Speedrunning communities are puzzling over an unexpected technological phenomenon—Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) consoles appear to run games slightly faster now than they did in the 1990s. The discovery, initially brought to light by Bluesky user Alan Cecil (@tas.bot), suggests that aging SNES hardware may actually be improving in performance rather than degrading.
Time Defies Physics?
In a conversation with 404 Media, Cecil explained that the SNES’s audio processing unit (APU), the SPC700, was designed with a digital signal processing (DSP) rate of 32,000Hz—controlled by a 24.576MHz ceramic resonator. However, documented recordings over the years reveal slight variations in DSP rates, suggesting external factors like temperature can influence processing speed. The implication? Over decades, these minute fluctuations could accumulate, subtly altering game performance.
The Data Speaks
Cecil noticed consistently higher DSP rates than previously documented and called for SNES owners to submit their own measurements. The resulting dataset—comprising over 140 responses—reveals a clear upward trend in DSP speeds. While historical averages in 2007 hovered around 32,040Hz, recent figures show an increase to around 32,076Hz. Though temperature can affect performance, the range of variation (31,965Hz to 32,182Hz) suggests another underlying factor.
“Based on 143 responses, the SNES DSP rate averages 32,076Hz, rising 8Hz from cold to warm,” Cecil noted in a follow-up post. “Temperature alone doesn’t account for this shift. The question is—why?”
Could This Impact Speedrunning?
The potential implications for speedrunning are intriguing: if the SPC700 processes audio faster over time, in-game actions tied to sound cues—such as frame-perfect inputs or glitch triggers—could theoretically execute milliseconds sooner. However, experts believe the difference would likely amount to less than a second in most speedruns. For now, leaderboard standings appear safe, but further research is needed to confirm the long-term effects.
While the cause of this phenomenon remains unclear, the SNES continues to defy expectations as it approaches its 35th anniversary. Whether through material aging, component drift, or some other anomaly, the console is, in a way, growing stronger with time. For more on Nintendo’s legacy, check out its ranking among the best-selling consoles of all time.
