The speedrunning community is buzzing about a curious phenomenon: the SNES seems to be running games faster as it ages. This intriguing theory emerged in early February when Bluesky user Alan Cecil (@tas.bot) observed that older SNES consoles appear to be slightly outpacing their factory-fresh counterparts. This suggests that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold might actually be experiencing performance improvements over time with games like Super Mario World, Super Metroid, and Star Fox, defying the typical degradation associated with aging technology.

While the notion of a console becoming more efficient with age sounds improbable, Cecil's research points to a potential culprit: the SNES's audio processing unit (APU).

A Faster-Than-Expected APU

According to official Nintendo specifications, the SNES's SPC700 APU boasts a digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz, governed by a 24.576MHz ceramic resonator. However, retro gaming enthusiasts have long noted discrepancies, with recorded DSP rates varying slightly depending on environmental factors like temperature. This means the console's audio processing and CPU communication rates aren't always consistent with Nintendo's stated figures. Fluctuations in the DSP rate can subtly affect game speed, though often imperceptibly.

Average DSP rates for the SPC700 were around 32,040Hz in 2007. Cecil's findings show a rise to 32,076Hz. While temperature influences these rates, the observed increase is too significant to be solely attributed to temperature variations. In essence, the SNES appears to be processing audio faster over time.

As Cecil noted in a subsequent Bluesky post, analyzing 143 responses, the average SNES DSP rate is 32,076Hz, with an 8Hz increase from cold to warm conditions. The range of warm DSP rates is 31,965Hz to 32,182Hz (a 217Hz difference), highlighting temperature as a less significant factor. The reason for this phenomenon and its impact on game speed remain unknown.

Implications for Speedrunning

Cecil acknowledges the need for further research to determine the extent of the speed increase and its underlying cause. Data on early SNES performance is limited. However, the possibility of a progressively faster audio processing unit is generating considerable excitement (and some uncertainty) within the speedrunning community.

A faster SPC700 could theoretically impact game performance, potentially reducing load times in specific sections. This raises questions about the validity of decades of speedrun records. However, the impact is likely to be minimal. The relationship between APU speed and visual game speed isn't directly proportional. Even under the most extreme scenarios suggested by this research, the potential time savings in an average speedrun would likely be less than a second. The extent to which different games are affected is also unclear. For now, the speedrunning community remains largely unconcerned.

While the mystery surrounding the SNES's accelerating APU persists, one thing is clear: this iconic console is defying expectations, continuing to perform remarkably well as it approaches its 35th anniversary. For more on the SNES, you can check out its ranking on the list of best-selling consoles of all time.