# Analogue 3D is Shipping and Looks *Very* Good The embargo has dropped and shipping notifications have gone out. The Analogue 3D is very real and appears to *over* deliver on its biggest promises, while falling short on others. I have watched plenty of videos and dove deep into articles. I had plenty of unanswered questions from my [[Analogue 3D Preview|preview]] back in February and these reviews answered most of them. I'll link and share my observations from *their* observations so we can all understand the 3D a little better before it arrives on people's doorsteps in just a few days. The short answer though? This thing is the real deal. ### My Lingering Questions My biggest question was about the Original Display Modes and their capture card compatibility. > There's one other niggle though in regard to the Original Display Mode. In footnote #11 on the product page, there's an odd catch with the ODM and capture cards; > > > Analogue 3D cannot use a capture card with Original Display Modes enabled. It can use a capture card in 4K without Original Display Modes. > > Huh? I have no clue why a mask and scanlines would prevent someone from using a capture card with the display modes. I expected a big hubbub at review time about how the ODMs were incompatible with capture...except that did not happen. Every video I watched showed off the BVM, PVM, CRT, and Scanline effects in all their retro glory. What gives? I asked around and the best guess is that Analogue is hedging here. The 3D outputs a full 4K60 signal with 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, while capture cards typically have 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. This loss of chroma is detrimental to these types of effects. The guess is then that Analogue would rather claim incompatibility than explain this technicality. It also explains why the promised screenshot feature *does* work with ODM. HDR support was another question. It is there, but the implementation is lackluster. The toggle is just "On" or "Off" with no calibration settings. Most of the footage I saw actually appeared darker than SDR. Comments from Analogue to reviewers do claim a more robust implementation will come down the line. VRR is missing in action. The feature is still on the spec sheet, but there is zero implementation as of release. There is Auto Low-Latency Mode (ALLM), but that's not super necessary if you have calibrated your television for gaming. Speaking of MIA, there is actually quite a bit missing from the "definitive, scholarly OS for N64." > "Feature wise, 3DOS appears to have parity with current iterations of Analogue software. I see save sates, time logging and screenshots[^8] under "memories," and the Library. This is great to see, but it is expected. If one of these was missing, I'd be shocked. " Color me shocked because all of those are missing. I didn't see any mention of Wi-Fi or time and date either. You can see these features if [you dig on their website](https://images.analogue.co/os.15206eeb22b2b05d16bcefabe26d32ad.png?w=4000&s=ee21049267155cec5ad971a167ba5b6f)—it seems Analogue has scrubbed those screenshots from the public eye—you won't find any of it in the 1.1.0 firmware. I will say that the shipping version of 3DOS *looks* much more suited for a home console and big screen, not bulbous like on the Pocket and Duo. ![[251119_3DOS Angled Screenshot.jpg]] It is important to note that those little cartridge art icons are *not* included in the OS, presumably for copyright reasons. There will be [community tools](https://www.analogue.co/support/3d/guide/3dos) like on the Pocket and openFPGA to add these yourself. > "Library also supports community-generated cartridge label artwork. For the best experience, we suggest adding these images to the SD card." Looking at that angled Library screenshot, there are some niceties I appreciate. As someone building out their own "scholarly" database of their [[My Game Library|game collection]], I like seeing the developer, publisher, and release date. What I love though are the icons for player count and accessories. With some many variables for multiplayer, this is a handy implementation to know at a glance what can support four players. We can also see a "Configure" menu option. Turns out that the Analogue 3D sports per-game settings instead of global. GameSack did notice that the SD card has a folder for "GLOBAL" settings, but there is nothing inside said folder at this time. More promised features for future updates. I won't dive into the configuration settings here, I think friends-of-the-blog My Life in Gaming [do a superb job](https://youtu.be/wyIDr_PDIbI?si=4GyFfHH4Ks9IXIbI&t=557). I do love the little icons Analogue has designed though. Each controller type and accessory seems to be represented [here](https://www.analogue.co/support/3d/guide/compatible-media#compatible-original-accessories). One more thing before I go into specific reviews is the 3D manual's list of [compatible media](https://www.analogue.co/support/3d/guide/compatible-media). > - Official Nintendo-manufactured N64 cartridges (all regions) > - Official reproduction cartridges > - Built-in Cartridge Real Time Clocks, SmartMedia Card Readers > - The 64DD disk drive cannot be *directly* mounted to Analogue3D. "Official reproduction cartridges" has to allude to stuff like [[The Sad Backstory of Limited Run Games|Limited Run Games]], but I don't think I'd trust their [[Limited Run Games Sells 3DO Games that don't Work on 3DO|reproductions]] going [[Limited Run Games says two of its recent NES releases could damage the console – VGC|forward]]. While flashcarts are mostly not working as of release, I am curious about my one off repro for *[[Castlevania - Legacy