Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR The ModRetro M64 will be playable this weekend at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
The modern N64 FPGA device plays original N64 cartridges, plus many more via MiSTer cores.
It may beat the Analogue 3D out of the gate, despite being announced more than a year later.
The N64 is making a comeback, with two separate FPGA consoles set to arrive soon. The most recent contender, the ModRetro M64, will be playable for the first time at this weekend’s Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
Announced via X, this will be the first official look at the M64 hardware. Several key details have been revealed over the past few months, including the fact that it will be capable of running MiSTer cores to emulate other consoles, but the physical hardware design is still a mystery. The announcement includes an illustration of the console, which looks fairly faithful to the original hardware.
The M64 will be playable at booth 601 of the Portland Retro Gaming Expo from October 17-19. The console is compatible with analog outputs, so hopefully the company has a nice CRT for a truly authentic experience. Keep your eyes on social media to see the first pictures and impressions from visitors.
ModRetro, founded by the controversial defense tech billionaire Palmer Luckey, has released just one product previously: the ModRetro Chromatic. The modern Game Boy really impressed us in our review, although the $200 starting price will put off all but the most dedicated collectors. The company has also released or re-released several physical copies of Game Boy games.
The ModRetro M64 will be playable this weekend at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo.
The M64, which also starts at $199 during the early bird period, is the company’s first home console. It’s based on the open-source N64 MiSTer core, with updated hardware for better performance. New text on the official product page lists October 31 as the cutoff date to secure early bird pricing, so enter your email address soon if you’re considering a purchase.
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