The DS-12 is a sound chip from the second generation of Nintendo's video game console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Developed by Ricoh and released in 1987, the chip contains both a sound synthesis processor and a memory controller. The DS-12 was among the first chips in the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) family to contain sound processing capabilities. The chip contains 13 sound channels and operates in two modes including a Nintendo S-SMP (Spectral Synthesis Music Processor) mode and a Nintendo SPC700 sound processor (SimilarSound Processor) mode. In the S-SMP mode, the chip contains six sound channels, an 8-bit square wave channel, a 16-bit square wave channel and four white noise channels as well as an update channel that allows pre-programmed sound effects. The SPC700 mode features an 8-channel FM synthesis engine and a 4-channel ADPCM synthesis engine.
The chip was beneficial to the console as it allowed users to hear more realistic sound effects and music. The chip was used in many classic NES titles, such as Super Mario Bros., Contra, and The Legend of Zelda.