Aging cartridges

Screenshot from an SNSP Aging Cassette (courtesy of The Cutting Room Floor)

The Aging cartridges are a series of internal Nintendo software seemingly used for testing hardware performance.

A few of them have been leaked by prototype collectors.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System

The SNSP Aging Cassette tests the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (possibly PAL versions as the PAL SNES has an SNSP model code). It includes some early Super Mario World graphics and plays a version of the song "When You Wish Upon a Star" as background music.

Game Boy Advance

The AGS Aging Cartridge tests the Game Boy Advance and has some unused Super Mario, "Donkey Kong Advance" graphics. Some of its content is shared with the Nintendo DS Aging Card NTR.

Nintendo DS

The Aging Card NTR tests the Nintendo DS, and shares some content with the Game Boy Advance AGS Aging Cartridge. It appears an early mockup or prototype of Super Mario 64 DS can also be seen within it.

Nintendo 3DS

A Nintendo 3DS Aging cartridge is documented and is known as CTRAging.

References

Internal Nintendo products

Aging cartridges  • Controller test cartridges  • Crash debugger  • Debagame Tester: Second Impact  • DS Download Station Game Cards  • Mario Club build games  • Nintendo Campus Challenge 1991 cartridge  • Nintendo Campus Challenge 1992 cartridge/Super Mario Club Taikai You  • Nintendo Demo Vision  • Nintendo kiosk demos  • Nintendo NES M82  • Nintendo World Championships (cartridges)  • Pokémon distribution cartridges  • Super Famicom DOS  • Super Mario Club (Famicom Network System)  • Super NES Service cartridge  • Port test cartridge  • Service disc  • Tech demos  • Test program  • VUE debugger sample  • Wide Boy