Recent Find: Nintendo Super Scope 6

If you enjoy retro gaming as I do, you probably often find yourself on the look-out for classic gaming items on the cheap. In my area, there are many second-hand stores and flea markets.  I often visit these in hopes of finding retro gaming gold.

I recently happened upon the Nintendo Super Scope 6 for the SNES at such a store. I had been discussing this item the day before with an old friend. With my recent conversation in mind, I was quite surprised to find it. 

The Nintendo Super Scope 6 after a much needed cleaning.

As you can see, the scope attachment is missing. I was too excited with my find at the time to notice this. I quickly realized that I also would need the sensor that plugs into the SNES to enjoy this wonderful retro beast. I was able to easily pick one up online.

Nintendo Super Scope 6 sensor

Once I received the sensor, I was half-way to enjoying some games I'd not played since the 1990's. But what else was needed?  For one, a game that supports the controller.  Luckily, I had a copy of the Super Scope 6 pack-in cart... somewhere...

There it is! My SNES Super Scope 6 cartridge

I'd also need an older CRT-style television, because as I understand it, this device will not be able to read from a modern television. There is a more recent discussion here, though it may be less useful than the first URL. Well... that's a bummer. While I do have a really small CRT television, I don't think it's terribly useful for playing with the Super Scope 6. This is because the TV screen is less than 12 inches across... I can't imagine how close I will have to stand to see anything!  How spoiled are we today?  These are certainly first world problems...

To sum it all up, I am happy to have found this wonderful piece of gaming gear. If nothing else, it brings back lots of great memories. In reality, the hardware itself seems to be even less useful and harder to use today than it was back then. This is a direct result of the change in display technologies. It's really interesting to see how time affects some of our favorite items from the past. With only around a dozen titles that used the Super Scope 6, it's sure to be one of those somewhat obscure items as time goes on.

Perhaps some day I will pursue finding a way to make this playable. Certainly, if there is interest among retro gamers online, someone will start a project to make this device viable. Until then, this jewel will be put on the shelf just waiting to be enjoyed again.