Analogue already has one of the best retro game consoles with its beloved Pocket, which brought GameBoy games to the modern era. Now the company is doing it again with the Analogue 3D, a console designed to play original Nintendo 64 consoles in stunning 4K resolution, making the games look like they belong in 2024.
The console connects to the best TVs through HDMI. From there, the processing system inside boosts your favorite games' resolutions by up to 10x (some games run at a higher resolution natively, and some aren't upscaled to full 4K).
If you grew up playing Nintendo 64 games, you probably remember playing them on a CRT TV instead of an LCD or LED. The Analogue 3D promises to capture the "warmth, depth, and texture" offered by CRT TVs through subtle scanlines and a simulated phosphor glow, which tube TVs are known for.
Analogue uses Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to play original cartridges upscaled to a modern resolution. This technology uses modern chips to mimic the original device. In the case of the Analogue 3D, the company used an Intel 220k LE Altera Cyclone 10GX FPGA, which is quite a bit more complicated than the one used on the Pocket.
The company is also launching its own OS called 3Dos, which launches the games and saves screenshots.
You can use original N64 controllers with the console or buy a modern controller like the 8BitDo 64 Controller. Either way, the console doesn't have one in the box, so you'll need to purchase a controller separately or use the N64 controllers you already own.
If you want to grab an Analogue 3D console, you can pre-order it on October 21 at 11 a.m. ET for on the Analogue website in black or white. It'll set you back $249. There's no word on other retailers, but based on the availability of the Pocket, we expect it to remain available only through the company directly.
