At the end of 2025, the nostalgia circle was awakened again – ModRetro was finally made public M64, that is, the one designed forNintendo 64 playersA “modern sacred object” created. Before, just hearing the name, everyone thought it was some half-assed development board host. But when the real machine was unveiled, with a transparent shell and FPGA, the aura of “I am not sentimental, I am orthodox” directly overwhelmed the peers. Analogue 3D Come and fight!
The transparent shell is the first to attract attention: the four-hole handle slot is completely reproduced
Compared with Analogue 3D which only comes in black and white, the most eye-catching part when it was announced was the host casing, which was completely transparent. You can directly see the FPGA development board, power module, heat dissipation frame… The entire body is as if it has been dismantled and displayed, which is a fatal temptation for hardcore gamers. After all, the color shell consoles of the old N64 are also colorful! Its structure continues the classic design of the Nintendo 64: four controller slots on the front, an extra-large power button, a knob-like Menu control, and the most important original N64 cartridge slot.
The handle is also loyal to the classic: three-pronged shape + translucent shell
The M64 controller also allows players to instantly travel back to 1996. It retains the banana-like three-pronged handle shape, central joystick, direction keys, and C key group, all of which are consistent with the original structure. Even the outer shell adopts a two-color configuration of “transparent upper cover + gray bottom.” The appearance may seem nostalgic, but ModRetro must have made adjustments internally, because the wear and tear problem of the N64 joystick that everyone is most afraid of cannot be used intact. From the appearance, this handle is the perfect balance between “playable” and “must collect”.
FPGA is the key weapon: not software simulation, but hardware-level restoration
Rather than appearance, what really excites players is the FPGA (programmable logic circuit). This is currently recognized as the technology closest to the behavior of the original machine. It is far more accurate, more stable and has lower latency than software simulators. For those who know the industry, when they hear the word FPGA, they know that ModRetro’s intention is not to play around, but to resurrect the N64 in HDMI mode on modern TVs, with clean pictures, direct input, and extremely high compatibility. This machine is obviously not for general gamers, but for those super picky retro players who will be moved to tears because “the original Z-buffer performs the same”.
Analogue 3D soared to US$270, but M64 dropped to US$200 to grab the market
Looking at the competing product Analogue 3D on the other side of the market, the price rose from US$250 to US$270 (approximately TWD 8,840, HKD 2,110, MYR 1,290) due to US tariffs and cost adjustments immediately after pre-orders reopened. In contrast, the pre-order price of the M64 is set directly at US$200 (approximately TWD 6,550, HKD 1,560, MYR 940), which is a very lethal price. Both are FPGA, and both are high-end retro consoles, but the M64 is a lot cheaper and has a transparent shell, so its eye-catching quality is naturally the same.
If Analogue 3D is taking the route of high-end craftsmanship, then M64 is taking the simple route of “if players want to insert a card holder, just buy it from me.” Although the two have different routes, the N64 circle this year is bound to be pushed back to the peak of discussion by these two consoles.
Emotions are no longer a selling point, but the hard power competition of the FPGA generation
Overall, the appearance of the M64 symbolizes one thing: the era of retro consoles has evolved from “sentimental products” to “high-precision reproduction.” Players are no longer satisfied with software simulators. What the market now wants is the “original soul”, low latency, and accurate restoration. It is against this background that the M64 enters the market. With its transparent casing, physical cassette, FPGA, and lower price, it competes head-on with Analogue 3D!