The speedrunning community is buzzing with excitement over a peculiar phenomenon that seems to be making the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) run games faster as it ages. In early February, Alan Cecil, a Bluesky user known as @tas.bot, sparked discussions by suggesting that the iconic console is now performing better than when it was brand new in the 1990s. This intriguing theory implies that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold worldwide might be delivering enhanced performance for games like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Star Fox, rather than deteriorating over time.
The notion that a video game console could improve its performance as it ages might sound far-fetched, but Cecil's research points to a specific component that could be responsible for this anomaly. In an interview with 404 Media, Cecil explained that the SNES's audio processing unit (APU) SPC700, which is supposed to have a digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz according to Nintendo's specs, might be deviating from this standard. Retro console enthusiasts have noted that the DSP rate can vary based on environmental factors like temperature, which in turn affects how audio is processed and sent to the CPU, subtly altering game speed.
The plot thickens as Cecil asked SNES owners to record data on their consoles after observing higher DSP rates than previously documented. Over 140 responses have been collected, revealing a clear trend of increased DSP rates in recent measurements. Previously, the average DSP rate for the SPC700 was around 32,040Hz in 2007, but Cecil's latest findings have pushed that average up to 32,076Hz. While environmental conditions like temperature do influence these rates, they don't account for the significant increase observed. This suggests that the SNES might indeed be processing audio faster with age.
In a follow-up Bluesky post, Cecil shared detailed data showing that the average SNES DSP rate is now 32,076Hz, an 8Hz increase from cold to warm conditions. "Warm DSP rates go from 31,965 to 32,182Hz, a 217Hz range," he noted. "Therefore, temperature is less significant. Why? How does it affect games? We do not know. Yet."
Despite these fascinating findings, Cecil acknowledges that more research is necessary to fully understand the extent and cause of the SNES's increased audio processing speed. Historical data on how the consoles performed in their first decade is scarce, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, as the SNES approaches its 35th birthday, it appears to be aging gracefully.
The speedrunning community is particularly intrigued by the possibility that an aging SNES could impact game performance. If the SPC700 is processing audio faster, it might shorten load times in certain game sections, potentially affecting leaderboard rankings and speedrun records established over the past three decades. However, the relationship between APU speeds and visual game speed isn't straightforward. Even under the most extreme conditions, the impact on speedruns might be minimal, shaving off less than a second from average runs. The exact influence on different games remains uncertain, and the speedrunning community's research is still in its early stages.
As Cecil continues to investigate the SNES's performance, the console is defying expectations and seemingly getting better with age. For more on the SNES, you can explore its ranking on the list of best-selling consoles of all time.
