Analogue's CEO Reckons Not Even Nintendo Could Beat Its New 'N64'

Talk is cheap Taber, can you back it up? Not before at least 2026 for less than $400 in my view.

Analogue's CEO Christopher Taber has claimed that not even Nintendo could match up to what Analogue is aiming to achieve with its new product - even if the former were to create an official 'N64 Classic' - stating that “The nature of how [N64] software emulation functions with even the most powerful components–it isn’t possible. It will inevitably result in a subpar experience.”
Really so you emulate IP N64 without Nintendo Royalty and you expect no issue? I think they are taking from where the sun doesn't shine problem. CRT no longer exist and not a costly experiment will happen. To make games 4K require software update to handle and no controller will have 4K GPU.

Breaking the barrier of region locks has my attention.

Also, odd timing to finally get my Worms Armageddon from LRG this morning.

Maybe this may make some indies give N64 development a try, as well.

Super excited for this. I never was a handheld guy so I dont care about analogue pocket but my first system ever that made me a gamer for life was the n64. I have over 120 cartridges for the n64 so I cant wait to pre order this system (hopefully it is not sold out like most analogues products get.) N64 has Mario 64, Ocarina of time, The first smash bros so many classics, I dont like emulation so since its real hardware im gonna love this.

@Paraka Check these out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMikRIjOpcM

Alright folks, say it with me: FPGA is emulation.

It’s not original chips, it’s a processor emulating the original chips. I bet you don’t hear about how analogue systems still have random bugs and glitches even 4 years down the road. They just got around to fixing major bugs in FFVI and Chrono Trigger earlier this year, despite the Super NT being out for several years.

I like my Analogue devices, but so much of this is marketing fluff. It will be interesting to see how they achieve 4K for a reasonable price, but I don’t expect to even see this in customers hands before 2025.

@SwitchForce Nintendo didint stop them with the Analogue pocket that plays 3 Nintendo systems GB, GBC, and Gba. What makes you think Nintendo would stop them now?

@Arcata - That is what I am talking about.

It's wild when you think about it, though. The more digitizing the current era pushes, the more the indie scene reaches backwards in tech. Similar to how vinyl sort of just... Bursted back on scene.

Nintendo could I would bet…though the money spent developing it for a niche market wouldn’t make sense for them…especially considering what this will need to cost. That said, I definitely want this

I do think we will eventually get the N64 Classic, and, no, it probably won’t be as good as this. But it’ll have built in games and will be probably a quarter of the price.

He might well be correct when making these assumptions, but did he have to come across like such a d**k while doing so?

@mattysaurus should have bought a mister

@mattesdude - Well, not only that, but they would have to prove in court that damages happened.

Hard to do when a system has been out of manufacturing for so long Nintendo has no money in it. It's all second hand sales.

Hell, the only way they can do that is have some level of game previously on the N64 coming, or already on, the the Switch. Something they currently don't have outside NSO.

I do wonder if they'll be able to cope with the amount of demand this thing will have.

There's been plenty of ways to play NES/SNES/Mega Drive/handheld games both carts and digitally for decades. The N64, not so much, and its got a big enough nostalgia following.

As much as I'd love one, I'm certain its going to sell out immediately and all restocks following the launch. It's gonna be tricky.

"that the only other alternative is to opt for the original console from Nintendo"

My MiSTer says "Hi". The MiSTer core is already in such an amazing state, and it's still early in development. I can play games like F-Zero X and Wave Race 64 on it, and they are identical to original hardware.

I wish Nintendo would stand up and accept the challenge. I’d love a n64 classic just to play some of the great first party titles from that gen but it’s true many have aged like sour cheese.

I’m excited for the region free aspect. I have a few jpn carts i would like to play. But for now I will keep using my original hardware. N64 is a tank. I have no desire to modify my system.

The price is going to be wild and i’m going to have to pay import fees. But i want it.

At the end of the day it would still be just another clone console and compatibility on clone consoles are usually incompatible or imperfect. Even the Nt, Super Nt, and Mega Sg all had some issues at launch and still had on some games. A few Super NES and Mega Drive games sound off on those systems compare to the originals and some special effects that only works through true scanlines doesn't translate well with the Analogue systems even with fake scanlines turn on.

