This $60 Chip Fixes a Long-Standing Super Nintendo Glitch

Nintendo sold over 49 million Super Nintendo consoles, but not all were created equal. A later hardware release improved the video output quality of the Super Nintendo, and more than three decades later, one developer came up with a way to bring the same improvements to every Super Nintendo console ever released.

Zach Henson, a console modder also known as Voultar, has created a DIY mod kit for older Super Nintendo consoles called Edge Enhancer. Expected to retail for around $60, the mod kit upgrades the console’s video output, making graphics look sharper and colors more saturated.

Although Nintendo made many revisions to the Super Nintendo hardware during the console’s production lifespan, for classic gamers, there are two main versions of the SNES that are important. The original version, now referred to as the SHVC or Dual Chip model, and a later upgraded version, known as the 1CHIP model based on how Nintendo named its motherboard.

The dual-chip SNES had a digital-to-analog video converter in the graphics processing unit (PPU), and gamers have since discovered that it is unable to quickly transition between different colors. This resulted in video output that tended to appear blurry or blurry because the graphics appeared to be surrounded by a halo or shadow.

The problem wasn’t as noticeable in the 90s when everyone was playing on CRT TVs, but with the Super Nintendo connected to a modern monitor, the differences are much more noticeable.

For the newer 1CHIP version of the Super Nintendo, the company combined the original video and CPU chips into a single chip. This was a cost-cutting move to make the console cheaper to manufacture, but the new components also resulted in sharper video output with significantly improved colors.

For old-school gamers who prefer to play on the original hardware, the 1CHIP Super Nintendo consoles have become a hot commodity and can sell for over $200. But demand may soon wane, thanks to this new upgrade kit.

Installing Voultar’s Edge Enhancer mod is not for beginners, says Tito Perez from Macho Nacho Productions on YouTube This was recently demonstrated in a video. Not only does the SNES have to be completely disassembled, it also requires a significant amount of soldering, and the original transistors, capacitors, and resistors have to be removed from the motherboard of the device.

A lot of things can go wrong when installing the different components needed for the modification. So, while Voltar The company plans to sell a DIY Edge Enhancer kit once the documentation and tutorials are finalized, but it will initially only be available as part of a more expensive installation service that will ensure the upgrades are done correctly.

Pricing hasn’t been revealed yet, but since 1CHIP Super Nintendo consoles are becoming increasingly rare, the Edge Enhancer mod could be significantly cheaper, even with the cost of shipping a Super Nintendo motherboard for the upgrade.