Speedrunners Left Scratching Their Heads After New Discovery Suggests the SNES Works Faster as It Ages

The speedrunning community is buzzing with excitement and curiosity over a peculiar phenomenon: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) appears to be running games faster as it ages. This surprising development was first brought to light by Bluesky user Alan Cecil (@tas.bot) in early February, suggesting that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold worldwide might now offer enhanced performance in classics like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Star Fox.

The notion that a video game console could improve its performance over time might sound far-fetched, but Cecil's research points to a specific component that could be responsible for this unexpected boost: the SNES's audio processing unit (APU) SPC700. According to official Nintendo specifications, the SPC700 operates at a digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz, controlled by a ceramic resonator running at 24.576MHz. However, retro console enthusiasts have noted that these specs aren't entirely accurate, with the DSP rate varying based on environmental factors like temperature.

In an interview with 404 Media, Cecil explained that he asked SNES owners to record data from their consoles after observing higher DSP rates than previously documented. The responses from over 140 participants revealed a clear trend of increased DSP rates in recent measurements. For instance, the average DSP rate recorded in 2007 was around 32,040Hz, but Cecil's latest findings show an increase to 32,076Hz. While temperature does influence these rates, it doesn't account for the significant rise observed.

"Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076Hz, rising 8Hz from cold to warm," Cecil noted in a follow-up Bluesky post, accompanied by a detailed layout of the data. "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."

While the findings are intriguing, Cecil acknowledges that further research is necessary to understand the full extent and cause of this phenomenon. Historical data from the console's first decade is scarce, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, as the SNES approaches its 35th anniversary, it seems to be aging gracefully.

The implications of this discovery are particularly significant for the speedrunning community. If the SPC700 is processing audio faster, it could theoretically reduce load times in certain game sections, potentially affecting long-standing leaderboard records. However, the impact on game speed isn't a direct result of APU speeds, and even under the most extreme conditions, the difference might only be a fraction of a second. The community's research is still in its early stages, but the consensus is that players have little to worry about for now.

As Cecil continues to explore what makes the SNES tick, the console is seemingly thriving in its 30s. For more insights into the SNES, you can check out its ranking on the list of best-selling consoles of all time.