The speedrunning community is grappling with an intriguing technological phenomenon: the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) appears to be running games faster as it ages. In early February, Alan Cecil, known on Bluesky as @tas.bot, sparked discussions by suggesting that the nearly 50 million SNES units sold could now be performing better than when they were new. This theory challenges the conventional wisdom that electronic devices degrade over time.
The Fastest Thing Alive
According to an interview with 404 Media, Cecil explained that the SNES's audio processing unit (APU), the SPC700, has a digital signal processing (DSP) rate officially set at 32,000Hz, controlled by a 24.576MHz ceramic resonator. However, historical data indicates that this rate varies with environmental conditions like temperature, causing slight fluctuations in game speed. Cecil's recent investigation, involving over 140 SNES owners, revealed an upward trend in DSP rates. The average DSP rate has risen from 32,040Hz in 2007 to 32,076Hz today. While temperature impacts these rates, it alone cannot account for the observed increase.
In a follow-up Bluesky post, Cecil shared detailed data, noting, "Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076Hz, rising 8Hz from cold to warm. 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 the findings are fascinating, Cecil acknowledges the need for further research to understand the extent and cause of the increased processing speed. Historical data from the console's first decade is sparse, but the SNES seems to be aging gracefully as it approaches its 35th anniversary.
The speedrunning community is particularly interested in how this phenomenon could affect game performance. A faster SPC700 could theoretically reduce load times, potentially impacting leaderboard rankings. However, the impact on speedruns is likely minimal, with even the most extreme scenarios shaving off less than a second. The effect on different games remains unclear and requires more investigation.
As Cecil continues his research, the SNES continues to defy expectations. For more on this iconic console, you can explore its ranking on the list of best-selling consoles of all time.
