Super A'Can

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Funtech Super A'can
Manufacturer Funtech
Type Video game console
Generation Fourth generation (16-bit era)
First available Flag of the Republic of China 1995
CPU 16-bit Motorola 68000, 8-bit MOS 6502
Media Cartridge

The Super A'can was a console released exclusively in Taiwan in 1995 by Funtech Entertainment. At first glance it appears to be a Super Nintendo clone with the case and controllers bearing a strong similarity to the US version, but inside is a Motorola 68000, similar to the Sega Genesis/Megadrive or SNK Neo Geo. Twelve games have been confirmed for the system.

Although the A'can was a powerful console with the support of several of Taiwan's largest firms developing software for it, it ultimately failed on the market for a few reasons. Some of these reasons were: Its initial cost being too high for most interested parties to afford, and the fact that newer, more powerful systems with 3D technology were appearing on the market at the same time (for example, the Sony Playstation). Also, as the developers were pushed to finish their games as quickly as possible (and using a rather stubborn and poorly documented development kit to do so), the resulting A'can games were, by far, nothing special.

In fact, the A'can did so very poorly on the market during its short appearance there that it lost its company over USD$6M (6 million US dollars). In the end, the company destroyed all development and production materials related to the machine, and sold off the remaining systems to the United States as scrap parts. It is their worst loss to date, and the very mention of the system to anyone related to its production and development seems to stir up feelings of agitation.

Contents

[edit] Technical specifications

[edit] CPU

Hardware specifications
Processor

Motorola 68000 (or equivalent) clocked at 10.74 MHz

Secondary processor

8-bit MOS 6502, clocked at 3.58MHz

[edit] Memory

[edit] Graphics

Palette: 32,768 colors

[edit] Inputs and outputs

Control pad inputs

Two DE-9M (9-pin male D-connectors) on front of console, identical to those of the Sega Genesis/Megadrive (though not compatible with Genesis/Megadrive control pads)

[edit] List Of Games

F001: Formosa Duel
F002: Sango Fighter
F003: The Son of Evil
F004: Sonic Dragon
F005: Super Taiwanese Baseball League
F006: Journey to the Laugh (aka C.U.G.)
F007: Super Light Saga - Dragon Force
F008: Monopoly: Adventure in Africa
F009: Gambling Lord
F010: Magical Pool
F011: Boomzoo
F012: Rebel Star

Of all the games, Rebel Star appears to be the rarest, and may have even had its distribution limited to select regions of Taiwan.

[edit] References

http://www.vanillaicemedia.com/acan/acan.htm