What is the SN Operator?

The SN Operator is a device that lets you play your physical Super Nintendo® cartridges on your computer using Playback. It works with SNES® (US), Super Famicom® (Japan), and PAL (Europe) cartridges.

What can you do with the SN Operator?

Play your SNES games

Insert any Super Nintendo cartridge and play it directly on your computer. Playback uses the bsnes emulator core, known for its high accuracy and compatibility.

Back up and manage saves

Your game saves are stored on the cartridge’s battery-backed SRAM. The SN Operator can read and write save data, letting you back up your progress or restore saves from your computer.

Verify cartridge authenticity

The SN Operator detects whether your cartridge is an official release, a reproduction, or a rewritable flashcart—helping you verify your collection.

Back up your games

Create personal backups of cartridges you own for archival purposes.

Hardware design

The SN Operator shares the same design philosophy as the GB Operator:

• Transparent enclosure — See your cartridge through the clear housing
• RGB LED indicator — Shows device status with customizable colors and effects
• USB-C connection — Plug directly into your computer

Region-free compatibility

The SN Operator works with cartridges from all regions:

• NTSC (US) — North American SNES cartridges
• PAL (Europe) — European SNES cartridges
• Super Famicom (Japan) — Japanese cartridges

You can play any region’s games without modification.

Special chip support

The SN Operator supports cartridges with enhancement chips:

Peripheral support

The SN Operator supports SNES peripherals for games that require them:

• SNES Mouse — For mouse-compatible games
• Super Scope — For lightgun games

To use a peripheral, insert a compatible game and go to Settings > Controls, then select Mouse or Lightgun from the dropdown.

Flashcart compatibility

The SN Operator supports SNES flashcarts, allowing you to write homebrew games to rewritable cartridges.

System requirements

• Windows®, macOS®, or Linux — see Downloads for current requirements
• USB port (USB-A to USB-C cable included)

Getting started

1. Download Playback for your operating system
2. Connect the SN Operator via USB-C
3. Insert a Super Nintendo cartridge
4. Click Start to play

For detailed setup instructions, see First Time Setup.