Super A'Can
 | |
 | |
| Manufacturer | Funtech |
|---|---|
| Type | Home video game console |
| Generation | Fourth generation |
| Retail availability |
|
| Media | ROM cartridge |
| CPU | Motorola 68000 |
The Super A'can is a home video game console that was released exclusively in Taiwan in 1995 by Funtech/Dunhuang Technology. Inside is a Motorola 68000, 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 did not perform well on the market and was a commercial failure. The Super A’Can’s failure is due to a variety of factors, chief among them being the initial price point for the hardware; it was too expensive for interested consumers. The Super A’Can was released in the middle of the 3D era of video game consoles, where the A’Can had no chance of competing with consoles like the PlayStation, the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn, all of which were more powerful and offered 3D graphics that A’Can did not. The A'Can performed so poorly that Funtech lost USD$6 million before becoming defunct.
Technical specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68000 clocked at 10.738635 MHz |
|---|---|
| Memory | 256 KB SRAM clocked at CPU speed |
| Graphics | UMC UM6618 with 128 KB VRAM displaying 256 out of a possible 32,768 colors at 320x240 resolution. Max sprite size of 256x256. Supports zooming, rotating, mosaic effects. |
| Audio | UMC UM6619 outputting stereo 16-track PCM |
| Cartridge | Max size of 112Mb, with built-in SRAM of 16-64kb |
| 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) |
| 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.
Released Games
| # | Serial number | Title | AKA title(s) | Developer(s) | Genre | Release year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Games
| # | Title | AKA title(s) | Developer(s) | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Dyansty 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
A'can: An ill-fated console from Taiwan (English subtitled). YouTube. October 25, 2017.
External links
- Fan site (via archive.org)
- Video Game Console Library page
- Super A'Can games playable for free in the browser at the Internet Archive Console Living Room