N64 is my least beloved Nintendo console. I just don’t like the 3D of that era anymore. It’s just not playable these days. I’ll skip this one. Analogue stuff is also very loved by scalpers. Not easy to buy…

This company does not exist for me. What’s the point if I can’t buy their products within a reasonable timeframe and at MSRP? No thanks.

“This is why 4K is so important for 3D games. FPGA plus 4K equals 100 percent control over everything, in every detail. Analogue 3D performs like a masterful f****** orchestra - a symphony - because, again, everything is designed from scratch, in-house, with complete control over every dynamic. Therefore every nuance is able to be calibrated to an unprecedented degree. To me, it’s either this or buy a f****** original N64 and a CRT. End of story.”

When a CEO has to restort to swearing in an official statement, that's when I stop taking them and their product seriously, as good as said product may be.

Everyone talks about how hard it is to get analogue gear, but I managed to snag a black, white, glow in the dark, and purple version of the analog pocket without any trouble and I don’t typically have good luck with preorders.

@TYRANACLES Wii VC , Wii U VC , Nol Switch ... Here You go , dirt cheap even

@shining_nexus reasonable time frame is obviously subjective but I have purchased most of their products at msrp without too much trouble.

They should have called it Analogue Ultra or Analogue 64.

@SwitchForce I don’t think you quite understand what this is and what analogue do/have been doing for a while.

@SwitchForce I don't think you have a real idea of what he was talking about. Putting aside Analogue's gushing over their own product, unofficial Nintendo 64 emulation has actually been improved, which makes Nintendo's look really bad in comparison... it is honestly subpar.

I don't really doubt Analogue's being good however, they have shown to have great products that do go above and beyond on that regard, but they also do emulation in a different way and N64 on MiSTer FPGA emulation has been progressing very well so I don't really doubt them if they give themselves the proper hardware for it.

Will buy one if I can buy one

This beats anything Nintendo is putting out. Been waiting for this day.

What I got from this article is that their CEO has a potty mouth.

Sounds great, looking forward to finally playing my US copy of Conker's Bad Fur Day and it saves me getting a very costly HDMI upgrade for my existing PAL N64.

Agree that the CEO sounds like a prize tw*t though.

@Arcata That is truly impressive. I have to be honest, I didn't even know that the N64 had 120 games (and I'm not being facetious).

I remember getting it my Freshman year of high school and expecting something really amazing (after the tech demo of Final Fantasy that was released for it) and ended up really only liking a handful of games on the system (Mario 64; Ocarina of Time; Ogre Battle 64), and pretty quickly jumped over to the PlayStation to play Final Fantasy VII.

@Ryu_Niiyama FYI, your American N64 will play Japanese carts with a tiny, harmless modification. The only region lock for the NTSC-U/J carts is a piece of plastic that lifts right out. You can 3D print a JPN sized part if you want the carts to fit snugly, or just leave it empty if you don't mind them being loose. It's as simple as taking the top shell off of the system and lifting the little piece of plastic out. I regularly play JPN carts on my NTSC-U N64 with no modding.

Alternatively, you can take the back off of a JPN game cartridge and a US cartridge and switch them. That's even better because it will now fit snugly without any 3D printed parts. Here's a tutorial: https://retrogamesjapan.com/how-tos/play-japanese-n64-games-us-n64-console-vise-versa/

It just occurred to me that maybe you have a PAL console, in which case I apologize for assuming. If it's a PAL console, yeah, you would need an American or Japanese one.

Wouldn't an N64 Classic that actually rendered games at 1080p or 4K blow this out of the water?

I'm a massive n64 fan
So i am watching 👀😁

@BoFiS It would still be laggy like all of the classic/mini systems (as much as i love my SNES classic) and would be limited by what games were included with the system.

This will play any original N64 cart from any region, in 4K with no lag. I'm sold.

If I’d read this blurb and didn’t already own my Analogue Mega Sg and Super Nt, I’d probably laugh off this unprofessional official statement and move on from considering purchasing one.

Analogue products in my experience are as good as it gets with original carts and everdrives on HD sets, but that dude needs to read his statement back on the screen a couple more times before committing to posting… makes them look amateur.