of Darkness|Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness]]*. It is certainly not official, but it is also not technically a Everdrive. I assume it won't work, but I'll do my best to let you know when I get my unit. Now on to the folks with actual hands-on. ### [Analogue 3D overclocks the N64 in stellar fashion](https://www.digitalfoundry.net/reviews/analogue-3d-overclocks-the-n64-in-stellar-fashion) by Sam Machkovech and John Linneman First up, congrats to Digital Foundry for launching a freshened up site with all the old stuff from Eurogamer there too. Immediately threw it in my RSS reader. > "And in a first for Analogue, we've discovered the A3D actually overdelivers beyond what its initial advertising promised. For the most part, that's a very good thing." Analogue and "overdeliver" rarely go in the same sentence. > "**Original accessory support is mostly stellar**. The mouse, the GB transfer pak, even that rare Japanese shogi cartridge with a modem: we've yet to plug any controller-port gamepad or controller-expansion accessory into A3D and run into issues." I learned about this [shogi cart with a modem](https://preview.redd.it/morita-shogi-a-game-where-you-have-the-ability-to-play-with-v0-44bitqnb64uc1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=1b4e25ef99ce7fe3a7c28e4602ef960ebff89509) on the [[Digital Foundry Has a Retro Podcast Now|DF Super Retro Show]]. In fact, I would guess it came up because they were preparing to test it with the 3D. Now to the stuff we go to Digital Foundry for, graphs. Specifically in regard to the 3D's overclocking feature, which seems to be the biggest surprise in the console. Here is a screenshot from a modified copy of *Perfect Dark* to showcase resource usage in game.  > "With overclocks disabled in the starting point of the game's first level, the N64's CPU and RDP (Reality Display Processor) are pushed above 90 percent use each with an average frame-rate reaching 28fps. With A3D set to its maximum "Unleashed" OC setting, those same system elements see their utilisation drop to 53 and 76 percent, respectively, with frame-rates averaging 44fps, a whopping 57 percent jump." Unfortunately, overclocking is not a magical fix for every game, including some titans. > "Interestingly, when we test [[GoldenEye 007 (N64)|Goldeneye 007]] on A3D, its campaign content enjoys an even more appreciable boost in frame-rates, yet its split-screen modes do _not_. For whatever reason, even with maximum OCs enabled, Goldeneye 007 with four players continues to feel like a frame-rate slideshow; the performance uplift is there and measurable, but barely." > "Yet one split-screen game proved the disastrous exception to the A3D rule: [[Mario Kart 64]]. Its split-screen racing was apparently engineered to sync to one of the system's core clock speeds, then tuned to run at a certain cadence, arguably to compensate for reduced bandwidth. > > Play MK64 with maximum A3D OC enabled, and the whole thing starts to feel like a Benny Hill skit. Everything moves too fast, and you'll start humming 'Yakety Sax' while unintentionally laughing." And, of course, here's a little ODM comparison.  > "We've been told to expect HDR, deinterlacing and scanline-customisation updates that may eventually render these launch-day complaints _quite_ moot. But as with other Analogue's promises from the past few years, we recommend keeping your expectations in check until they actually arrive." More promises from Analogue to be taken with salt. ### # [Analogue 3D - Overclocked N64 Gaming with 4K Upscaling!](https://youtu.be/wyIDr_PDIbI?si=jDhcrUJL9dWHaQcS) by My Life in Gaming <div class=iframe-container> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/wyIDr_PDIbI?si=cgF3IieI3eKHX4Da" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> If you pick one video to watch, make it this one. By far the most detailed breakdown of what the console has to offer, its pros and cons, and that signature MLiG flare. First up, the Everdrive situation is best summarized here. Older models with certain older firmwares can work. The current X7 does not. Other flashcarts like the 64drive and Summercarts seem to have better luck. Personally, I think this will all get sorted out with firmware on both sides. I also think it will become a moot point when the inevitable "jailbreak" OS comes out and we can play the games off an SD card. Now here's a low and a high. The only form of deinterlacing on deck is weave, which leaves gross combing artifacts. Analogue told MLiG a similar line as Digital Foundry that other deinterlacing options will become available down the line, but it is a shame that one of the least desirable is the only option out of the gate. On the other end of the spectrum, turns out that the N64 supports 32-bit color, but the end of the pipeline squeezes it out as 16-bit. The Analogue 3D can bypass that 16-bit funnel and display the full 32-bit. This appears to provide remarkable texture clarity, stuff we never even knew was there. It might be the most shocking surprise to me, even more than the overclocking. Speaking of which, the overclocking has three flavors: Enhanced, Enhanced+, and ***UNLEASHED*** [^1] Here are the elements overclocked at each level; - Enhanced - RAM - Enhanced+ - RAM and GPU - Unleashed - RAM, GPU, and CPU Some of the results are stunning and more often than not seem to be that way. There are issues to be sure, as both MLiG and DF show, but I am shocked at how well Chris Taber's [hyperbole](https://www.engadget.com/gaming/analogues-4k-remake-of-the-n64-is-almost-ready-and-its-a-big-deal-150033468.html?guccounter=2) stood the test of time. > "...its solution 'isn't overclocking, it's **much better and more sophisticated**.' It