Prepare Your Wallet and Brace Your Mind for the M64
After the unparalleled success of the Chromatic, ModRetro is attempting to repeat the same FPGA treatment for the Nintendo 64. Though many thought that their next product would be a handheld device that could play Gameboy Advance cartridges they have been hinting at an FPGA Nintendo 64 for quite some time. It’s probably a smart move to expand the diversity of their products so they aren’t just limited to the handheld video games market and thereby broadening their customer base. They are claiming that their new product is “the best and most authentic way to play your favorite N64 games, bar none.”. While they can’t really claim to be more authentic then the original (as that doesn’t make any sense), their statement is saying it is both the best AND most authentic. They have already proved they can accomplish this seemingly contradictory task with the Chromatic. I own a Chromatic 1st Edition and I can truly say it is better then the original Gameboy Color, it is definitely the best and most authentic way to play the console.
"ModRetro's newest product is M64. The best and most authentic way to play your favorite N64 games, bar none. Prepare your wallet and brace your mind."
Why the Chromatic is the Best and Most Authentic Way to Play GBC
Before the Chromatic I was stuck with a Gameboy Color that I bought “refurbished” from an eBay seller iSuppliesAU. After spending hundreds of $ I received a GBC with a start button that barely worked and after a little while stopped working completely making it impossible to get past the title screen for over 90% of games essentially making it nearly useless. After contacting the seller he offered to fix it for free (minus postage costs) but when I asked for the address to send it to I was repeatedly ignored as the seller changed his mind, not wanting to deal with the responsibility of selling a faulty product. I even took it to an electronic technician that supposedly specialized in video games, however I paid for nothing as he was unable to fix it. Now that I have a brand new Chromatic I don’t have to worry about trying to get a decades old portable fixed. Everything is brand new and even upgraded with components that are far superior to the original while still keeping the functioning authenticity of the original. The shell is all metal instead of plastic which means if it was accidentally dropped on a hard surface it would most likely still work. The screen is backlit and is made of sapphire crystal the hardest possible material next to diamond. Everything about it is superior to the original yet it still keeps the authentic feel of the original because it is, none of the upgrades have changed it’s core DNA and identity.
Having a ModRetro Chromatic 1st Edition is, for me (and many others), better than the original. I would rather play GBC and DMG games on the Chromatic instead any of Nintendo’s devices as they are inferior. I have abandoned my fruitless quest to try and get my GBC start button fixed because there is no point, I already have a better device and don’t really need to have two. So ModRetro’s statement is not just clever marketing, it may very well be true as they have proved they can do it with the Gameboy Color with their Chromatic. We can expect that the M64 has possibly received the same treatment, being designed from the ground up with brand new FPGA components to authentically recreate the original machine but with new features that don’t change it into something completely different. The features I’m referring to is things like HDMI output, built in RAM expansion pack and region free capabilities. The addition of these kinds of features do not change the core identity of the Nintendo 64 they simply upgrade it and allow it to be experienced on modern TV’s and monitors.
ModRetro Let's Us Re-live the Nostalgia of the Console Launch
If you put your name down on ModRetro’s mailing list to receive updates about the M64 then you would have received an email today promising a special early-bird price of $199 USD. The retail price is $299 which is the same price that the Nintendo 64 was sold for initially at launch in the USA. In Australia the Nintendo 64 was $399 at launch, being bundled with a standard grey controller and not much else besides the bare essentials (power supply and AV cable). Back then $400 AU was a lot of money as inflation and wages were far lower then they are today. Despite being such an expensive machine there was so much hype around it that many people bought it at launch including my parents. Of course you had to also buy a game to be able get any use out of it which brought the price of the 64 to $500. Conversely the early bird price of $199 USD is currently equivalent to nearly exactly $300 AUD. If the device has a SD card slot then you won’t even need to buy a physical game cartridge and can start using it straight away.
One of the most genius marketing moves that ModRetro is making is recreating the launch of the original console. They did this to great effect with the Chromatic releasing a range of games on real cartridges with their own branding. Since the main audience they are targetting are old enough to remember the launch of the original consoles they are utilising the powerful force of nostalgia to market their product. The target audience get to experience the magic of the console launch all over again. This is priceless for those of us who fondly remember the time when the console was initially launched. ModRetro also stuck around to support their new console by releasing more games and accessories. They now have a small but respectable range of games for the Chromatic under their own brand and several accessories that enhance the experience. For many it s a dream come true, new games are being released for an old system that can be purchased brand new in boxes with manuals just like back in the day. It really feels like ModRetro understands us “retro gamers” probably because Palmer Lucky is one himself and had the means to bring this dream to reality to the delight of many. Because of this we can expect much the same treatment with the M64 which is so exciting, especially with the very real prospect of new games being released for the Nintendo 64.
ModRetro Branded Nintendo 64 Software?
The Gameboy is one thing, as many new games have been created since it’s such a basic machine, technically speaking. GB Studio has given creatives an easy channel to be able to make new games with so there are no shortage of new software for ModRetro to choose from to publish. However the Nintendo 64 is a much more complicated machine, making homebrew games is nowhere near as easy. Most Nintendo 64 games produced after the machine had become obsolete are known as ROM hacks which are games that have been created by re-arranging the graphics, mechanics and music from existing games. As far as I know there have not been any true homebrew games created for the system. Unfortunately but also fortunately these hacks cannot be released and published as new games as they are considered pirated games since they use existing intellectual properties, many of which are still used today. Any games ModRetro releases under their own brand must be true homebrew’s games that have been created from scratch from the ground up. This means that if they decide to release new software it’s going to be something completely new which is extremely exciting. The Nintendo 64 mostly had 1st party Nintendo releases with not many 3rd party coming out during it’s somewhat short lifetime. So any new software that comes out for the system will be a very welcome addition to the limited library that the system suffered from.
Soon we get to find out the answer to a very interesting question “will ModRetro publish an M64 launch title?”. Most signs point to yes but I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t. Then again, what’s a console launch without any games? It’s just a release but ModRetro is promising a launch, so I think they probably have something up their sleeve. Time will tell, it won’t be long before we have the answer… So prepare your wallets just in case, and brace your mind otherwise it may just be blown!