@Paraka There's also statutory damages which only requires infringement, and it's a given that they'd pursue at least a preliminary injunction to stop it entirely. Realistically, I doubt Nintendo would do anything but the N64 was made with SGI's involvement and that's the wildcard. The current owner of SGI's remains, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, has zero involvement in consumer markets. They wouldn't have anything to lose by suing and could drown Analogue in legal fees.

@Paraka I don’t think you were trying to tag me.

@MARl0 What about the 220 other n64 games not on switch online?

@Paraka Yea im loving it lol. I mean i like switch online it would be good enough but theres such a small amount of games on it.

@mjhopkins81 I think it has actually like 220 or 300 lol I just threw a number out there. I had a playstation as well that I played spyro on. I just loved the n64 way more. I probably put like 1000000 hours into Super Mario 64 alone xD

@KerooSeta Yeah, I'm not modifying my original hardware. I'd rather just get a future proof system that is region free.

@Arcata It's currently at about 80% of the N64 library is playable and in a very good state (many are all but perfect). The main games that don't work yet are the ones that require TLB, which hasn't been implemented into the core yet (the developer has stated that TLB will be one of the last major features added since it takes up a decent size of the core and he wants to optimize everything else first).

Seriously though, it has come a long way in a shockingly short amount of time. Only a few months ago, no games would even boot. Now a ton of them are an even match for original hardware. I've been playing through Mischief Makers on it recently, and it is near flawless. And the Nintendo Switch Online N64 controllers work perfectly with it. Easily the best N64 experience I've had since the last time I hooked up my actual N64.

I'd be shocked if the rest of the library wasn't playable by the end of the year.

@HammerGalladeBro People that do that think it makes them sound like "the everyman" (not acknowledging that the everyman ideal is not the same for every person) or more real...even though at the end of the day still trying to sell a product. I'd like my two scoops of respect to go with the marketing sundae, personally.

I wish it was a gamecube instead…

Was it really f****** necessary to swear?

Random opinion: I am suspicious of people who use the phrase "end of story," though I can't explain why

@Ryu_Niiyama I hear you. The Analogue 3D looks great and I look forward to it. I'm just saying that you can absolutely play your JPN carts right now without any kind of permanent modification. It's literally just lifting a little plastic tab out of the console. But no worries, just thought I'd let you know since you said you wanted to play them.

Thank god I can finally play OoT the way it was meant to play: 4K at 20 fps

Already got an actual N64 from my exgf and a 36" CRT along with over 350 games on my ED64+. Also got the wireless controller they sell on EBay that works great and has built-in rumble. If you got the real thing, NSO and analogue products are just a waste of time.

@mattysaurus Emulation is software running on an OS on hardware to recreate the original hardware. Virtualization is software (a hypervisor) running on hardware to recreate original hardware. Gate arrays are hardware recreating hardware. Certainly not the same thing, certainly not enough for you to ask others to say it with you.

I just want a regular N64 overclocked far enough for all games to run full speed.

Screw resolution, really.

@mattysaurus
No Software Emulation works different, it translates the Orders to something that the Device can work with.
FPGA is a Chip that can change to work exactly as the Chip you are Programming.
If an FPGA has Errors with the Console Chip it mimiks, it because the Chip isn't replicated exactly and needs fixes.
There is no Blueprint of many of those Chips, so People literally look at high Definition Pictures to see the Transistors and write Programs to trigger the Chip to do certain Things, with that they replicate it.

Meanwhile Emulation is more an Translator.
Thats why you can have 0 lag with FPGA, as translating costs Time and depending on your System, it could understand and interprate something a bit Different

So FPGA should be the go to.

But! The Work on FPGA can benefit Software Emulation, as they can write better slicker Code that Translates Stuff more directly/better.

So as long as it is somehow open, we're all benefiting from such Stuff

@Iconoclysm Taber engages in marketing fluff that you seem more than happy to fall for. Also, never said it was the same thing. What I did say is that they’re both emulation, which is absolutely true. Taber calls it “simulation,” which is just more marketing fluff to make it sound superior to emulation. Both have their pros and cons.

"To me, it’s either this or buy a f****** original N64 and a CRT. End of story."

is it just me or is his tone completely unnecessary, here?

"This afternoon I'll either drink coffee or A F*CKING CUP OF TEA!!"

