SuperGrafx - Hardware

Hardware

Compared to the PC Engine, the SuperGrafx has four times the amount of working RAM for the main CPU and a second video chip with its own video RAM. Also included is a priority controller chip, which allows the output of both video chips to be combined in various ways. The SuperGrafx has support for two independently scrolling background layers, like the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, as opposed to the PC Engine's single layer.

It is very common misconception that the extra video hardware and capabilities were taxing on the system's CPU, and is often cited as the main reason few games were developed for the system. In reality, despite having the same CPU as the PC Engine, the SuperGrafx is more than capable of keeping up with the new graphic enhancements, as the majority of the workload is handled by the VDPs.

One accessory of note was the "Power Console", designed to add a full flight yoke, throttle and keypad to the SuperGrafx, sliding over the entire console. Besides a prototype, no Power Consoles were ever produced.

There were no CD-ROM², Super CD-ROM², or Arcade CD-ROM² games written that took advantage of the SuperGrafx platform. Game software was also very expensive, in some cases approaching as much as $110 USD at retail. The system is backwards comaptible with the PC Engine's library, bringing the combined total of games to nearly 700.