Internally, a regional lockout chip within the console and in each cartridge prevents PAL region games from being played on Japanese or North American consoles and vice versa.

The physical incompatibility can be overcome with use of various adapters, or through modification of the console. The cartridges are shaped differently for different regions North American cartridges have a rectangular bottom with inset grooves matching protruding tabs in the console, while other regions' cartridges are narrower with a smooth curve on the front and no grooves. Games were released in plastic-encased ROM cartridges. Despite the console's relatively late start, and the fierce competition it faced in North America and Europe from Sega's Genesis/Mega Drive console, it was the best-selling console of its era. The best-selling game is Super Mario World with over 20.6 million units sold. In North America the final first-party game on the SNES was Kirby's Dream Land 3 released November 27, 1997. The last game to be officially published on a physical cartridge was Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 on Janu– with the last game officially made and Nintendo-published during the system's lifespan being Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut on November 29, 2000, via the Nintendo Power downloadable cartridge system. The Super NES was released in North America on August 23, 1991, with its launch titles being Super Mario World, F-Zero, Pilotwings, Gradius III, and SimCity. There are 978 Japanese exclusives, 110 US exclusives, and 34 European exclusives. 295 releases are common to all regions, 148 were released in Japan and the US only, 165 in Europe and the US, and 28 in Japan and Europe. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System has a library of 1,754 official releases, of which 721 were released in North America plus 4 championship cartridges, 522 in Europe, 1,448 in Japan, 231 on Satellaview, and 13 on SuFami Turbo. This is a list of Super Nintendo Entertainment System games.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges.

The North American Super Nintendo Entertainment System (top) and PAL Super Nintendo Entertainment System (bottom).

Super battle-tank Super Nintendo value