Super Nintendo Is Getting Faster As It Gets Older
An interesting discovery was made in the Super Nintendo (SNES) consoles: Over time, some parts of these old consoles started to run faster. In particular, measurements made on the SNES’s sound processing unit (SPC700) show that this component has gained speed over the years. This situation has caused controversy in the speedrunning community, and it also shows that old consoles can change over time.
The Reason for Super Nintendo’s Speedup
The source of the speedup in the Super Nintendo is the ceramic resonators in the console’s sound processing unit called SPC700. Ceramic resonators can show frequency changes over time and depending on environmental conditions. For example, while the original sound processing frequency of the SNES was determined as 32,000 Hz, it was determined that this speed went up to 32,182 Hz in some older devices. This change can especially affect the processing speed of sound data.
This discovery has drawn attention in the speedrunning community regarding how game times are measured. While speedruns aim to complete games as quickly as possible, even small performance differences between devices can affect the results. However, according to the research, it is thought that the acceleration effect on SNESs will not make a big difference to the total time of a game. However, this may be important for more accurate results, especially in vehicle-assisted speedruns (TASBot).
Alan Cecil, who conducted the research, used interesting methods to test the performance of the SNES. For example, he put the console in the freezer overnight to observe how temperature changes affected its performance. The results showed that even environmental factors such as temperature can affect the speed of the SNES.
This discovery shows that the performance of older consoles does not remain constant over time. The acceleration of the Super Nintendo does more than just provide a nostalgic gaming experience, it offers a new perspective on the history of technology. As the research continues, it will be clear whether such changes will be seen in other older devices.
