N64 cartridge-playing Analogue 3D finally gets a shipping date – FPGA-powered Nintendo 64 remake with 4K, VRR to roll out starting November 18

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The Analogue 3D aims to deliver a true-to-original N64 experience on modern high-resolution screens.

The Analogue 3D console with Nintendo 64 cartridges
(Image credit: Analogue)

After numerous delays, the Analogue 3D finally has a confirmed shipping date. The long-awaited reincarnation of the Nintendo 64 console will begin rolling out to customers on November 18. Formerly known as the Analogue 64, the ambitious remake was first teased in 2023 with an expected release in 2024. However, the company later postponed the shipment of its pre-orders to Q1 2025, followed by yet another delay, due to an unexpected increase in tariffs.

Analogue’s upcoming console is a 4K-ready version of the classic Nintendo 64, with support for VRR (variable refresh rate). Unlike most retro systems today, it does not rely on emulation. Rather, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chip replicates the original N64 hardware at the circuit level. This means that games run the way they were originally intended to on the original console, along with full compatibility with the entire N64 library. Additionally, there should be no quirks, lag, or inconsistencies that often plague emulation.

Running on Analogue’s own custom-made 3D OS, it features “Original Display Modes” designed to recreate the look of old CRT or PVM screens on modern 4K displays. These modes essentially mimic and try to retain the authenticity of classic games, while enhancing image clarity and smoothing out frame pacing with VRR.

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Kunal Khullar
Kunal Khullar
News Contributor

Kunal Khullar is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware.  He is a long time technology journalist and reviewer specializing in PC components and peripherals, and welcomes any and every question around building a PC.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Makaveli
    The Nostalgia in me wants to buy one.
    Reply
  • oofdragon
    There's absolutely no difference at all playing a game on a console or an emulator other than the later being more advanced with a pleora of life enhancements. To believe original consoles are desirable is just too gullible
    Reply
  • cyrusfox
    oofdragon said:
    There's absolutely no difference at all playing a game on a console or an emulator other than the later being more advanced with a pleora of life enhancements. To believe original consoles are desirable is just too gullible
    Simply not true. Try and emulate Pokémon Puzzle League or Mario Kart 64. The original N64 hardware is still impossible to emulate with full fidelity, even today and especially for games that use custom microcode. The N64 lets developers write microcode for power and custom effects, so stuff like Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine only works perfectly because Factor 5 designed their own lighting code. Most emulators just patch over these issues, game by game, but that leaves loads of weird bugs and only the top 20 or 30 games running properly. Once you go deeper into the library, it’s a mess. Early emulators couldn’t handle stuff like the frame buffer and unique texture handling, and even today, cycle-accurate emulation is so demanding on hardware that most PCs can’t run it at full speed. Cheaper handhelds and things like Raspberry Pi rely on less accurate plugins, which break compatibility even more.

    FPGA-based systems and Switch Online don’t solve this either. They use timing hacks and performance tweaks to get things running smoothly, but they introduce their own glitches and out-of-sync stuff, especially if you’re used to playing on actual hardware. If you want the full N64 experience for every game, real consoles still do it best. Emulation has come a long way, and it’s awesome for mods and upscaling, but it’s just not the same. If you care about playing games as they were intended, stick to the hardware.

    See:
    Emulation General Wiki: N64Why is Nintendo 64 emulation still a broken mess in 2025 ?For $250 I might pick this up, but I want to see reviews first to see if it really matches the original. The HDMI mod is a pain to deal with, and I’ve got two original N64s because I planned to do it someday. Honestly, I still have my 27" Trinitron and there’s nothing like playing Duck Hunt on a real CRT. It’s great having that setup for old-school gaming, so I’m curious if the Analogue 3D can actually deliver the same experience.
    Reply
  • Ogotai
    oofdragon said:
    To believe original consoles are desirable is just too gullible
    tell that to the used market for the older consoles like the N64, and such....
    Reply