The speedrunning community is grappling with a surprising technological phenomenon: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) appears to be running games faster as it ages. In early February, Alan Cecil, a user on Bluesky known as @tas.bot, shared observations suggesting that the iconic console is performing slightly faster than when it was first produced in the 1990s. This theory implies that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold might now offer enhanced gameplay experiences in titles like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Star Fox, rather than deteriorating over time.
The notion that a gaming console could improve its performance as it ages might seem far-fetched, but Cecil's research points to a specific component that could be responsible for this unique behavior.
The Fastest Thing Alive
In an interview with 404 Media, Cecil explained that the SNES's audio processing unit (APU) SPC700, which has an official digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz controlled by a 24.576MHz ceramic resonator, may not align with the actual performance. Retro console enthusiasts have noted that the DSP rate varies slightly depending on environmental factors like temperature, causing the console to process audio and send it to the CPU at rates different from those specified by Nintendo. As the DSP rate fluctuates, so does the game's speed, albeit in small, often imperceptible ways.
The intriguing aspect is how these rates have changed over the last 34 years. After Cecil called for SNES owners to record data, over 140 responses revealed a clear trend of increasing DSP rates. Previously recorded averages in 2007 were around 32,040Hz, but Cecil's latest findings show an average increase to 32,076Hz. While temperature does influence these rates, it alone cannot account for the observed changes, suggesting that the SNES is indeed processing audio faster over time.
"Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076Hz, rising 8Hz from cold to warm," Cecil shared in a follow-up Bluesky post, accompanied by a data layout. "Warm DSP rates go from 31,965 to 32,182Hz, a 217Hz range. Therefore, temperature is less significant. Why? How does it affect games? We do not know. Yet."
Any%
While these findings are fascinating, Cecil acknowledges that more research is needed to understand both the extent of the speed increase and its underlying causes. Historical data on console performance from the first decade is scarce, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, as the SNES approaches its 35th anniversary, it seems to be aging remarkably well.
The potential for the SNES to run games faster has stirred significant interest within the speedrunning community. An SPC700 processing audio faster could theoretically shorten load times, impacting game performance. However, even in the most extreme scenarios, these changes might only reduce speedrun times by less than a second. The impact on different games and longer speedruns remains uncertain and is still under investigation.
As Cecil continues his research, the SNES is defying expectations and seemingly improving with age. For more insights into the SNES's place in gaming history, you can explore its ranking among the best-selling consoles of all time.
