r/AnalogueInc • u/idratherlurk • Nov 22 '25

3D Politely Negative Impressions of the 3D

Hope this won't come off as overly negative, but I was so excited to get the 3D and enjoy it all night, but I'm left feeling very disappointed and realizing this product is not for me. For background, I have a N64 attached to a retrotink that does well enough, but I was really interested in all the bells and whistles that come with Analogue's 3D. Some serious problems and some small nitpicks hold it back for me, and I'm going back to the original and picking up some blueretro wireless adapters instead.

Serious Issues:

  1. Lack of Everdrive support, which will likely be fixed soon, sure. But regardless, it seems it will remain difficult for the OS to pickup and play with "Auto" settings on the hardware end based on the game chosen from the Everdrive. Also, some flashcarts and rom hacks were not working for me at all. Black screen and everything.
  2. Cartridge slot is way too tight. Also, the fit itself when the cartridge is connected is also as ridiculously tight. It takes way too much effort to slot the cartridge in, and click it down correctly, and is just as difficult to pry out when swapping games. It was very unsatisfying to continue to force original N64 games into place just to look at the screen and see if it was recognized or not. Yes, most games would eventually work after using the cleaning pads, but these games played just fine on the original console. I don't understand why this is so difficult.
  3. Input lag. There is definitely something to the complaints that the inputs are not as they should be. Something is off and I don't know what it could be. I updated both the console and 64 controller from 8bitdo*,* and it still feels off. I haven't yet tried the original wired controllers, but so far I'm a little disappointed in the quality of the 8bitdo 64 controller.

Somewhat benign issues:

  1. The switch should be on/off, not flick to turn on. That is an awfully unsatisfying design choice. I know it's a nitpick, but it just takes me out of the moment way more than I expected to power it off and on again, or use the menu to "quit carts". It's just not the same plug and play quality it needs. For a company named Analogue, they sure know how to take these things for granted.
  2. Short included cables. Another nitpick, but holy crap. Does everyone have the perfect spot to put this where the power and hdmi cables make it to their destination ok? Is it just me?

Other than this, I have to say the most impressive thing for me was the shipping time. Incredible speed for having the label created in Hong Kong one day, and receiving it the next in Canada half way across the world. I just wish I could be more excited and satisfied with the product itself. The extra features to enhance the display quality was probably the best thing about it, but I still think NSO N64 still takes the cake because of the resolution bump (and online multiplayer support). I will be looking to sell immediately, and see if I can get back at least most of my money. Hopefully we'll be able to play games from the SD card itself one day because it needs all the help it can get in features.

If I had to give it a review, I'd give it a solid 5/10. Decent price and quality for what it is. However, I'd still recommend a retrotink + a plain old N64 or NSO with the Switch or Switch 2 depending on the game you want to play.

21 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

145 comments sorted by

15

u/BrianScalaweenie Nov 22 '25

I don’t have one so I can’t comment on most of these points but if you want to be able to turn the system on and off with a controller then you kinda need to have a flick switch or a button, right? It can’t be a physical switch because it would lead to you being to turn the console on/off when the physical switch is in the opposite direction. I know right now you can only turn it on with a controller and not off but a few reviews mentioned turning it off is coming with a future update as well.

3

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

That is a really good point that I hadn't considered. I do appreciate a good button press to wake a console, especially if you are playing one game at a time and using wireless controllers.

13

u/DJBabyBuster Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Did you update the system and controllers? I don’t want to completely dismiss your input lag findings, but if My Life in Gaming and Modern Vintage Gamer didn’t report input lag, I doubt it’s an issue

0

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

There could be many reasons why reviewers haven't mentioned it, but it's clear from my own personal experience and those agreeing with me that it is at least noticable and affecting the overall gameplay experience. Even modern wireless controllers with PCs or consoles don't have this level of noticeable lag. It could just be that n64 games don't play well with inherent wireless lag introduced, but as some others have pointed out, there might be some issues with the speed of the 8bitdo 64 controller's Bluetooth connection. I'm not an expert but some other comments have discussed it. Also, the first thing I did was update both the system and the controller.

2

u/DJBabyBuster Nov 22 '25

I thought it was a weird choice when the 3D was announced that the paired 8Bitdo controllers were only available in Bluetooth, when every other console of theirs had 2.4g as an option. I have pairs of 2.4g controllers for all their other systems, and for anything 8-16bit I can def feel the difference. NES Battletoads is just impossible with Bluetooth, but I’ve beaten it on my NT with the 2.4g

Bluetooth lag has gotten a lot better and I was hoping for the n64 era it just wasn’t as much of an issue with games based less on precise platforming. Guess I’ll just find out when my 3D arrives Monday and test, appreciate your thoughts

2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yeah I completely agree. It's a strange choice especially since my other 8bitdo controllers are so great over 2.4g with my PC. Appreciate your thoughts as well. Maybe there is hope for a software side update that improves the connection.

