Super A'Can

{{short description|Home video game console produced by Funtech}}

{{Infobox information appliance

| title = Super A'can

| logo = Super A'can Logo.png

| image = Super-ACan-Console-set-h.jpg

| manufacturer = Funtech

| type = Home video game console

| generation = Fourth generation

| release date = {{Video game release|TW/CN|October 25, 1995}}

| price = {{New Taiwan dollar|2,900}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ercrDwAAQBAJ&q=console+%22launch+price%22&pg=PA160|title=The Game Console: A Photographic History from Atari to Xbox|first=Evan|last=Amos|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=No Starch Press|isbn=9781593277727|via=Google Books}}

| media = ROM cartridge

| cpu = Motorola 68000

| discontinued = April 1996

| lifespan = 1995–1996

| display = TV using RF or composite video, 320×240 resolution, 256 out of 32,768 colors

| graphics = UMC UM6618, 128 KiB VRAM

| memory = 256 KiB

| RAMtype = SRAM

| sound = UMC UM6619 (PCM, 16 channels, stereo)

}}

The Super A'can is a home video game console released exclusively in 1995 by Funtech/Dunhuang Technology and People's Republic of China by Sino Wealth Electronic Ltd.{{cite journal |title= Super A'Can | journal = Game Software | issue = 12/1995 |pages= 46 |url=https://archive.org/details/gamesoftware-magazine-1994-2001/1995%E5%B9%B401%E6%9C%88-12%E6%9C%88/%E7%94%B5%E5%AD%90%E6%B8%B8%E6%88%8F%E8%BD%AF%E4%BB%B6%E7%AC%AC17%E6%9C%9F%201995.12/page/n45/mode/2up}} It is based around the Motorola 68000 microchip, which is also used in the Sega Genesis and Neo Geo. Twelve games have been confirmed to exist for the system.

Commercial performance

The Super A'Can failed because its initial costs were too high for customers. It had no chance to compete with fifth generation video game consoles, such as the PlayStation, the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn, all of which were more powerful and offered 3D graphics. The Super A'Can performed so poorly that it lost its company, Funtech, over USD $6 million. In the end, Funtech destroyed all equipment from production and development of the system, and sold off all remaining systems to the United States as scrap parts.{{cite web | url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/09/fancy-owning-the-rare-taiwanese-flop-super-acan-heres-your-chance | title=Fancy Owning the Rare Taiwanese Flop Super A'Can? Here's Your Chance | date=12 September 2023 }}

Technical specifications

File:Super-ACan-motherboard-flat.jpg

class="wikitable"
CPU \| Motorola 68000 clocked at 10.738635 MHz
Memory \| 64 Kb Work RAM, 32 Kb Secondary RAM, 128 Kb VRAM, clocked at CPU speed
Graphics \| UMC UM6618 displaying 256 out of a possible 32,768 colors at 320×240 resolution. Max sprite size of 256×256px, up to 40 sprites on line, with 16 or 256 colors per sprite. Supports zooming, rotating, and mosaic effects.
Audio \| UMC UM6619 outputting stereo 16-track PCM
Cartridge \| Max size of 112 Mib, with built-in SRAM of 16-64 kib
Control pad inputs \|Two DE-9M (9-pin male D-connectors) on front of console, identical to those of the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (though not compatible with Genesis/Mega Drive control pads) Controller IC has identical timing to Super Nintendo/Super Famicom with the exception of the Select and Start are swapped.{{Cite web\|title=A'Can – RetroGaming At Cyberphreak.com\|url=https://retrogame.cyberphreak.com/acan/\|access-date=2021-07-22\|language=en-US}}
A/V Output \| RF, composite video/RCA audio. Later models removed the RF output to reduce costs.

class="wikitable"

CPU

| Motorola 68000 clocked at 10.738635 MHz

Memory

| 64 Kb Work RAM, 32 Kb Secondary RAM, 128 Kb VRAM, clocked at CPU speed

Graphics

| UMC UM6618 displaying 256 out of a possible 32,768 colors at 320×240 resolution.

Max sprite size of 256×256px, up to 40 sprites on line, with 16 or 256 colors per sprite. Supports zooming, rotating, and mosaic effects.

Audio

| UMC UM6619 outputting stereo 16-track PCM

Cartridge

| Max size of 112 Mib, with built-in SRAM of 16-64 kib

Control pad inputs

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

Controller IC has identical timing to Super Nintendo/Super Famicom with the exception of the Select and Start are swapped.{{Cite web|title=A'Can – RetroGaming At Cyberphreak.com|url=https://retrogame.cyberphreak.com/acan/|access-date=2021-07-22|language=en-US}}

A/V Output

| RF, composite video/RCA audio. Later models removed the RF output to reduce costs.

