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Dates of SNES accessory releases Dates of SNES accessory releases

Jun 10, 2015 at 3:48:57 PM
Dark Jaguar (1)
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(Dark Jaguar) < Eggplant Wizard >
Posts: 265 - Joined: 10/09/2011
United States
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I've found that while I can generally find out exact dates for game, console, and even major console revision releases, there's a surprising lack of info about when certain accessories for these systems came out.  This has resulted in a bit of a snag.  I'm trying to date all my memories of my own life by matching them to known release dates for things like video/computer games, Nintendo Power issues and episodes of Ren & Stimpy (as one does).  I've gotten pretty good at it, creating "windows" for events that I can absolutely say MUST have occured during those months.  I've had some startling revelations, such as discovering that a large number of my early childhood memories actually take place in the late 80's, rather than the "spread" across the whole decade I previously thought they took place in.  Heck, I recommend this strategy to anyone who hasn't already started doing it themselves (I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with this).

Anyways, the point of this thread is, when was the SNES Asciipad released?  I just can't seem to peg down a date on this, the greatest third party controller I've ever used.  Here's what I do know.  I got it when I got my SNES, and I immediately started using it as my default SNES controller.  I recall thinking how "neat" it was that the logo at the top of the Super Mario World secret zone looked just like the color pattern of the face buttons on the Asciipad, but nothing like the "default" purple layout I saw on the pack-in controllers (back when they gave you TWO controllers with a system).  I only found out why years later, but still, I felt I was one of the few who "got" what that symbol was all about.  I also got Super Ghouls and Ghosts and a Super Nintendo cleaning kit.  Well, I have no idea when Nintendo officially released that cleaning kit either, but I can confirm that Ghouls and Ghosts started breaking controllers in late 1991.

What I'm trying to figure out is exactly which year I got my SNES.  It was either Christmas of '91 or '92.  It could have been no later than '92, because I got my first player's guide from a Nintendo Power subscription, and that issue that came with it was an early '93 one (for a long time, I had been reading friend's copies of the magazine up to that point).  However, it MIGHT have been '91 for all I know, because I have no reliable way to say exactly how long it was between getting my SNES and actually getting that subscription.  Every other avenue I've tried has been just as inconclusive, so here I am.  I'm just trying to figure out if even ONE of the things I know for sure I got that Christmas was released in '92.

Short version: When were the asciipad and cleaning kit for the SNES released?

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