The Analogue 3D games console has finally been announced, and will allow you to play all of your old N64 games in full 4K.
Retro gaming hardware maker Analogue tipped its next and arguably most ambitious project yet almost exactly a year ago today, but we’ve only heard snippets about the Analogue 3D ever since.
That’s all just changed with a full unveiling of the Analogue 3D, a classy little console built to bring classic Nintendo 64 cartridges into the modern era.
The Analogue 3D features 100 percent compatibility with N64 games from the mid-’90s, thanks to the fact that it doesn’t rely on emulation, which is famously tricky to do with Nintendo’s 3D console. Rather, it uses FPGA technology to essentially recreate how the original N64 runs. It’s region free too, so you’ll be able to play cartridges from anywhere in the world.
Despite this fidelity to the source material, the Analogue goes above and beyond for today’s audience. It features a custom 4K upscaler that can output the N64’s rudimentary 3D visuals in UHD, which is a ten-fold increase in the console’s native resolution. You can also apply a range of screen modes that can emulate that CRT look on a modern LCD or OLED TV.
It won’t feature a controller at launch, but it does have the classic four controller ports, and is compatible with the famously gonzo three-pronged N64 pads. What’s more, 8BitDo has produced an optional alternative that squeezes all of the N64’s controls onto a more modern controller design, together with a hall effect analogue stick and wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
Filling out the updated connectivity specs, there are also two USB ports and an SD card slot, as well as support for dual-band Wi-Fi. The whole thing runs on a new bespoke OS called 3D OS.
The Analogue 3D has missed its initial 2024 launch timeframe, and will now arrive early in 2025 at a price of $249.99 (about £192). The aforementioned 8BitDo controller will cost $39.99 (about £31). Both console and controller come in two available colours, black or white, and pre-orders commence on October 21.
Analogue’s previous retro consoles have been very well received, with the Analogue Pocket providing a thoroughly modern outlet for old Game Boy cartridges. The company’s work has been universally praised for its sharp design sensibility, painstaking focus on gaming fidelity, and its attention to detail.
