The future of retro gaming is here. Well, almost. Analogue, re-makers of fine retro (often Nintendo) gaming tech, is just about ready to put the finishing touches on its most ambitious project yet – a “reimagining” of the iconic N64. It’s wisely going by the name ‘Analogue 3D‘ to avoid tangoing with Nintendo directly.
Not just any N64 Analogue 3D
Introducing Analogue 3D. A reimagining of the N64.
In 4K resolution. Perhaps the greatest multiplayer system of all time. Analogue 3D is the worlds first 100% compatible with every original N64 game ever made. Region Free. Bluetooth LE. Dual-band Wifi. Four original-style… pic.twitter.com/7WM3ByIU6C
— Analogue (@analogue) October 16, 2024
Analogue has done what Nintendo could not all those years ago. First announced earlier this year with an accompanying 2024 release date, Analogue has lightly revised the release date. It’s now coming out in Q1 2025 if all goes according to plan, with pre-orders opening on 21 October. How much will it cost? R4,400 ($250).
The big thing here is 4K support, which Analogue promises through the use of a “bespoke, purpose-built 4K upscaler.” Even better is local support for all your old N64 cartridges, no matter which region they were intended for. We can picture booting up Ocarina of Time or Super Mario 64 in glorious 4K.
“After nearly four years of dedicated FPGA engineering, Analogue 3D overcomes the limitations of software emulation—no input lag, no graphic or audio inaccuracies, no timing or frame rate problems. This is the N64, perfected and true to its core,” Analogue wrote in a post on X.
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The only real downside (if you’re a newb, that is) is that there’s no controller in-box. You can use the original N64 controller that’s knocking about in your parent’s garage in one of the Analogue 3D’s four original ports, or you’ll have to make do with 8BitDo’s R700 ($40) fully revitalised controller, looking almost like the Switch’s Pro controller. Ergonomics. You get it.
Alongside glorious 4K is Bluetooth support, dual-band Wi-Fi, two USB ports, an SD card slot, and the four original N64 controller ports we mentioned earlier. Buyers can pick up the console in white or black.
If you’re serious about snapping one up, we’d bet on pre-orders being sold out rather quickly. To avoid tears, we’d advise hovering right over that pre-order button as things kick off on Analogue’s website on 21 October, at 17h00. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to pick up a few cartridges while you’re at it, either.