Nintendo sold over 49 million Super Nintendo consoles, but not all of them were identical in hardware. Later versions received video output with improved image quality. More than three decades later, console modder Zach Henson, aka Voultar, has found a way to provide the same enhancements to any Super Nintendo. He created a $60 upgrade kit for older consoles called the Edge Enhancer.
Image Source: Macho Nacho Productions
Although Nintendo made many changes to the Super Nintendo hardware during the console’s production, for retro gamers, two versions of the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) are important. The original, now called SHVC or dual-chip model, and the later updated version known as 1CHIP.
The dual-chip SNES had a digital-to-analog video converter in the picture processing unit (PPU), which gamers discovered could not quickly switch between different colors. This resulted in video images appearing soft and blurry as a halo appeared around graphical objects. The problem wasn’t as noticeable in the 90s when gamers used CRT TVs, but on a modern display the differences are much more pronounced.
In the later version of the Super Nintendo with 1CHIP, the company combined the original’s two video chips and processor into a single processor. This was a move aimed at making the console cheaper to produce, but it also led to a somewhat unexpected result: the image became sharper and the colors noticeably improved.
For retro gamers who prefer to play on original hardware, 1CHIP Super Nintendo consoles are now in high demand and can sell for over $200. But that could soon change thanks to a kit developed by Henson.
Installing the Edge Enhancer mod from Voultar is not an easy task even for experienced electronics engineers. First, you will have to completely disassemble the console, and then use a soldering iron to remove the original transistors, capacitors and resistors from the console’s motherboard. Henson plans to sell his Edge Enhancer kit once documentation and tutorials are complete, but in the meantime it is offered as an installation service to ensure the SNES works.
Final prices have not yet been announced, but given that 1CHIP Super Nintendo consoles are becoming increasingly difficult to find on the secondary market, buying the Edge Enhancer mod may prove to be a better deal, even after factoring in the cost of sending the motherboard for an upgrade.