http://www.tinypic.com/27ghk

this first image shows two Famicom systems. the larger one on the right
is the first known prototype of the 16-bit Super Famicom. the smaller
one on the left, with the yellow cartridge, is an unreleased(?) version
of the 8-bit Famicom. it is actually *not* the *original* version of
the Famicom dispite what the caption from the magazine says. btw, that
above picture is from EGM Number 2,  July 1989.

I had assumed for many years that the white Famicom in that picture was
how the Japanese Famicom looked, until I got the internet and learned
that the original Famicom was much different looking.

what that white Famicom seems to be, is something called the  "Famicom
Adaptor"  even though it doesn't seem to be an adaptor for the Famicom
or Super Famicom, but a self-contained Famicom that plays the 8-bit
Nintendo games.

okay now check out these pictures from a Japanese magazine

http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/misc/sfcproto01.jpg
http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/misc/sfcproto02.jpg
http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/misc/sfcproto03.jpg

then some comments about that magazine article from Chris Covell, the
guy who posted them originall and has this really amazing page about
unreleased Japanese games

Chris:
"And below is a really amazing find! This comes from an announcement of
the Super Famicom hardware, in February 1989. The article discusses
some of the features of the new system (stereo sound, scaling, ROM
size, etc...) But the system pictures are intriguing, to say the least!
The system on the left side of the page is a redesigned Famicom, called
a "Famicom adaptor". Who knows if it connected with the SFC as an
adaptor, or if it was just a fancy name for a redesigned Famicom to
complement the SFC design. This new FC design wasn't produced.

BUT! That picture on the right side of the page shows an early design
of the SFC, as above. This time, the labels of the switches are clearly
visible: Power Switch; FAMICOM Switch, and Reset Switch! Is this the
fabled Super Famicom prototype that was backwards-compatible with
Famicom games? It looks possible.."

-personally, I really love the design of that white Famicom, the
'Famicom Adaptor' system.  too bad it was not released. or was it?

Also, here are more pictures of several different Super Famicom
prototype ` mock-up ` systems:

(ver. 1) - same as the one in the first image at the top)

http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/misc/EarlySFC.JPG
http://www.gamersgraveyard.com/repository/snes/history/images/snespro...
http://www.tinypic.com/27g9u

(ver. 2)
http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/1990/earlySFC1.jpg

(ver. 3)
http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/1990/earlySFC2.jpg

(ver. 4?) -  a possible *hoax* Super Famicom prototype. looks like the
original Famicom
http://www.disgruntleddesigner.com/chrisc/1991/SFCHoax.jpg

then there's supposed to be some other prototype ` concept `mock-up
pictures of the American Super SNES / Super Nintendo / SNES in Nintendo
Power and EGM that I have not been able to find online.  If anyone has
these that can also post them, I'd certainly like to see these :)