After a long wait and multiple “your order is coming (we swear)” emails, I was finally blessed with a knock on my door and a box in my hand. Ripping it open revealed the answer to my very specific, very nerdy prayers: a nondescript black box with the Analogue logo and a sticker on the back that simply said “Analogue 3D.”

With a chest full of old N64 carts and a growing itch to revisit some of my childhood memories, I plugged in the cables, slotted in a cartridge, and fired it up.

Who (and What) Is Analogue?

If you’re not familiar with Analogue, they’re a video game hardware company that makes new consoles for old games. Instead of emulators running on off-the-shelf chips, they build modern hardware that can play original cartridges, with a focus on preservation and authenticity.

I first met Analogue through the Analogue Pocket, which is how I replayed my original cartridge of Pokémon Gold for my comparison review. The Pocket’s whole deal is simple but powerful: take your dusty old handheld games and make them look and feel incredible on modern screens, with higher resolutions, sharp output, and a ton of quality-of-life options.

The Analogue 3D aims to do the same thing for the Nintendo 64.

Not Your Usual Emulator Box

The big difference between Analogue consoles and those cheap “all-in-one retro” boxes is how they handle the games. The Analogue 3D isn’t just running an emulator on a tiny computer; it uses FPGA (field-programmable gate array) hardware to recreate the original N64 at a low level. In practice, that means the games you’re playing are as close as possible to how they would’ve run on original hardware—just with modern conveniences on top.

If you really want to lean into the 80s and 90s vibes, you can even change the display settings to mimic a CRT television, complete with scanlines and that soft phosphor glow. Or, if you’d rather see every jagged polygon in horrifying clarity, you can go sharp and clean instead.

On a traditional N64 hooked up to a modern TV, you’re usually fighting at least three things:

• Crusty old cables
  
• A TV that doesn’t really know what to do with that signal
  
• An upscaler that may or may not introduce input delay
  

Best case, you get a playable image that still kind of looks like colorful soup. Worst case, you’re playing Mario Kart 64 with enough lag to feel like you’re steering via postal mail.

N64 vs Analogue 3D: Which Experience Wins?

That got me thinking: if you put cost aside for a minute and just compare experience, which one actually feels better to play—an original N64 or the Analogue 3D?

For me, the answer showed up pretty quickly.

Earlier in 2025, I played through the original Pokémon Snap on my actual N64. To get that working, I had to go through the whole ritual: inserting the cartridge, removing it, blowing on it (yes, I know you’re not supposed to, no, I will not stop), reinserting it, wiggling it, and hoping that the console gods were in a good mood.

Even once the game booted, I had to run it through a cheap Amazon upscaler just so it wouldn’t look like it was smeared across the screen with a glue stick. I don’t have a CRT lying around, so this is the reality for most modern setups:

• Budget upscaler + modern TV = visible but mushy image
  
• Input delay that you feel even if you can’t measure it
  
• A general sense of “this is fine, but it could be better”
  

If you want a truly good experience on original hardware today, you’re often looking at:

• An original N64
  
• A higher-end device like a RetroTink or other good scaler
  
• Possibly hunting down an older TV
  

By the time you add all that up, the cheaper option stops looking so cheap.

With the Analogue 3D, you plug in HDMI, power, and you’re done. The image is sharp. The input feels responsive. You don’t have to stack converters like you’re building a cursed AV totem pole. On top of that, the console can receive OS updates via the SD card slot on the back, so firmware fixes and new features can roll in directly from Analogue without you replacing or modding anything.

And then there’s the controller situation: you still get the four traditional ports on the front for original N64 controllers, but you also get support for modern wireless controllers like 8BitDo’s line, which is a massive quality-of-life boost if you want to play from the couch without dealing with cable spaghetti.

The Cost Conversation

Yes, the Analogue 3D has a higher upfront price than picking up a secondhand N64 at a flea market. On paper, the original hardware is cheaper.

In reality, though, if you want:

• A decent image on a modern TV
  
• Reasonable input response
  
• Hardware that doesn’t fight you every time you boot a game
  

…you’re likely either paying for scalers, hunting for older televisions, or settling for a compromised experience.

So while the Analogue 3D may cost more at checkout, it can easily end up being the more sensible option if you’re planning to actually spend hours and hours revisiting your library.

You’re paying for convenience, stability, and the ability to just sit down and play your games without troubleshooting AV issues like it’s your second job.

Unboxing the Future of the Past

Let’s bring it back to that box on my doorstep.

The Analogue 3D itself is smaller than an original N64—shorter, less wide, and generally more “modern tech box” than “chunky 90s spaceship toy.” It still delivers the classic four controller ports on the front, so your original N64 controllers slot in like they always have. Power switch on the left, reset button on the right: familiar enough to feel nostalgic, refined enough to feel intentional.

On the back, you’ve got:

• HDMI out
  
• SD card slot
  
• Power connection
  
• Two USB ports
  

Everything you expect from a modern console, laid out cleanly.

Looks Good on the Shelf, Too

While it doesn’t come in the gloriously loud purple, translucent plastic, or Pikachu-yellow shells of the original N64 variants, the Analogue 3D has a sleek, minimalist look that fits right in on a modern entertainment center.

You currently get two color options—black or white. I went with black to match my Analogue Pocket and help it blend in with the rest of the consoles on my shelf. It’s understated in a way I appreciate; it looks like a piece of modern tech that just happens to be secretly obsessed with 1996.

I’d be shocked if Analogue never rolls out special editions or fun colors down the line, but even in basic black, it feels premium.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely love the Analogue 3D.

It’s earned a permanent spot on my shelf alongside the consoles I use the most, not just as a novelty, but as the way I want to play N64 games going forward. The ability to play region-free cartridges is huge, the video options are flexible without being overwhelming, and the quality-of-life improvements—modern outputs, firmware updates, wireless controller support—add up to something that feels respectful of the original hardware without being chained to its limitations.

Is it pricey? Yes.

Is it worth it if you’re serious about revisiting your N64 library on modern hardware? For me, absolutely.

If you’ve got a stack of old cartridges and a desire to relive those blocky, blurry, wonderful memories without fighting your TV every step of the way, the Analogue 3D makes the past feel surprisingly comfortable in the present.