EDIT - btw are we pretending that you cant get a 64 and a CRT already? I come across a free or cheap CRT like every couple months, sometimes i snag it to give to a friend, or keep it if its better than one of mine.

played my 64 on my 27" xflat sharp this morning, it's a thing of beauty.

"What are you waiting for? Nin- ...Analogue to make one?"

@Azuris so what you’re saying is… FPGA emulates the chips.

See what I’m getting at here? They’re both emulation, just at different levels. They’re both valid, just different approaches. Taber likes to pretend that FPGA is superior, when in reality it’s only as good as its programming. And let’s be honest, I enjoy all my analogue devices but Mister cores are more accurate.

Also, you have it the other way around on who benefits who. Kevtris and other FPGA devs have significantly benefitted from all the work software emu devs like Near did for the community. They’ve admitted as much.

OK, but I'm still not convinced by their controller design over the revolutionary and paradigm-shifting original though. And the controller is a major part of the experience with any interactive video game console. I mean, I'm sure what they've went with will be fine, but there's stuff that original controller did that just won't be possible with the design they've gone with here, which is a bit of a loss in my personal opinion. And that original design is just so unique and iconic.

@mattysaurus As someone who has been working in virtualizing servers, desktops, and applications in datacenters, enterprises, and IaaS for two decades, my answer has nothing to do with his claims...so I'm certainly not "falling for marketing fluff".

There is no "pro" to software emulation over virtualization. And there is no "pro" to virtualization vs. gate arrays, at least from the perspective of a consumer. In fact, the only thing I could imagine would be a pro here would be if you don't have access to those better solutions and have to resort to emulating on another device. So, I guess you could count "ease of access"?

This doesn't just apply to gaming, the guitar world has gone through similar transitions with amplifier modelling (modelling is probably the closer term for what FPGA consoles are doing, actually). The current leaders in the market, Fractal Audio, got there by leveraging FPGA in exactly the same way. Anything where you are trying to recreate a circuit is best done with an FPGA, no matter what the application. And in the case of older gaming hardware like this, it's absolutely perfect - probably up to the PS2 but not beyond GameCube or Xbox, where that hardware architecture can be leveraged on modern PC hardware.

It's true that sometimes the hardware is not accurately reflected in the FPGA core, but each cycle represents one cycle on the original hardware regardless. Where emulation is more like 4 to 1. Doesn't matter with a turn based RPG or Strategy title, or even some very loose action games if you're not aiming for difficulty. But arcade titles and shmups? Or even the Ninja Gaidens and Ghouls N Ghosts of those days? Emulation is a handicap.

@RetroGames The controller is 8bitdo's, you can tell by the heart button. I'm not convinced about it either, but it's not Analogue that we will need to take it up with.

@-wc- If you're reading his tone as your standard business type CEO, it's absolutely ridiculous. In this case though, the guy is more of an unpolished tinkerer than someone who should be speaking in public. If they plan to grow as a company, he's going to need some training or step back.

@mattysaurus What proof do you have of Mister cores being more accurate than Analogue's? They both run at the same speeds, and Mister seems to have more problems with games running on the specific cores that Analogue targets.

@KerooSeta you can also just swap the backs of the cartridges, but that's more of a hassle.

So yeah, just remove the tabs on the cartridge slot and you're all set. A few years ago, I got a bunch of Japanese N64 games, so I had to do that mod. The difficult part is the screwdriver to open the system, which thankfully the seller also had.

If you're really good at it, you can paste back the cut tabs to cover the holes they left and make the piece look kind of like this:

@Iconoclysm my proof is that near every time I play a game on analogue machines, I run into bugs that were fixed on mister years ago. Yes, I’ve submitted bug reports. The Lavos scream and FFVI texture bugs just got fixed after 4 years. Also, the sound core on the Mega SG is still not perfect, and they seem to have no intention of fixing it at this point.

The pro to software emulation vs fpga for most consumers is cost. You can get pretty great emulation on just about anything these days: raspberry pi, old computers, streaming devices, little portables. It’s wild. It introduces a little lag, yes, but if you’re in game mode and have a controller with stable lag (ie 2.4 8bitdo vs Bluetooth), you acclimate very quickly. Also, you can enable run ahead on more powerful systems, which virtually eliminates lag. In reality, 95% of people don’t even notice the lag; just look at how successful switch online is.

