SNES Speedrunners Puzzled by New Finding: Console Speeds Up with Age

The speedrunning community is currently buzzing over a peculiar phenomenon: it appears that the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) is running games faster as it ages. This intriguing development came to light in early February when Bluesky user Alan Cecil (@tas.bot) shared his observations that the iconic console from Nintendo might be performing better now than it did when it was new in the 1990s. This theory suggests that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold could now be providing enhanced performance in popular titles such as Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Star Fox, rather than deteriorating over time.

The notion that a video game console could improve its performance with age seems far-fetched, but Cecil's research points to a specific component that might be responsible for this unique trait of the SNES.

The Fastest Thing Alive

In an interview with 404 Media, Cecil explained that the official Nintendo specifications list the SNES's audio processing unit (APU) SPC700 with a digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz, controlled by a ceramic resonator operating at 24.576MHz. However, retro console enthusiasts have discovered that these specs aren't entirely accurate. Recordings over the past few decades show that the DSP rate can vary depending on environmental conditions, such as temperature, which in turn affects how the console processes audio and interacts with the CPU. This variation can subtly alter the game's speed.

The situation becomes even more fascinating when considering how this DSP rate has evolved over the past 34 years. Cecil requested SNES owners to record data from their consoles, and after receiving over 140 responses, a clear trend of increased DSP rates emerged. Previously, average DSP rates for the SPC700 were recorded at around 32,040Hz in 2007, but Cecil's recent data shows an increase to 32,076Hz. While environmental factors like temperature can influence these rates, they don't account for the observed trend. It seems the SNES is indeed processing audio faster as it ages.

"Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076Hz, rising 8Hz from cold to warm," Cecil noted in a subsequent Bluesky post accompanied by a 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."

Any%

Cecil acknowledges that while the findings are intriguing, further research is necessary to understand not only the extent of the increase in audio processing speed but also its cause. Historical data from the console's early years is limited, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Nonetheless, as the SNES approaches its 35th anniversary, it appears to be aging gracefully.

The possibility that a beloved console could cause games to run faster over time has sparked significant interest within the speedrunning community. An SPC700 that processes audio more rapidly could theoretically reduce load times in certain game sections. If audio processing speeds in 2025 are faster than in a 1990 speedrun, it could potentially challenge decades of leaderboard records. However, the impact on a game like Super Mario World isn't as simple as it might seem.

Nintendo Consoles

It's important to note that APU speeds don't directly correlate to visual game speed. Even under the most extreme conditions suggested by these findings, the impact on a typical speedrun might be less than a second. The effect on different games varies, and the long-term implications for longer speedruns remain unclear. The speedrunning community's research is still in its early stages, but the consensus so far is that there's little cause for alarm.

As Cecil continues to investigate what makes the SNES tick, the console is confidently navigating its 30s and performing better than ever. For those interested in the history of gaming, you can find where the SNES ranks on the list of best-selling consoles of all time.