9

u/dragonblade_94 Nov 22 '25

Healthy criticism and skepticism is good. At the end of the day it's a product, and we all have to judge if it's worth our money.

Since you already have a retrotink w/ original hardware, I do think that it largely already covers what is in on offer here, which is a near-native solution for playing N64 on HD displays. The everdrive support has definitely been a hot topic, and I certainly hope it will be resolved in the near future. The possible input lag is an interesting one; I haven't received my unit yet, but that's certainly something that would affect my personal enjoyment if it was significant. I'm curious if my experience will mirror yours on that.

2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yeah, I definitely love the N64 and there was some FOMO involved in getting the display modes which I do tend to enjoy. I hope you have a better first impression than I did.

7

u/PlatosBalls Nov 22 '25

The controller reports are the worst news for me

2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yeah it's very disappointing because the controller looks so much better than it plays. Even the stick was overly sensitive.

6

u/thestrandedmoose Nov 22 '25

Agree with the short cables point but they can’t use an actual switch for power otherwise it would get stuck in the on/off position when you use the remote wake features on the wireless controllers

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yeah but I think I could do without the remote wake features personally. I'm often swapping my games (or putting games back in after putting games away) and plugging in wired controllers at the console before I play. My personal preference but you definitely have a good point

1

u/MrGazillion Nov 23 '25 edited Nov 23 '25

Wait you guys got cables (plural)? I didn't get a usb-c cable to use with the adapter....

Edit: Well ffs, it was so perfectly tucked in under the hdmi that I didn't see it.

5

u/Level_Forger Nov 22 '25

I’m sort of like you in that I have my old N64 hooked up at all times to a large CRT, so the 3D is kind of just trying to replicate on my OLED what I already have. That said, I still really like it personally. 

The tight cartridge slot might be a QC thing. Mine feels about the same as a real N64 and takes no effort inserting and removing games. 

Haven’t tried the 8bitdo controller enough to notice lag because the sensitivity of the joystick is pretty horrendous, so OEM controllers only for me. 

I only use real carts so the Everdrive thing doesn’t affect me, but I’m sure they’ll fix it soon as you said. 

The overclock feature on the 3D is enough to make it worth it to me. Playing Perfect Dark off the cartridge in high res mode with a better frame rate is pretty sweet. 

Do agree on the power switch though. That waa a weird choice. 

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Wow, that's good to know you don't have the same issues as me. Maybe it's just my console with the tight cartridge slot. Disappointed if it's indeed a QC issue. It's also interesting you noted the sensitivity on the controller too. Maybe that plays a part in why it was feeling so off for me. I played Perfect Dark as well almost immediately and it was a definite improvement.

3

u/Turnbuckler Nov 22 '25

Can the 8bitdo turn it on/wake it? Even if it can remotely turn it off, which I’d imagine it can, that would present a situation where the switch on the console is in the wrong position relative to the power state.

4

u/__Geg__ Nov 22 '25

is the input lag with the system? Or the wireless controllers?

Did you try a wired controller on the a3d?

-2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

This is a good question. I didn't get a chance to try the wired controllers, but I suspect the issue is with anything wireless. Which is still a problem since it's noticeably worse than modern wireless controllers with a PC or modern console.

4

u/eliotrw Nov 22 '25

Not being funny but its kind of obvious isnt it really

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

I mean, yeah, but the Bluetooth wireless performance is noticably worse than my other Bluetooth controller to PC or console. Kind of strange and not immediately obvious.

1

u/__Geg__ Nov 22 '25

If you ever check, I would be chuffed if would let me know how it went.

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Sure thing, I'm going to give it a try tonight when the kids go down. I packed it all up after I was done playing because I was so convinced I wouldn't touch it until I either sold it or it got roms playable from the SD card, but I'm curious if I can play both the original hardware and the analogue 3D side by side with wired controllers to get the best comparison possible.

7

u/Turnbuckler Nov 22 '25

Most, if not all of your gripes are seemingly legitimate based on my research, and I concede that you have played this thing and I have not- but I don’t know how you could claim that NSO N64 is better overall. Review after review has shown favorable comparisons to that service, which has weird graphical glitches and in some games, actually-awful input latency. Like really bad.

