Nintendo sold over 49 million Super Nintendo consoles, but not all of them were created equal. Subsequent hardware improvements improved the quality of the SNES’s video output, and now, more than 30 years later, one modder has figured out how to bring those same improvements to nearly every Super Nintendo console ever released.
Console modder Zach Henson Also known as Wolterhas developed a DIY modding kit for older Super Nintendo consoles called Edge Enhancer. The modding kit, expected to sell for around $60, upgrades the console’s video output, making graphics clearer and colors more vibrant.
Nintendo made many improvements to the hardware over the Super Nintendo’s production lifespan, but there are essentially two versions of the SNES that matter to retrogamers: the original, now known as the SHVC or two-chip model, and an upgraded version that came later, known as the 1CHIP model based on the name Nintendo gave to the motherboard.
The two-chip SNES had a video digital-to-analog converter in its picture processing unit (PPU), but gamers found that this converter couldn’t switch between different colors quickly, resulting in visible halos and shadows around graphics and a tendency for the video output to be fuzzy or blurry.
This issue wasn’t as noticeable in the ’90s when everyone was playing on CRT TVs, but when you hook up your Super Nintendo to a modern display, the difference becomes much more noticeable.
For the later 1CHIP version of the Super Nintendo, the company combined the original’s two video chips and the CPU into a single chip. This was a cost-cutting measure to reduce the cost of manufacturing the console, but the new components also resulted in much clearer video output and noticeably improved colors.
For retro gamers who prefer to play on the original hardware, the 1CHIP Super Nintendo console is extremely popular right now, selling for well over $200, but thanks to this new upgrade kit, demand may soon wane.
Installing Voultar’s Edge Enhancer mod is not for beginners. Macho Nacho Productions on YouTube It was recently demonstrated on video, and not only does it require complete disassembly of the SNES, it also requires a fair amount of soldering, as well as removing the original transistors, capacitors, and resistors from the console’s motherboard.
Installing the various components required for a mod can cause a lot of problems. Voltar The company plans to eventually sell DIY Edge Enhancer kits once the documentation and tutorials are complete, but initially they will only be offered as part of a more expensive installation service that ensures the upgrade is done correctly.
Pricing has yet to be revealed, but given that 1CHIP Super Nintendo consoles are becoming increasingly rare, the Edge Enhancer mod is likely to be much cheaper, even after factoring in the cost of shipping a Super Nintendo motherboard in for the upgrade.