So yes, cost is absolutely a big factor here. I can’t even convince my friend to buy a Retrotink Mini (when it was still available) for $70, let alone a $300 Retrotink 5X, Analogue device, or Mister.

Speaking of Fractal, it’s more apple to oranges, but let’s roll with it. Not everyone has a grand (or more!) to drop on a modeling amp. Hell, my Vibro Champ, MusicMaster Bass amp, and B-15 were all more affordable than a Helix or whatever flavor you prefer, and they won’t be subject to the same planned obsolescence. I also have “cheap” stuff like a modded Rumble 40 that are perfectly fine at doing “the thing.” They all have their pros; cost should never be discounted as one of them.

@SwitchForce It's not Nintendo's IP. All N64 patents are expired and the hardware is in the public domain. Hence why for example we have emulated N64 games on the Xbox platform. There's nothing illegal in making a hardware or software recreation of the N64 since the IP protection expired years ago.

The only complication here is whatever bios the N64 had, which is protected by copyright (which won't be expiring for several more decades). Either the N64 doesn't have one (which I doubt is the case) or they've engineered a non-infringing substitute.

@Iconoclysm

i agree that hes "not your typical CEO" but i mean if one of my also unpolished friends talked to me that way id tell them they need to calm down lol 😆

Hard pass for me. Regular N64/N64 controller all the way for me.

All I got from this was, "Our device is so much better than the decades-old device it's emulating."

I'll believe it when I see it... and get a chance to purchase it without too much hassle and financial woe.

@PessitheMystic Indeed. It sounds like he was responding to a skeptic or a competitor, but I think he was just making an announcement. Weird approach.

@SwitchForce Reverse engineering is legal, deal with it.

As I have a f****** original N64 and a CRT I don’t need to f****** buy this.

What a thoroughly pleasant guy.

My only question is why would anyone what to view N64 games in 4K? Gamecube, Wii, Wii U, Switch, I get.

But 1st gen 3D Nintendo efforts in 4K seems like a waste of time. How much clearer do you want to see those sharp-edged polygons get?

Good CRTs are being slurped up by collectors (the great majority of whom are jackasses if you ask me) and getting increasingly harder to find at thrift shops. At least in my experience. I'll keep an eye on this.

@HammerGalladeBro The tone sounds needlessly crass and condescending, yeah. "Masterful f'ing orchestra"? Give me a break.

@SwitchForce Nintendo's patents on the N64 have probably expired by now. Therefore they're free to copy the HARDWARE, that is separate from copyright law (or "IP"). Just as long as they don't include ROMs or other code written by Nintendo.

Still, beating Nintendo these days on emulation isn't exactly a high bar to top.
Nintendo whines and moans about how bad unauthorized emulation is but they might have some of the most half***ed care for presentation. Very much of a "it works, good enough" mindset for functionality.

@Turbo857 I think the reason for the 4K resolution is to get clean integer scaling and better CRT filters. Also, as 4K TVs are more common, it also alleviates the need for the TV to do any of the upscaling itself.

@KingMike IP is simply an abbreviation for intellectual property. Generally it's something that's trademarked, copyrighted, or patented. Doesn't refer specifically to any one of the three.

The patents are expired. What's left that's protected is the Nintendo 64 name itself and associated logos that remain trademarked and software code that's still protected by active copyrights.

@contractcooker I don’t mean the start time, but how long before it sells out, which is literally minutes and with high traffic. Regardless, I had a bad experience with it and could care less anymore. If they ever release at retail then I may consider buying from them.

@KingMike Nintendo doesn't care about emulations, they cared about sales. If emulations doesn't get in the way of sales then they won't come after those. This is why they don't go after emulator makers, only Sony and Sega had done that. Nintendo only go after the rom providers and those who made popular fan games/remakes/remasters of their property. For them to not go after those, those fan games must not be popular otherwise they'll get what's coming to them.

