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Analogue 3D console will play all your old N64 games at 4K
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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 Analoguetippedits 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 afull unveilingof 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 theAnalogue Pocketproviding 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.
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Jon is a seasoned freelance writer who started covering games and apps in 2007 before expanding into smartphones and consumer tech, dabbling in lifestyle and media coverage along the way. Besides bein…
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
