Why you should dust off your Nintendo 64 cartridges and buy an analog 3D

• The Analogue 3D uses FPGA technology to emulate N64 hardware, providing perfect compatibility with all N64 games.

• Connecting original N64 consoles to modern TVs is cumbersome, making Analogue 3D’s 4K output convenience worth it.

• Although the Analogue 3D costs $250, it offers modern features like Wi-Fi, save states, and native controller compatibility.

The Nintendo 64 is a divisive console among retro gaming fans. It has a small but powerful library, locked behind imperfect emulation or original hardware that is difficult to modify or use with modern TVs. The Analogue 3D promises to solve all that for a price.

The Analog 3D is more than an N64 emulator

There are many perfectly usable N64 emulators available, along with great ones emulation consolesbut N64 emulation is not a one-to-one match for original hardware and probably never will be. Within the Analog 3D there is no original Nintendo hardware. Instead, a special processor known as a FPGA is used to physically simulate the electronic logic of the N64’s hardware.

Now Analogue’s website states that the 3D uses “no emulation”, but that’s not 100% true. An FPGA is not software emulation, but physically not the same hardware as the N64. It is still a form of emulation, but functionally identical to the original hardware. At least, to the extent that the FPGA programmers have managed to properly replicate what happens in a real N64. Either way, the bottom line is that a good FPGA solution is indisputable compared to original hardware. This applies to players and the actual games, as unlike software emulators, Analogue 3D boasts full and perfect compatibility with every N64 game ever made.

Using an N64 on modern TVs is tricky

So why not just use the original N64? Depending on where you live in the world, they aren’t that difficult or expensive to find. There are probably even a few at your local thrift store.

Unless you also bring a nice one CRT TV while you’re there, you’ll find that connecting that N64 to your modern TV produces a terrible experience. Your other option is to modify your N64 to output a clean HDMI signal directly, and that isn’t too expensive, although there is a risk of things going wrong, and in many cases you will also have to modify the console’s casing . External specialized scalers exist, but the good ones are expensive enough to compete with simply buying something like Analogue 3D.

None of these focus on a key selling point of Analogue 3D, which is that it produces native 4K output, aiming to reproduce “reference” CRT quality. Now we’ll have to wait for the console to release in 2025 so the claims can be put to the test, but there’s no particular reason to disbelieve it based on Analogue’s previous FPGA systems.

The analogue 3D promises many modern conveniences

Aside from higher resolutions, there are so many tempting quality of life improvements on offer here that you can’t do with the original hardware, and where emulators can offer the same features, the actual games don’t run accurately. The console works with variable refresh rate TVs, has Wi-Fi, and lets you create save states, take screenshots, and basically enjoy modern console features.

The price is almost reasonable?

The biggest thing to give me pause is the price. At around $250, this isn’t an impulse buy. Mainly because it only plays cartridges and not ROM files. If you’re someone who has a collection of N64 ROMs, then I suspect this will be the definitive way to enjoy them for the foreseeable future. It even allows you to use your existing N64 controllers and accessories and store your original console safely for safekeeping.

FPGA technology, especially when produced in small quantities, which is inevitable, is expensive. For this money you could buy an Xbox Series S, which is a good emulation system for almost anything. You could get a refurbished Steam Deck, which will also emulate pretty much anything. But if you already have an N64 cartridge collection, then something like Analogue 3D makes perfect sense. After all, it’s less expensive than some of the games it’s designed for.