I'm currently having a blast playing my Nintendo DS library on the MagicX Zero 40, but the company now has the N64 in its sights. Announced via the retro handheld maker's official Discord, the upcoming portable will seemingly pair the '90s retro console's face button layout and octagonal thumbstick with portable elements, but will happily handle a bunch of other well-known systems too.
Dubbed the Retro 45, MagicX teased its N64 handheld by sharing pre-rendered close-ups on its Discord channel (via Retro Handhelds.) The renders provide a direct glimpse at the portable's button layout, which naturally includes a C-pad for using Ninty's early 3D camera controls, distinct A and B buttons, and a joystick on the left-hand side.
MagicX is keeping virtually every other detail close to its chest right now, but the Retro 45 images provide some form-factor clues. The fact that its Z-trigger appears to be positioned next to the shoulder button could mean it'll feature a more conventional design rather than borrowing the OG N64 controller's controversial three-prong grip shape.
That said, seam lines on the render appear to bend outwards at the bottom of the gaming handheld, which could mean it'll pay some sort of tribute to the gamepad's grips. Both the company's dedicated DS emulation device and its Mini Zero 28 V2 portable feature pretty flat designs, so if MagicX's latest invention looks like a spaceship, it'll feel pretty distinct.
Even if it does look like an N64 gamepad with a screen in the middle, MagicX says this handheld will also cater to Sega Saturn, Genesis (Mega Drive), and Dreamcast fans. If you pretend the C buttons aren't for camera controls, they will actually serve as a 6-button pad for fighting games, so the design physically makes sense for those consoles.
Whether it'll run Dreamcast games well, though, is another matter entirely. Being able to handle Sega's last system suggests the Retro 45 will boast beefy specs, perhaps on par with the likes of the Anbernic RG Cube. However, even that punchy portable can struggle with N64 emulation due to the original console's unique innards.
In truth, I gave up trying to achieve a perfect N64 emulation experience on handhelds a while ago. While emulators have come on leaps and bounds since my initial attempts, new FPGA consoles like the upcoming Analogue 3D are going to be a complete game-changer in terms of accuracy and performance. Even its 8Bitdo N64 controller makes for a phenomenal homage to the OG gamepad, so MagicX has a physical fight on its hands too.
And, that's ultimately why I can't decide if the timing of MagicX's N64 handheld announcement is a blessing or a curse. If it can nail the emulation side of things while providing faithful controls, we could be looking at a pretty nifty portable. However, if I load up Donkey Kong 64, only to find that DK's pupils are MIA, half the textures are borked, and the camera is jittery, it'll only re-affirm the need for more FPGA hardware solutions.
Am I hyped for the N64 handheld anyway? Absolutely, and while I'll be sharing my MagicX Zero 40 review soon, its Nintendo DS portable proves the company has a knack for dedicated emulation systems.
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