one-of-a-kind Nintendo PlayStation prototype has successfully restored the unreleased hardware to working condition, showing it in action for the very first time.

Designed as a CD-ROM add-on for the 16-bit Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo’s PlayStation would have outfitted Super NES games with greater storage capacity and CD-quality sound, among other enhancements.

Recommended Videos

The video above shows the prototype powering up for the first time, revealing that it’s still in working condition. Owners Terry and Dan Diebold are currently displaying the rare specimen at a retrogaming show in Hong Kong, shortly after the pair sourced a compatible power supply.

In its current state, the Nintendo PlayStation does not play any unique games, and may not even be capable of booting CD-ROM software, as the device’s CD-ROM drive appears to be non-responsive. When booted up with a debugging cartridge inserted, the device will cycle through a series of internal tests, confirming the working condition of its component parts. The Nintendo PlayStation also plays retail-released Super Famicom cartridges.

While Nintendo originally partnered with Sony to produce a CD-ROM peripheral for its Super NES in the early ’90s, the deal fell through, leading Sony to continue hardware development and eventually release its own game console, the Sony PlayStation, in 1994. The prototype discovered this year features both PlayStation branding and Super Nintendo components, making it a prized rarity.

Retro hardware enthusiast LuigiBlood confirmed the legitimacy of the hardware in a series of blog posts this week, noting that the unit shares many hardware similarities with the Super NES. The device contains the same sound chips used in retail Super Famicom units, along with typical CD-ROM interface hardware.

LuigiBlood confirms long-held suspicions that the PlayStation would not provide significant graphical enhancement for compatible Super NES CD-ROM games, instead supplementing the console’s capabilities with increased RAM and storage capacity.

Former Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Topics

Gaming

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Tested: Intel has finally arrived in handheld gaming

Intel's new handheld chip brings serious performance without treating the battery like an afterthought.

I first caught a glimpse of Intel's new handheld silicon at Computex 2026, where I saw early hardware powered by it, including the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and Acer Predator Atlas 8. But seeing a chip run a demo on a show floor and actually pushing it through real-world workloads are two very different things. When MSI eventually sent me the production Claw for a spin, I finally got that opportunity. I only had the device for a short time, but that brief window was enough to make one thing clear: Intel's Arc G3 Extreme is a seriously capable handheld gaming platform.

Built for the handheld watt wars

Gaming

Logitech’s PRO X2 SUPERSTRIKE HITS differently — and it made me rethink clicking

Turns out, the humble left click had a lot more room to evolve than I thought.

Logitech PRO X2 SUPERSTRIKE Design 1

Between reviewing tech for a living and spending most of my day in front of a screen, free time is a luxury. Yet almost every evening, I somehow find myself queueing up for two or three ranked Valorant games. My peak rank is Ascendant 1, and while I'm far from going pro, competitive FPS titles are where I put hundreds of hours every year.

For the longest time, my trusty Logitech G502 X Plus LIGHTSPEED was always waiting on my desk. It wasn't the lightest mouse around, but it felt dependable. I'd flirt with lightweight esports mice now and then, only to come crawling back a few days later. Most of them either felt too hollow, too small, or simply lacked the reassuring heft I had grown accustomed to. Then the Logitech PRO X2 SUPERSTRIKE showed up, and for the first time, my G502 has been gathering dust.

Gaming

Minecraft is coming to Switch 2, and even the Creepers are getting prettier

Nintendo's Switch 2 is getting one of the biggest video games of all time.

Minecraft

Minecraft has spent years proving that blocks can run on practically anything with a screen. On October 27, it will finally move into a home built specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2. Mojang has confirmed that the native Switch 2 version of Minecraft will launch with Vibrant Visuals enabled by default, using the newer console’s additional power to spruce up its famously square Overworld. Existing Nintendo Switch owners will also receive a digital upgrade path, though Mojang says pricing and other details will arrive later.

These blocks have been hitting the lighting tutorials