I still wish for analogue pocket 2 with a nintendo dsi like design 😕

btw, for anyone who doesn't want to get a bulky CRT:
A real N64 works/looks pretty good on a quality SD(!) LCD TV.
I got myself a 10€ Sharp Aquos LC-20S4E (even "made in japan") for gaming because my old CRT consumed a sh*tton of energy.
It puts out 640x480max and all my old consoles(NES,SNES,N64 and GC) look great on it. I also use it for my VCR. The picture is sharp and CRT'ish without hardly any 'smear'.
certainly a good compromise for anyone without CRT

@Ryu_Niiyama you can order a $3 3d printed slot cover to play those carts. it takes 5-10 to swap it in.

@mattysaurus
Yes, it depends on how accurate the Chip is remade.
The Word Emulation doesn't match the Distinction of both well enough.

Software Emulation = Interpretation and Translation of Orders to another alien System
FPGA = Sending Orders to a replicated Chip

The Chip can only handle Orders in a certain unchangable Way, as it is designed, meanwhile the Software can Interprate and handle it depending on the working Systems Harsware and the Software.

And clearly each another brings better Understanding of how Orders have to Work

@shining_nexus this.... just isn't true. For the limited edition pockets it was but it was quite easy to grab a white/black one. And all the other products were available for purchase days or weeks after they were initially available. And some products had multiple runs in case you didn't get them the first time.

@__jamiie Copyright issues with Konami, Nintendo or even Commodore.

Reading the f-words in the CEO's quote, just lowered my opinion of this company.

@HammerGalladeBro Yeah, 100%. I have a 3D printer, so I printed one that fits both so that American and Japanese carts fit snugly as they are supposed to.

@Serpenterror "they'll get what's coming to them". The people who are SELLING and PROFITTING from unauthorized remakes, deserve trouble.
But the people who are merely making them for personal enjoyment, to only show their love for the creations possibly more than the soulless corporation who has expressed they don't really give a s*** about their fanbase more than when money is to be made. They do not.

I'm specifically thinking of Pokemon Prism, but Nintendo uses fangames as an excuse to hide when they've fallen on creativity (or are held back by caring about the whims of shareholders, so they have to play it "safe"). They were mad a ROM hack made by SOME DUDE was generating more excitement than the official game they put millions into (Sun and Moon). It's better for their short-term future (appeasing the shareholders) to blame the fans than to accept they were just making the same old thing with a couple bells and whistles to carry the sales, and they should come up with more interesting ideas. They should worry more about appeasing the fans to keep them coming back. People cared less about Sun and Moon because ORAS left them disappointed. People didn't like the Battle Frontier was left out, but also the difficulty level was way neutered from the original. Like, even before figuring out how much Affection broke it.
But no, it's the fans ruining their business!

Sorry but I feel like I've been over this with you before.

@timschel I have no desire to modify my system. I'd rather just get a future proof system that is region free.

@contractcooker I literally could not get their latest product. It sold out within minutes. It might have been special edition (glow in the dark pocket), so maybe that was it. If it only applies for special editions, then I stand corrected. It was their latest product and I just assumed that was how they did business.

However, special edition or not, that’s still a crappy practice. I’m also not a fan of paying straight up for preorders, especially for hundreds of dollars.

@shining_nexus Yeah the glow in the dark and all the various transparent models were limited but the original Black/White pockets were on sale for quite some time. Same with the Duo, MegaSG and SuperNT. I do sympathize with people who missed out on the special editions but it's not always like that with every product.

Fix the bugs in your other products firmwares first, Mr. Taber.

@-wc- I would literally commit a felony for a crt tv where tf you live to find them willy nilly? My last crt I had was broken by my drunk roomate in college who smashed his head into the screen after he blacked out.

@Arcata

LOL well i knew there had to be SOME upside to living in Tulsa, Oklahoma! 😆

OK then, I accept that they are harder to find for other people than i thought! thanks for the perspective ✌️

PS - i find them at garage sales and thrift stores with some regularity. ive literally never seen one sold anywhere but those two places, since they were new in stores.

the trick with thrift stores (and garage sales) is you only find stuff if you go! best of luck finding one! 👍

@IceEarthGuard

im a HUGE fan of the 64 controller, especially the button layout, but im open to different ergonomics and stick designs!

cant wait to see this controller!

If Nintendo made it, it would at least be more affordable. Probably.

@-wc- I spent $150 on a big crt tv on ebay and when it was delivered they dropped it hard on my front door. When I got home from Work I opened it and it was broken -_-