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What just happened? Exactly one year ago to the day, Analogue teased a modern remake of the iconic Nintendo 64 home gaming system. Today, the classic console maker opened the flood gates, and there's a lot for retro gaming enthusiasts to be excited about.
The Analogue 3D is engineered entirely in FPGA, meaning there is no emulation. Instead, you get a faithful reproduction that is compatible with every N64 game ever made… and it can play most of them in glorious 4K resolution. Analogue said it spent four years developing the platform on a 220k LE Altera Cyclone 10GX, the most powerful FPGA they have ever used.
The svelte system, offered in black or white, features four original-style controller ports for true local multiplayer. It accepts original Nintendo 64 game cartridges, is region free, and fully compatible with original accessories including the Expansion Pak.
Analogue said it worked hard to meticulously reproduce the unmistakable essence of the CRT to capture the warmth, depth, and texture of every frame. Unfortunately, the company did not share any media showcasing this retro mode so we'll have to take them at word for now.
The hardware maker worked closely with the crew over at 8BitDo on a brand new controller for the system. The wireless pad features a Hall Effect joystick that uses the original-style N64 gate, and most of the action buttons retain their original size, sub-layouts, and feel. Personally, I would opt for a wired original but if you want wireless, this looks like a solid option at $39.99.
Related reading: Remembering the last great cartridge-based console
The Analogue 3D goes up for pre-order on October 21 at 8 pm Pacific, and will set you back $249.99. Consoles from the company usually go fast so if you want one, you'd better act quickly. I would recommend setting an alarm and getting your payment details ready to go in advance.
The first wave of units are expected to ship out in Q1 2025, we are told.