Latest news with #TurboGrafx16
Android Authority
16-07-2025
- Android Authority
Analogue's N64 clone is finally shipping, and there's good news for pre-orders
TL;DR Analogue announced its N64 FPGA device is finally shipping in August. Released in pre-order in October 2024, the Analogue 3D faced nearly a year of delays. Pre-orders are not subject to additional tariff charges, with Analogue eating the cost. The Analogue 3D made huge waves when it was made available for pre-order in October 2024, promising to play classic N64 cartridges in full 4K over HDMI. The $250 pre-orders quickly sold out, and after nearly a year of waiting, Analogue has announced that it will finally be shipping next month. This is the third time the company has delayed shipping, with initial estimates for the end of 2024, then July 2025, and now late-August 2025. Analogue cites 'last week's sudden tariff changes' as a reason for this final delays, but it appears that the date will actually stick this time. Tariffs have touched nearly every gaming handheld release this year, from the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 to the Nintendo Switch 2. Analogue has promised to absorb any extra tariff costs for pre-order customers, but it's not clear whether the product will ever be back in stock — and at what price. The Analogue 3D is a modern take on the N64, with Bluetooth and full 4K output. Despite its troubles with timeliness, Analogue is renowned for making excellent devices. The Analogue 3D is its third release after tackling the TurboGrafx-16 and Game Boy. The Analogue Pocket in particular impressed us in our review, although it now faces stiff competition from the ModRetro Chromatic. ModRetro has also teased an N64 FPGA device called the M64, although no concrete details have emerged as of yet. The Analogue 3D isn't a 1:1 copy of the N64, but rather a modern reinterpretation. It's still 100% compatible with the full N64 catalog, using low-level hardware emulation via FPGA chips to provide a much more authentic experience than software emulators could ever dream of. Given the difficulties with emulating the N64's unique architecture on modern devices, this makes a huge difference for retro gaming fans. In terms of modernizations, the console features full 4K output over HDMI, which is 10x the resolution of the original console. To keep things authentic, it has built-in filters to replicate the CRT look of displays at the time. It keeps the power and reset buttons of the original console, as well as all four controller ports. If you don't have (or just hate) original N64 controllers, Analogue has partnered with 8bitdo to create a modernized version, complete with Bluetooth compatibility and a design that's better suited to human physiology. It ships at the end of July, and is compatible with not just the Analogue 3D, but also PCs, Android devices, and even the Nintendo Switch. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Forbes
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Analogue Duo Makes Classic TurboGrafx-16 Games Accessible Again
The Analogue Duo can play classic PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 games without the need for emulation. For fans of the TurboGrafx and PC Engine, the Analogue Duo has a lot to offer and allows these classic systems to breathe life into their software libraries once more. Originally released in 1987 in Japan, the PC Engine started off life as a cartridge console, with its own HuCards storage setup. Technically an 8-bit system, much like the Famicom, the PC Engine did have two 16-bit graphics processors, which allowed it to compete more directly with the Super Famicom. When it came Westward in 1988, it became known as the TurboGrafx-16, with the latter '16' being something of a contentious point, as it technically wasn't a full-on 16-bit system. That said, what the PC Engine, and subsequently the TurboGrafx-16, did do very well was handle arcade ports almost perfectly. The most famous of these was the first R-Type, which was split across two HuCards, which brings me onto the Duo. The Analogue Duo supports HuCards and CD-ROMs. The Duo for both systems added a CD-ROM drive to the setup and allowed games with more audio and graphics to be pumped through the system. It also meant that games like R-Type could have their two HuCards combined onto one CD, with an all-new funky soundtrack. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Considering the legacy of R-Type on the PC Engine, it felt only fitting to test drive it on the Analogue Duo, which again uses a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) like their other retro-inspired systems. That means that the Analogue Duo is not emulating its games; it's running them effectively natively. This is an important point, because if you wanted to play PC Engine games, HuCard or CD, on an original system, let alone the even rarer portable PC Engine GT, you're going to have your work cut out for you. Especially as hardware such as the PC Engine GT is notoriously unreliable these days, as these systems weren't sadly built for a long lifespan, especially when it comes to the old CD-ROM drives in the Duo. The Analogue Duo uses an FPGA, so it is not emulating the games it runs. This is where the Analogue Duo comes in and allows classic HuCard and CD-ROM games to be played on modern displays at 1080p. Games like Macross 2036, being one of the earlier Masaya shmups, are very hard to get a hold of these days, and even harder to play on classic hardware (if you can even find hardware that works). This is why Analogue, and its family of retro systems using FPGA hardware, are helping to keep classic consoles like the PC Engine and the TurboGrafx-16 alive. It's also a helpful way to look back and see how the PC Engine's foray into CD-ROM games would, in turn, force Nintendo's hand and their ill-fated alliance with Sony to create the original Nintendo PlayStation. In many ways, the PC Engine was the indirect start of the PlayStation and the legacy it has had on the games industry. Thankfully, the Analogue Duo is still readily available from their online shop for $249.99, and the wirelessly compatible 8BitDo PC Engine Mini controller is still on Amazon for $24.24. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
