News Analogue 3D Nintendo 64 remake delayed again — tariffs blamed for shipment pushback to ‘late August’

[Admin]

Analogue will delay shipments of its long-awaited reimagining of the Nintendo 64, again.

Analogue 3D Nintendo 64 remake delayed again — tariffs blamed for shipment pushback to ‘late August’ : Read more

 

[gamerk316]

I'm interested to see how compatibility with some of the more...troublesome N64 titles ends up being. Remember that SW emulation on the N64 is still relatively poor all things considered, with games like Rogue Squadron and Body Harvest being known troublemakers that require very specific emulators/configurations to get running (and even then, not well).

 

[edzieba]

I'm interested to see how compatibility with some of the more...troublesome N64 titles ends up being. Remember that SW emulation on the N64 is still relatively poor all things considered, with games like Rogue Squadron and Body Harvest being known troublemakers that require very specific emulators/configurations to get running (and even then, not well).

The Analog consoles, like the open-source MiSTer project, use FPGAs to replicate the CPUs and chipsets of old consoles, rather than software-based emulation.

 

[usertests]

Did they change the name from "Analogue 64" to "Analogue 3D" for legal reasons, or was it never called that in the first place?

 

[UnforcedERROR]

I'm interested to see how compatibility with some of the more...troublesome N64 titles ends up being. Remember that SW emulation on the N64 is still relatively poor all things considered, with games like Rogue Squadron and Body Harvest being known troublemakers that require very specific emulators/configurations to get running (and even then, not well).

As the other user noted, it shouldn't be an issue.

The main issue is that Analogue make limited runs of their consoles. So, for instance, waiting to see how it runs is pointless: they're not taking any further orders. The Mega ST, Super NT, and Mini NT are all out of production, which means your best bet is original hardware with a Retrotink 4K or 5X. It's 100% a FOMO strategy.

 

[TerryLaze]

The Analog consoles, like the open-source MiSTer project, use FPGAs to replicate the CPUs and chipsets of old consoles, rather than software-based emulation.

It's the same for FPGA, they don't know the secrets of the chips which is why they can't write accurate emulation or accurate "cores" .

 

[cyrusfox]

The unified memory part of the N64, would be fascinating if they could get that working properly on a N64 recreation device, 4.5 MB of RDRAM. So many techniques fail to transfer 1:1 to other platforms. It still is a marvel of a console.

As the other user noted, it shouldn't be an issue.

The main issue is that Analogue make limited runs of their consoles. So, for instance, waiting to see how it runs is pointless: they're not taking any further orders. The Mega ST, Super NT, and Mini NT are all out of production, which means your best bet is original hardware with a Retrotink 4K or 5X. It's 100% a FOMO strategy.

Too bad about the limited run, I would always be interested in buying a true clone hardware with modern output capability. In the mean time I have 2 old consoles and a CRT to play them on, if only time allows.

 

[Sluggotg]

I have been waiting since last year for my orders. It is remarkably annoying that Analogue does not manufacture any more units after an initial run, (or two). The exception of the Pocket. They keep making them. The Analogue Duo is their Turbo Grafx 16 FPGA console. It supports games on both CDs and the Cards. It is still in stock. Well worth the price if you're a Turbo Grafx fan.

Now if only Polymega would give an accurate restock date for their base units. They are still advertising Q2 of 2025. I have been waiting for the restock since last year.

 

[TerryLaze]

Now if only Polymega would give an accurate restock date for their base units. They are still advertising Q2 of 2025. I have been waiting for the restock since last year.

Isn't the polymega just a PC with reader-addons for different cartridges?
What's the appeal compared to getting a reader for your normal PC?

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

Question: Why does this exist? You can find gobs of actual N64 consoles for a fraction of the $250 asking price of this.

 

[TerryLaze]

Question: Why does this exist? You can find gobs of actual N64 consoles for a fraction of the $250 asking price of this.

Yeah and you can connect them to your modern TV/monitor and play the games in stamp size or blow them up to super pixelated.
To mod an n64 with all the things this has you are going to pay more than that and you will still have a decades old system that might not last very long.

I can understand people that have an original n64 and a crt tv not caring about this but i also see this being very wanted by many.

 

[Ogotai]

Yeah and you can connect them to your modern TV/monitor and play the games in stamp size or blow them up to super pixelated.

I can understand people that have an original n64 and a crt tv not caring about this but i also see this being very wanted by many.

wrong... tell that to my N64 connected to my 1080 p tv via my Yamaha HT receiver, which looks just fine, thanks to the pass through function. and looks just like it did when i bought the N64.... IF i remember right it even works just fine directly connected to that same tv as well...

so Alvar is correct... an orginal n64 can still be used even in a newer 1080p tv with no issues....

 

[micheal_15]

Remember Nintendo HATES its own customers.

They've previously signed MANY MANY deals to distribute internally-modernized retro consoles then illegally backed out/claimed vague wording meaning they didn't allow anything to be made, and sued the hell out of the retro company, forcing them into bankruptcy. Nintendo has DEEP pockets, a willingness to sue and apparently at least a few board members who can only get erect in court.

 

[newtechldtech]

I dont understand how N64 hardware has no copyrights while the software does.

Both are old and not manufactured and not available any more and still they dont allow the software to be free while they allow the hardware .

