8M Memory Pack

Box cover art for a standard blank 8M Memory Pack (8Mメモリーパック).

The 8M Memory Pack is the standard memory cartridge for all Satellaview-compatible games, including BS-X, Derby Stallion 96, Same Game, and so forth.

The Memory Packs were a general-use data-storing device that use Flash memory to keep up to 1mb (8M/1024kb) of data. This data was either downloaded from St.GIGA's satellite server or, for some games like RPG Tsukuru 2, self-made data.

The Memory Packs held data of various sorts. For most of the compatible games it held add-on data that was meant to enhance a gameplay experience, such as new graphical themes for Same Game or new maps for SD Gundam G-NEXT. For the BS-X cartridge, Memory Packs stored data that the BS-X could boot up, which ranged from Downloadable Magazines and Booklets to Downloadable Games. These downloads would boot up from the BS-X and then play much like standard Super Famicom software.

Memory Packs also stored data for Soundlink games, although no Soundlink game can boot up from one.

Prototype model

Aesthetic differences between the labels for the prototype and retail versions of the 8M Memory Pack (top) and the BS-X (bottom).

In late 1994, pre-release photos of the Satellaview were released to the press for advertising reasons. These pre-release photos were images of a prototype model that was never released. The most visible difference between the prototype model and the retail model is that the retail version is labeled 「8Mメモリーパック」 ("8M Memory Pack") whereas the prototype is labeled 「メモリーパック」 ("Memory Pack"). This difference reflects the plans that Nintendo revealed in interviews immediately following the release of the Satellaview to start producing Memory Packs of larger sizes. Although larger-than-8M Memory Packs were never released, the capacity of the Satellaview to handle games of larger sizes might allow for the merging of some multi-episode game ROMs into one file, however coding difficulties have barred the merging of any ROMs thus far.

Further differences between the prototype and the retail models are apparent regarding the Satellaview and the BS-X cartridge.