revolves around Nintendo's original [Rambus RAM](https://n64brew.dev/wiki/RDRAM) set up, which is often the bottleneck for N64 performance. Solving this bottleneck 'means that games can run *without* slowdown and all the classic issues the original N64 had,' he explained." Unfortunately, my dreams of "a stable, steady, solid *[[GoldenEye 007 (N64)|GoldenEye]]* 4-player match" won't come true off an official cartridge. ### [Analogue's New 4K Console is AMAZING (1 Major FLAW)](https://youtu.be/_a76z5nNJws?si=YNx54tUzfPENYiir) by Tito at Macho Nacho Productions <div class=iframe-container> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/_a76z5nNJws?si=G7kgWj22_xoRwSgO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> You know our boy Tito took the console apart. Unsurprising, the non-slip pad at the bottom is stuck with adhesive. That's a bit unfortunate from a repairability perspective, but the cartridge connector might be designed with repairs in mind. You see, the cartridge connector is on its own board. Tito was wondering why that might be and I think repairs are the answer. Not for folks like Tito, but the kind you ship to Analogue to fix. If there is any part on the console susceptible to breaking, it's the cart reader. Having it be its own board would allow for easy swapping and repairs. All credit given to watching too much iFixIt. When looking at the board, Tito's read was that these were possibly manufactured way back in October 2024—when the console went on pre-order. What could the last year of waiting have been for then? Polishing software is a guess, but feels unsatisfactory given all the missing software features. Polish could be to the actual emulation though, which is the most important bits of software to get right. Other manufacturing and assembly could also be the cause. Man, I wish we could learn the behind the scenes of this console. A nice detail is the included SD card is not only embossed with Analogue's logo, but is also a custom length so that it doesn't jut out from the console too far. Tito kind of wraps up speculating about openFPGA. We don't have to speculate though. Analogue had already confirmed that openFPGA was not coming to the 3D. > "The biggest divergence from the Pocket is the lack of [[How to Set Up Analogue Pocket openFPGA|openFPGA]] support. The Duo did not support this either, but it is a shame to see the folks behind "[the future of video game preservation](https://www.analogue.co/developer)" don't seem to believe in keeping that preservation accessible across all their platforms." This is a real shame and flies somewhat in the face of "video game preservation." I get that they want to sell future consoles (and [[Predicting Analogue's Annual Announcement for 2025|they undoubtedly will]]), but I wish it was a smidge more open, even if "unofficially." Perhaps that will sneak in with the jailbreak. ### [The Analogue 3D | Review](https://youtu.be/2jcEHciklCY?si=-NeiLp7RYc9zu39u) by GameSack <div class=iframe-container> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/2jcEHciklCY?si=-NeiLp7RYc9zu39u" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> This one is the funniest video of the bunch. You gotta love that GameSack humor. ### [Analogue3D Review](https://www.ign.com/articles/analogue3d-review) by Seth G. Macy for IGN I'm sorry to do this, but I have to point out my disappointment in IGN's review. > "Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak (required on the original N64 to play games like DK64 and Star Fox 64)..." This is not true. *Star Fox 64* doesn't even tap into the Expansion Pak. There are only three release games that require it—*[[Donkey Kong 64]], The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask*, and *Perfect Dark*. This is all [a web search away](https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo_64_Expansion_Pak). > "This is getting into real CRT-enthusiast territory now, and it's way over my head." > "My living room TV is a 3 year-old TCL 5-series..." The TV choice brings me pain. Mostly because TCL and their [gross](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/tcl-tvs-will-use-films-made-with-generative-ai-to-push-targeted-ads/) [advertising](https://support.tcl.com/us-googletv-common-questions/can-i-change-the-ad-settings-on-my-tcl-google-tv) practices. I see so many of these TVs at friend's houses and I weep for them. My qualm with IGN's review is the casual nature in which it was clearly approached. IGN used to be called n64.com for [[BTP5 - Peer Schneider Shares a Look Inside IGN|Peer Schneider]]'s sake! There is a real legacy here that was seemingly not tapped into for this review. I understand that IGN is for the masses. I haven't been its target audience in over a decade. Just another sign of how far the mighty seems to have fallen. --- Review day is always fun and has effectively primed the pump for my delivery. I had Abby borrow some N64 games from my in-laws last night so I could have more to throw at the console. I'm eager to put this in my set-up and retire the original N64. I've never modded the console and I think it is due for some major TLC. Perhaps those are modding adventures I can take on soon. I am surprised that the overclocking turned out to be very real and very beneficial. This gives me hope that future Analogue hardware will boast similar features and support. This feels like a new step forward for the company, FPGA-based emulation, and the Nintendo 64. [^1]: Emphasis added by me. The use of the word "unleashed" reminds me of the Atari Jaguar. I just imagine that word [stylized](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Atari_Jaguar_logo.svg/1200px-Atari_Jaguar_logo.svg.png) in the Jaguar font.