Two N64 clones are on sale this holiday, and they're about $40 apart

Getting old Nintendo 64 cartridges to look good on a big modern TV has always been a pain. This Christmas you have two real choices, and they come from two very different companies.

The new kid: ModRetro M64

ModRetro, the retro hardware company backed by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, put the M64 on sale July 28 through its own website. It's priced at $229, with early waitlist buyers getting it for $199 through a discount code. A GameStop-exclusive "Smoke" version in dark colors followed on August 21 for U.S. buyers, also at $229, and reports describe it as purely cosmetic.

Like its rival, the M64 doesn't use software emulation. It runs on an FPGA, a chip configured to behave like the original N64 hardware, and it plays your actual cartridges. Coverage lists:

• HDMI output at 720p, 1080p or 4K
• Four controller ports, a microSD slot and a USB-C port
• A fanless design and over-the-air updates
• Four new cartridge releases at launch: Xeno Crisis, Xibalba 64, Extreme-G Turbo Fusion and Buck Bumble

Controllers are the catch. ModRetro's Pro Controller, a modern take on the three-pronged pad, is sold separately at $89.99. ModRetro says original N64 controllers and some third-party pads also work.

One warning from before launch: Recalbox found nearly fifty games on ModRetro's compatibility list flagged with bugs of varying severity. Check that list against your shelf before you buy.

The incumbent: Analogue 3D

Analogue's 3D finally shipped in November 2025 after roughly two years of delays, and a tariff-driven restock bumped its price from $249.99 to $269.99. Analogue pitches it as fully compatible with the N64 library and region-free, with 4K output, HDR and original-style controller ports that take Rumble Paks and Transfer Paks without adapters. It doesn't come with a controller either.

Reviews were strong. IGN scored it 8 out of 10 and Wired gave it a 9, though Wired knocked the system menus and the missing controller. Since then, Analogue has kept pushing firmware updates, adding save states in May and internal graphical upscaling in July.

So which one?

On price, the M64 wins, and Luckey has said it will be friendlier to third-party cores than the Analogue, which doesn't support other consoles at all. On maturity, The Shortcut's coverage found the Analogue 3D's software more developed and feature-rich. Stock on the Analogue has also come and gone, so availability may decide it for you.

Either way, budget for controllers. A $229 console plus two $90 pads is not a $229 purchase. If you go the cheaper controller route, an 8BitDo 64 controller is one of the pads officially supported on the Analogue.

And if your N64 carts are still in a tote in the garage, dig them out first. Neither box does anything without them.