This hands-on preview is based on a pre-production M64 unit. Hardware and software are not final.
Let’s start with a confession: I grew up in the 90s playing games on a PS1. Pretty much all of my experiences with the Nintendo 64 were at a friend’s house, watching them bound across the vast and awe-inspiring fields of Hyrule in Ocarina of Time, learning my first painful lesson about the dangers of the blue shell in Mario Kart 64, or starting my love of competitive FPSs with GoldenEye.
I think that’s what makes the ModRetro M64 such an exciting possibility for me. It’s a chance to venture into a whole generation of games that I’ve barely played without worrying about aging hardware and with the benefit of some handy modern touches that make the whole endeavour much easier in 2026. After a month with the console, I can’t see myself playing N64 games any other way.
What do they say about imitation?
The M64 takes a similar approach to the one the manufacturer took with its first release, the ModRetro Chromatic. That device was its updated spin on the Nintendo Game Boy using modern hardware, which offered full compatibility with original Game Boy and Game Boy Color cartridges.
With the M64, you get a console that sticks to a similar appearance to the original Nintendo 64, albeit with a light and stylish see-through shell that comes in four possible colors. A slot on the top accepts all original N64 carts, as well as ModRetro’s own games that will launch alongside the console and into the future. It also has a (surprisingly aggressive) cartridge eject button on the top of the console.
It’s powered by USB-C and connects to your display with an HDMI cable, making connections to TVs and monitors super-simple in the modern day. Meanwhile, there are four controller ports across the front of the console, giving you the option to use original N64 controllers, or choose between wired and wireless over Bluetooth with several compatible game pads.
ModRetro is launching its own M64 Pro controller to go alongside the console in matching colors, and even though I don’t have years of baked-in experience as a youngster, it does feel good in the hand.
The N64 controller has always been a love-it-or-hate-it situation, but this new version boasts a weighty build and tactile button presses — especially the satisfying pull of the Z-trigger on the back. Adding in a battery pack and the option for either a wired or Bluetooth connection is the exact modern touch that you love to have, too.
You don’t have to invest in ModRetro’s dedicated controller if you don’t want to either, as the M64 supports the original N64 gamepad, as well as several other third-party wired and wireless options. So, if you have a couple sitting in a cupboard somewhere, you can simply plug them in and be good to go.
A link to the past
Now that I’ve covered how everything looks and feels, just what is it like to actually play games on the ModRetro M64, then?
I’ve taken a whirlwind tour through some of the N64’s most iconic games over the last few weeks and enjoyed reliving some old memories and trying some classics for the first time. It’s not been completely smooth and faultless, thanks to a few minor niggles and issues with some titles, but the overall experience has been incredibly good.
Games like GoldenEye and Perfect Dark, which already struggled with significant fps drops on the original console, suffer some of those same issues here. ModRetro is already well aware of the problems with these games and a few dozen others, so it will be constantly testing and upgrading the M64 firmware over time to offer potential improvements — another benefit of the modern console.
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In brighter news, it currently lists almost 250 games with no issues in its compatibility list, including some all-time favorites such as Mario Kart 64, Pokémon Snap, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
I’ve been playing through the latter the most to put the M64 through its paces, and it’s been fantastic to experience that game again with some of the benefits of the modern console.
It runs pretty much flawlessly, but what is impressive are the upscaling options. These work wonderfully, letting you play in 720p, 1080p, or even in 4K, on compatible displays. They definitely smooth out some of the rougher edges without ruining or distorting the image.
You can stick to the retro look if you want, though, or use all sorts of different visual options to tinker with to get games looking exactly how you want them to. I tested out most of them and came out with a couple of favorites.
Of course, I’ll always have a soft spot for playing games in their original form to get the most authentic experience. You can even add scanlines or a CRT filter onto your modern display to really do your best to recreate that 90s vibe, although these seem more like a fun gimmick rather than the best way to play.
Nintendo Sixty-Phwoar
Overall, the ModRetro M64 is a cool little console that delivers an authentic Nintendo 64 experience but with some hugely beneficial modern touches. I’ve been extremely impressed after my time with it and I think with some updates to iron out a few remaining performance issues, lots of long-time N64 fans, or complete newbies to this generation of gaming, will find it to be a smart and easy way to play the console’s games using today’s hardware.
The ModRetro M64 will cost $229.99, with shipping set to begin on July 28. You can sign up for notifications on availability right here. The ModRetro M64 Pro controller launches separately for $89.99. Four ModRetro published games — Xeno Crisis, Xibalba 64, Extreme-G Turbo Fusion, and Buck Bumble — will also be available from July 28 at various prices.
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james.pickard@futurenet.com (James Pickard)
