After being announced earlier this year, ModRetro has officially revealed what its modern-day tribute to the Nintendo 64 console and controller will look like. Unsurprisingly, the M64 looks very similar to the N64 at first glance, but with several design changes to help distinguish.
The most striking feature here is an entirely translucent plastic shell that allows you to peek into the inner workings of the machine, but like its primary source of inspiration, it features four controller ports in the front, a large power button, what appears to be a dial for the menu function, and a slot to insert original N64 cartridges.
The controller for the M64 is also very similar to the one that came with the N64, featuring a trident-shaped design, an array of face buttons, a D-pad, and a thumbstick in the center. Like the console, the controller’s shell is also made of translucent plastic on the top half, with a solid grey bottom half.
This is a similar approach to the one ModRetro took with its Game Boy successor, the ModRetro Chromatic. Like the updated handheld, the M64 aims to offer an authentic gaming experience alongside modern experiences. The system uses an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) to authentically replicate the N64’s performance, which is considered by enthusiasts to be the best option for playing retro games in HD via HDMI on a modern television.
The M64 is arriving after the launch of the Analogue 3D. Analogue’s modernized N64 has reopened preorders, but prices have increased due to tariffs. Increasing from $250 to $270, the updated price applies only to new console orders. In comparison, the M64 will have a $200 price tag when preorders open.