 

[TerryLaze]

wrong... tell that to my N64 connected to my 1080 p tv via my Yamaha HT receiver, which looks just fine, thanks to the pass through function. and looks just like it did when i bought the N64.... IF i remember right it even works just fine directly connected to that same tv as well...

so Alvar is correct... an orginal n64 can still be used even in a newer 1080p tv with no issues....

Most games on the n64 are 320x240 so the pixels get multiplied by 4 which makes everything look much more blocky and then it also gets stretched into 16:9 from 4:3 if you are fine watching that mess in 1080p then that's fine for you but don't think that everybody can handle that.

 

[Ogotai]

Most games on the n64 are 320x240 so the pixels get multiplied by 4 which makes everything look much more blocky and then it also gets stretched into 16:9 from 4:3 if you are fine watching that mess in 1080p then that's fine for you but don't think that everybody can handle that.

um, didnt you just basically describe DLSS ?? just DLSS just uses an AI to make the image less blocky, among other things...

my guess, you havent even seen an N64 on a modern tv, let alone owned one... not to mention you " conveniently skipped over the " thanks to the pass through function" or have no idea what that means.... so doubt you even know what you are talking about

 

[TerryLaze]

um, didnt you just basically describe DLSS ?? just DLSS just uses an AI to make the image less blocky, among other things...

Yes I explained the reason why DLSS even exists, because without it the image would be terrible.

my guess, you havent even seen an N64 on a modern tv, let alone owned one... not to mention you " conveniently skipped over the " thanks to the pass through function" or have no idea what that means.... so doubt you even know what you are talking about

So your yamaha has a top quality upscaler build-in?
How does that have anything to do with what I talked about in the first place?
Also... you conveniently skipped over the "it even works just fine directly connected to that same tv as well..."

I never had an n64 but I do have plenty of other old systems (nes sms) with the same resolution and do work them also on modern TVs

 

[Ogotai]

Yes I explained the reason why DLSS even exists, because without it the image would be terrible.

i have seen some say dlls sucks, and its only there as a crutch, nothing more, to get the performance we used to get natively...

So your yamaha has a top quality upscaler build-in?

you REALLY need to stop putting words in peoples mouths, terry... seriously...
WHERE did i say my yahama upscaled anything ?????

i'll quote my self for you as seeing as you refuse to read it :

thanks to the pass through function

i have the nes all the way up to the switch, and ALL the systems look just like they did, when they were released, even on my 1080p 16;9 wide screen... and thats why i posted, to refute what you said :

Yeah and you can connect them to your modern TV/monitor and play the games in stamp size or blow them up to super pixelated.

which is wrong and incorrect. but the funny thing is you then said :

I never had an n64 but I do have plenty of other old systems (nes sms) with the same resolution and do work them also on modern TVs

which seems to contradict what you originally said above.....

 

[TerryLaze]

you REALLY need to stop putting words in peoples mouths, terry... seriously...
WHERE did i say my yahama upscaled anything ?????

You REALLY REALLY REALY have to stop putting words into peoples mouths, a question is a question, you can answer it with a simple yes or no.

If your yamaha just does pass through without changing anything then your n64 picture gets blown up, each single pixel becomes 6 pixels wide (1920:320) and 4,5 pixels high (1080:240) ,If you look at it from the normal viewing distance then you are seeing the game at 5x lower resolution than it was made for, and it already was made for 240p. Plus it gets stretched from 4:3 to 16:9...

 

[UnforcedERROR]

um, didnt you just basically describe DLSS ?? just DLSS just uses an AI to make the image less blocky, among other things...

my guess, you havent even seen an N64 on a modern tv, let alone owned one... not to mention you " conveniently skipped over the " thanks to the pass through function" or have no idea what that means.... so doubt you even know what you are talking about

DLSS is to help create super sampling without the need for taxing your GPU, it's not the same as upscaling a retro console's native output. The closest thing to that might be traditional AA, but MSAA and FPGA upscaling are used to achieve different goals.

In modern titles, on PC for instance, you want to run at the native resolution of your monitor or TV when all possible. This is due to pixel layout. The wrong resolutions can look blurry. This wasn't something that CRTs had an issue with, you could run a higher or lower resolution and still get a clear picture just less overall detail in the image itself. For LCD/OLED tech, the exception is running a resolution that's mathematically identical. 1080p can still look good on 4K, since 4K is simply double 1080p and therefore doesn't change pixel layout. This is why plenty of people still use a RetroTINK 5X over the 4K, because its 1080p output still looks good on a 4K screen (though the 1440p looks weird).

An upscaler makes the image mathematically "correct" for the intended source. This isn't actually increasing the internal resolution, it's increasing the external resolution. Unlike DLSS/MSAA, it's not improving the actual visual fidelity or taxing the GPU/system to do this.

When you run legacy inputs through a TV or a reciever, you're getting the original resolution. If you were to put it at the original size, it'd be incredibly small on your TV. Your TV or reciever simply blows the image up to fit the screen, but that ignores it being mathematically correct and can cause it to appear blurry or distorted (and this is ignoring things like interpolation on older systems). It's basically like it's using a magnifying glass. Upscalers increase the image's size, but it's by increasing the output resolution appropriately, rather than blowing up the original without adding anything. I understand this may seem like they're achieving the same goal, but one is fundamentally more compotent than the other.