In expanding their services to the late 90s, retro console outlet Analogue will soon take on the Nintendo 64 and its classic library of titles with their next release, the Analogue 3D
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Established in 2011 with a goal of providing players with more modern hardware on which to play their classic games, Analogue has thus far produced new iterations of such consoles as the Super Nintendo, the SG-1000, and the SEGA Genesis.
Their first official foray into the fifth console generation, the Analogue 3D provides the full benefits of an Expansion-and-Memory-Pak-equipped Nintendo 64, including the ability to host up to four-players for in-person co-op, with the added bonus of outputting its visuals in 4K resolution.
And while Analogue typically doesn’t develop proprietary controllers to accompany their consoles, this time around they’re partnering with 8BitDo to release a companion controller for the Analogue 3D, which for $40 will allow players to play the N64 with a more traditional button layout compared to its original three-pronged form.
However, for those not looking to fork out $160 in order to play a full match of the original Super Smash Bros. with your friends, the good news is that the Analogue 3D will be fully compatible with all officially licensed N64 controllers, as well as official games and accessories.
Under the hood, rather than standard software emulation, the Analogue 3D recreates the actual processes of the Nintendo 64 itself using FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) technology.
As a result, players are presented with the most authentic gameplay experience possible, with no lag, frame rate issues, or other such emulation troubles.
However, for all its strengths, the Analogue 3D does fall short in one specific area: Despite the fact that about 70% of the N64’s library offers some sort of multiplayer mode, the retro console will not feature online capabilities (outside of limited Wi-Fi connectivity for software updates).
Though it seems like online play would be a standard feature for a modern version of the N64, especially given that the Japanese market actually got access to such services near the end of the original console’s lifespan, for whatever reason, Analogue decided to pass on the option.
While it’s unfortunate that it won’t support remote multiplayer, and thus GoldenEye 007 matches will for the time being continue to be relegated to in-person hang outs, the Analogue 3D is an overall promising offering for olders players who wish to revisit the games that defined their adolescent years and younger ones looking to catch up on one of the best libraries of yesteryear (anyone up for a hi-score contest in StarFox 64?)
Set to release in early 2025, the Analogue 3D comes in at a price tag of $250. Enthusiasts and newcomers can pre-order it now, in either a black or white finish, through Analogue’s official website.