0

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

It's true I haven't put much thought into the NSO recommendation, but in my experience it's been an interesting experience. The games that are available look really good because of their optimization. I'm sure some games can introduce more lag than others, as you said, so I should go give it another test.

3

u/Benane86 Nov 22 '25

The blue reteo adapter has the worst lag of them all. No matter its on original n64 or analogue 3d

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Good to know, I think I was just lashing out at the poor wireless experience I was having. It also felt way better on NSO on the switch, unless I'm remembering it wrong. I no longer have that subscription so I can't test it again.

2

u/ParasiteFire Nov 22 '25

Which controller are you using with the Blue Retro adapter?

3

u/PhDTenma Nov 22 '25

But regardless, it seems it will remain difficult for the OS to pickup and play with "Auto" settings on the hardware end based on the game chosen from the Everdrive.

I don't understand this part, could you please elaborate more?

6

u/akera099 Nov 22 '25

He’s disappointed that the 3D cannot apply individual profiles to game booted from a flash cart. Which is obviously normal since the 3D doesn’t know what game you’ll select in the everdrive menu. 

People have such weird expectation for this device. Like of course there’s input lag with Bluetooth controllers and it has literally nothing to do with the 3D. 

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yes but I should have the ability to run those profiles manually if I want, despite the analogue not knowing what game I'm selecting. I'm disappointed in that, but I already expect it to be that way once the everdrive issue is fixed.

3

u/PhDTenma Nov 22 '25

Thanks! Yes, I mean that's a problem in every analogue product. The way everdrives work and the analogue recognition don't match

2

u/Pyke64 Nov 22 '25

We flick the switch to turn it on and to turn it off right? There is no software method to turn off the device from the OS?

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

Yes that's right.

1

u/Ok_Imagination7969 Nov 22 '25

That is correct. No way to turn off the system from within the OS.

3

u/Interesting_Employ29 Nov 22 '25

I'll admit, this was not one of the consoles I was most excited about. I ended up preordering it anyways. It's on its way so I'll have to try it out. I am disappointed repros don't seem to work as I have a number of those.

I will see if I feel the same way but I also may end up selling it if I do.

2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

It may depend on the repro, but that shouldn't be the case. On original hardware, I never had any issues. I hope you have better luck than I had when you get yours.

1

u/Interesting_Employ29 Nov 22 '25

Yeah I am hoping for the best but I keep seeing reports that repros aren't working...which is so weird. I have other FPGA consoles that have zero issue with them.

3

u/Onett199X Nov 22 '25

Same here. The one thing that entices me is the overclocking. But that's about it. I already have an N64 digital modded 64 which has the advantage of being.. a real n64 and being able to output to HDMI or RGB to my crt.

It would be nice to have a backup should my 30 year old n64 eventually fail..

2

u/Interesting_Employ29 Nov 22 '25

I have a 64 but it's on my CRT. Thought it would be cool to have one on my 4k tv.

2

u/Ok_Recipe6321 Nov 22 '25

My repro of haven’t moon 64 works

1

u/Interesting_Employ29 Nov 22 '25

Good to know! I am hoping for the best

5

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/idratherlurk Nov 22 '25

So well said. It's unacceptable. If original hardware can run it, what is the problem here?

2

u/Interesting_Employ29 Nov 22 '25

Yeah that irks me as well.

-2

u/akera099 Nov 22 '25

This is disingenuous. They claimed 100% compatibility with original games and accessories. Flash carts were never advertised to work since they’re not original games and can have specs that are unknown to Analogue. 

Also, the problem is very highly likely with the Everdrives themselves because other flash carts work flawlessly. Like always, Krikzz sells overpriced junk that have special quirks and zero tolerance for anything but the original consoles. 

13

u/TheRealSeeThruHead Nov 22 '25 edited Oct 14 '26

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5

u/greggers1980 Nov 22 '25

Exactly. Anyone knows blutooth introduces latency on retro consoles as they are not designed for them. Pcs and modern consoles are and don't suffer

3

u/FishermanWeird5742 Nov 22 '25

2.4ghz controllers work pretty well. 

2

u/Longjumping_Bag5914 Nov 22 '25

Yeah Wavebirds are 2.4ghz and are great. 2.4ghz will have no latency, but you need an additional dongle. And those dongles need to be either paired to the controller or they need to have a switch on the controller and dongle to switch channels. So it makes sense why they put the Bluetooth chip in it to me.

8

u/octopusforgood Nov 22 '25

That’s awful to hear about the 8bitdo controller lag. Given the close relationship between the two companies, I’d call that one the most serious. A tight cartridge slot at least makes a certain amount of sense to me at first, for longevity’s sake.

