A 4K Nintendo 64 Console Is Coming To Relive Your Retro N64 Games In High Resolution
The details are extremely scarce right now, but Analogue is advertising the 3D as a 4K retro console. Whether that means that games will be upscaled from 320x240 to 2880x2160 (that's 81 times as many pixels, if you like doing that sort of thing in your head) or if the high resolution will be used to implement scan line and shadow mask filters is yet to be revealed. Either way, it seems unlikely that the frame rate will be changed, but if any console could benefit from something like DLSS frame generation, it's the Nintendo 64 and its best games that all run somewhere between 20 and 30 fps.
It does seem that CRT emulation is the more likely target, considering the Analogue 3D's competition. It's been a while since we've revisited the MiSTer FPGA project or upscalers on this site, however, it's worth noting that both MiSTer and Mike Chi's RetroTINK 5X Pro support some incredibly convincing CRT emulation filters. That's especially true when used in conjunction with high-quality HDR displays like our favorite OLED TVs and monitors. So for the Analogue 3D it seems more likely that the system will also target CRT emulation instead of high-resolution, low-polygon graphics. We'd love to see both options, but we're also trying to be realistic here.
Analogue has said that just like the existing Analogue Pocket's Dock and the upcoming Analogue Duo, the 3D will have built-in Bluetooth controller support and also pair with 8bitdo's low-latency 2.4GHz controllers for total wireless freedom. There's also a very shadowy image of what appears to be an 8bitdo controller on Analogue's website. When we adjust contrast to brighten up the image, it appears to be a wireless Nintendo 64 controller with a less traditional layout than the original Trident design. Instead, this design looks a lot like the Retro Fighters Brawler64, which is available as both a 2.4GHz wireless model for original consoles and in a Bluetooth model designed specifically for the Nintendo Switch Online's N64 library, and 8bitdo's own Ultimate controller had a baby.
One of the more interesting aspects of this announcement is the timing. Several months ago after the completion of bringing the original PlayStation to the MiSTer, Robert Peip (also known as FPGAzumSpass on X and Patreon) began work on bringing the Nintendo 64 to the open-source platform. Now, it's important to note we don't think that Analogue is copying Peip's work here -- Analogue's chief engineer Kevin "kevtris" Horton is a wizard in his own right -- but it's certainly worth noting that the world is going from zero N64 FPGA implementations to two unique ones in the span of a year.
The MiSTer FPGA project also has a Nintendo 64 core in the works
There are a lot of differences between the MiSTer core and the Analogue 3D. First and foremost, Analogue's solution is meant to play original cartridges, just like every other one of its FPGA consoles from the Nt Mini to present. The other, of course, is Analogue's foray into 4K; Terasic's DE10-nano development board used in MiSter can only handle 1080p.
We'd also be remiss if we didn't mention that the mysterious MARS FPGA, a self-contained console ringing in at an eye-watering $699, will also run unmodified MiSTer cores out of the box. The MARS team is starting to take shape with noted FPGA developers known as atrac17 and Fixel involved in the development. No matter which solution you choose, it's a good time to be an FPGA retro gamer.
If you're anxious to get your hands on an Analogue 3D, you'll be waiting a while, and we can only guess at pricing right now. The company says the 3D coming in 2024, but dates with these things tend to slip. The Analogue Duo was announced way back in 2020, yet preorders just opened earlier this year and the console is yet to ship. The Pocket saw multiple delays, and both the handheld console and its accessories are perennially out of stock, only to see "limited" runs in transparent colors with prices 15% higher than originally announced. Unlike the Pocket, however, the Analogue 3D lacks the company's Open FPGA initiative that has seen a lot of MiSTer cores ported over in the last year, and that's a shame.
If you're the patient (or perhaps impatient) type that can wait for a preorder, head on over to Analogue's website and sign up for notifications about when the system will become available.