Peripherals

A CD-ROM attachment (similar to Sega's Mega CD add-on), and a CPU/Graphics upgrade (similar to Sega's 32X add-on) were planned but unreleased.{{cite web |title=Super A'Can by Funtech – The Video Game Kraken |url=http://videogamekraken.com/super-acan |access-date=21 May 2021}}

List of games

=Released =

scope="col" \| # ! scope="col" \| Serial number ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| AKA title(s) ! scope="col" \| Developer(s) ! scope="col" \| Genre ! scope="col" \| Release year
class="wikitable sortable"
1	F008	African Adventures	1) *Fēizhōu Tànxiǎn* 2) *Monopoly: Adventure in Africa*	Panda Entertainment	Puzzle	1995
2	F006	C.U.G.	1) *Xī Yóujì* 2) *Journey to the Laugh*	Funtech	Platform	1995
3	F001	Formosa Duel	*Fú Ěr Mó Shā Dà Duìjué*	AV Artisan	Puzzle	1995
4	F002	Sango Fighter	*Sānguózhì Wǔjiàng Zhēngbà*	Panda Entertainment	Fighting	1995
5	F003	The Son of Evil	*Xié'è Zhīzǐ*	Funtech	RPG	1995
6	F004	Speedy Dragon	1) *Yīnsù Fēilóng* 2) *Sonic Dragon*	AV Artisan	Platform	1995
7	F005	Super Taiwanese Baseball League	*Chāojí Zhōnghuá Zhí Bàng Liánméng*	Quan Wei Technology/C&E	Sports	1995
8	F011	Boom Zoo	1) *Bào Bào Dòngwùyuán* 2) *Explosive Burst Zoo*	Funtech	Action	1996
9	F009	Gambling Lord	*Dǔ Bà*	Panda Entertainment/Funtech	Mahjong	1996
10	F012	REBEL	1) *Pàn Xīng* 2) *Rebel Star*	Horng Shen Information Co., Ltd	RPG	1996
11	F007	Super Dragon Force	1) *Chāojí Guāngmíng Zhàn Shǐ* 2) *Super Light Saga: Dragon Force*	Kingformation Co., Ltd.	RPG	1996
12	F010	Magical Pool	*Mó Bàng Zhuàngqiú*	Funtech	Sports	1996

=Unreleased =

scope="col" \| # ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| AKA title(s) ! scope="col" \| Developer(s) ! scope="col" \| Genre ! scope="col" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
1	Journey to the Center of the Earth	*地心歷險*	Tai Ruan Technology	Action RPG	----
2	Cat Ball Defense Team	*貓球防衛隊*	AV Artisan	Shoot 'em up	----
3	Birdcage Yard	*鳥籠院*	Funtech	Action	----
4	Lightning Mobile Unit	*雷霆機動隊*	Fun Yours Entertainment	Shoot 'em up	----
5	Dinosaur War	*恐龍戰記*	Funtech	Simulation	----
6	A Q Lian Huan Pao	*阿Q連環炮*	C&E	ETC - Trivia/Game Show?	Later released on Sega Genesis
7	Romance of Bōsōzoku	*暴走族之戀*	Funtech	Single-player game	----
8	Woman Guerrillero	*王八妹*	AV Artisan	Shoot 'em up	----
9	Hero Saga	*英雄戰記*	Dynasty International Information Co.	RPG	----
10	Happy Zoo	*快樂動物園*	Stone General Computer	ETC	----
11	Demon Island	*惡魔島*	Jackbean Information Co.	Action	----

References

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycy861t9m_A A'can: An ill-fated console from Taiwan (English subtitled)]. YouTube. October 25, 2017.
[http://pakupakustory.blogspot.com/search/label/Machine%20qui%20blogue%20%5BFuntech%20Super%20A%27Can%5D PakuPakuStory Blog - Super A'can]

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20080321202222/http://www.vanillaicemedia.com/acan/acan.htm Fan site] (via archive.org)
[http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg90-funtech.htm Video Game Console Library page]
[https://archive.org/details/superacan_library Super A'Can games] playable for free in the browser at the Internet Archive Console Living Room

Category:Products introduced in 1995

Category:Discontinued video game consoles

Category:Home video game consoles

Category:Fourth-generation video game consoles

Category:1990s toys

Category:68k-based game consoles