AC Adapter

Description

Released alongside the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES/SNES) in 1991, the SNS‑002 AC Adapter was Nintendo of America’s standard power supply for the console.

Unlike the Australian and European models, which accepted AC input and rectified it internally, the North American SNES required regulated DC power. The adapter featured a non‑standard barrel connector with centre‑negative polarity, preventing accidental interchange with common third‑party supplies.

In North America, the NES and SNES power supplies are not compatible. The NES uses the NES‑002 adapter, which outputs 9V AC, while the SNES uses the SNS‑002, which outputs 10V DC. Plug sizes and polarity differ as well, so they are completely different and cannot be interchanged.

Adapter specifications: input AC 120V 60Hz 17W; output DC 10V 850mA.

Nintendo later extended the use of this adapter to the Virtual Boy. Users could plug this into the VUE‑011 battery pack adapter, which then provided power to the console through the controller. This effectively standardised the SNES supply across two platforms in North America. This unit includes mention of the Virtual Boy compatibility as it was acquired with the console.