Following the launch of the Chromatic Game Boy last December, ModRetro revealed its next console will be an upgraded remake of the Nintendo 64. Like the recently released Analogue 3D, it will play N64 games in 4K through the use of an FPGA. ModRetro — the company founded by the controversial figure Palmer Luckey who’s also behind a defense contractor that makes military tech — has been teasing details about the console on social media over the past few months, but today it finally revealed the console’s design, and an accompanying remake of the N64’s unique three-pronged controller.
Similar to the recently-launched Analogue 3D, the M64’s design is inspired by Nintendo’s original hardware with a gently curved top panel, cartridge slot on top, and four ports on the front compatible with the N64’s original wired gamepads. On the front corner of the top panel you’ll find a power button, while the other corner features a dial labeled “Menu.” Aside from presumably navigating on-screen menus we don’t yet know if the dial will have additional functionality. On the back of the M64 is an HDMI port, three USB-C ports, and a microSD card slot.
The new images of the M64 show the console with a translucent housing in green, purple, and white color options, as well as three color-matched controllers. The Analogue 3D is also compatible with the Nintendo 64’s original gamepads, but the company worked with 8BitDo to create a modernized version with a similar button layout and thumbstick design. ModRetro has instead gone for authenticity. The M64’s controllers look nearly identical to the original with a three pronged design featuring the thumbstick on top of the middle grip and a trigger button beneath it.
In a post on X earlier this week, Luckey also announced that while the M64 was priced at $199 (the same launch price as the N64 in 1996) for those who signed up for the waitlist on ModRetro’s website after the M64 was announced, the introductory pricing is being extended to everyone — at least for now.