"Inflation isn't nostalgic" - Modretro's FPGA N64 console will arrive later this year for $199.99, but I'm curbing my retro console enthusiasm

The creators of the Modretro Chromatic just shared a new teaser for its FPGA N64 , and the reimagined retro console will set you back $199.99. The cartridge-based system will also seemingly arrive in time for Christmas, but I'm going to need more details than that.

Announced via X, Modretro's founder, Palmer Luckey, teases the "M64" with a video of someone playing Mario Kart 64 on a hidden console. To add to the cheese, the cloaked system has a handwritten sign next to it that reads "no peeking until Christmas!" presumably serving as a rough ETA. That hint is followed up by a more straightforward $199.99 MSRP reveal at the end of the clip.

That happens to be the same as the Nintendo 64 launch price back in 1997, and the MSRP isn't coincidental. As a caption to the teaser clip, Palmer proclaims "Inflation isn't nostalgic," while claiming that the M64 will be "The best and most authentic way to play your favorite N64 games, bar none."

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The announcement comes exactly one week after word of another Analogue N64 console delay, so you could say the Modretro's annoucement is tactical. However, it's worth noting that the Analogue 3D is set to be with us next month, and unlike the M64, we know exactly the sort of FPGA experience it intends to deliver.

The assumption is that the M64 will rival the Analogue 3D with 4K output and almost perfect N64 cartridge compatibility using FPGA (field programmable gate array) tech. In layman's terms, it'll mimic Nintendo's original console on a hardware level rather than relying on emulation, which theoretically results in better performance and accuracy.

At this stage, the Analogue 3D already has all its cards on the table. The console promises 4K output, built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and original display modes that'll replicate the unique effect of CRT TVs. There's every chance the M64 will offer up similar benefits, but Modretro seems to be sitting on any specific plans it has for the FPGA system.

If the Chromatic is anything to go by, there's also a chance the M64's shell will be made of magnesium alloy, but this is speculation based on the FPGA Game Boy Color. Nevertheless, it's safe to say the end result will likely be something that looks like an original N64 but with premium elements and stylistic changes.

No matter what system you end up going for, 2025 is going to usher in an easier way to play N64 games in 4K. I'm currently working on cheaper DIY methods that involve the original hardware, but upscaling things to UHD resolutions is both tricky and expensive. Whether or not it's worth spending $249 on the Analogue 3D over the $199.99 Modretro M64 will become clear soon, but with only $50 of a price gap between the two, players could end up grabbing the former months in advance (provided it doesn't pull a Pocket and go swiftly out of stock.)

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