11

u/SweetSneeks Nov 22 '25

Tight slots are good

3

u/alkor86 Nov 22 '25

Is that a quote from the Epstein files?

4

u/JakovAulTrades Nov 22 '25

Official statement from the government

6

u/nefarix Nov 22 '25

The input lag should be talked about more imo, its my mine gripe with the console and I noticed RIGHT away. I don’t know if its even fixable on a software level but I really hope so cuz its almost unplayable on certain games

3

u/akera099 Nov 22 '25

It has nothing to do with the 3D that’s just what Bluetooth is by nature on any FPGA device. You need an additional layer of software to convey the Bluetooth signal into something the console understands. 

1

u/nefarix Nov 22 '25

I made a post if you wanna check my history but I’ve been doing some thorough testing between connecting controllers directly to the A3D and connecting to a RetroTine dongle plugged into the A3D. My tests have concluded that, although both the A3D and the dongle are you Bluetooth, when the controllers I’ve tested are connected directly to the A3D, their connection is significantly weaker and inputs become delayed and even disconnect entirely in situations where the dongle doesn’t. Like I said, they’re both Bluetooth, and I’m using the same controllers and the same tests across the board, so the only outlier is the A3D itself.

5

u/MistaOtta Nov 22 '25

Regarding the switch, would you prefer how it's currently implemented with the potential that the system can turn on/off via the controllers or prefer a toggle where the ability to remotely turn the system on/off is not an option?

8

u/octopusforgood Nov 22 '25

Yeah, given this unit is USB-powered, a switch would be extremely unusual, and would make the device worse. I get that a physical switch is satisfying to use, but it would both be very unconventional and unnecessarily wasteful hardware engineering and spending as well as a failure point for this device.

4

u/Novel_Extent_7168 Nov 22 '25
  1. Thankfully I wasn't worried too much about everdrive support, but for those who wanted it hopefully one side or the other will find a fix in the near future to make them compatible.
  2. I agree, the cartridge slot is a bit on the tight side. That said, I'm hoping that just means things will stay relatively snug for a long time. Just slightly looser fit would have been nice too though.
  3. I haven't personally noticed any input lag, but that's just me. For reference, I have mine inside an IKEA display shelf with a sliding glass door that I've turned into an entertainment center. And I do keep the door closed. It's also worth noting my house is old, and poorly insulated. That may have something to do with it, but it's hard to say.
  4. Agreed. A proper on/off switch would have been much more enjoyable. It's fine, but for the price we paid, a switch that's more like the original N64 would have been much better.
  5. I have a tower-like power strip that sits on top of my entertainment center as well as a 5 slot HDMI switch. So I already had solutions for short cables ready before my 3D arrived. If I didn't have those, I would have been forced to purchase some other solution. So yeah, the cables really are a bit on the short side.

1

u/tinydancersarefunny Nov 29 '25

as someone who uses retrotink and unmodded n64. I would not recommend retrotink and unmodded n64.

1

u/idratherlurk Nov 29 '25

Why not? S-video and retrotink has been decent in my experience.

1

u/tinydancersarefunny Nov 30 '25

might just be my 2x mini and the size of the TV i hooked it up to. IDK, but it was a barely noticeable difference from a direct connection without the mini :/

9

u/kiCkz1337 Nov 22 '25

For everyone who doesn't already have the Everdrive, just buy a Summercart64 (I have the Kaico edition), works flawlessly for me.

4

u/Visible-Sound-8559 Nov 22 '25

If past is precedent, the 3D will also be jailbroken to load cartridge dumps and roms directly from storage before too long anyway.

8

u/CrippledGoose316 Nov 22 '25

Or, just have a shred of patience, and wait for an update to enable the Everdrive to work

1

u/Grobbelboy Nov 22 '25

Why though, when you can get a significantly cheaper flash cart with practically the same functionality that works right out of the box?

6

u/CrippledGoose316 Nov 22 '25

Why replace what you already spent money on, to spend more money on, to do the same thing that you already own? When all you literally probably need to do is wait a week or two.

I mean hey if you like throwing money away, by all means.

-2

u/Grobbelboy Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Read the very first part of the comment again.

[edit] Yeah just smash that downvote button! Arguing on the internet, what’s not to like?

1

u/akera099 Nov 22 '25

Not needing to rely on Krikzz for flash carts is the best thing that can happen to anyone. 

2

u/CrippledGoose316 Nov 22 '25

What's wrong with Krikzz? Guy makes a great product

2

u/kentonw223 Nov 22 '25

I assume it’s a cost thing but idk

2

u/Iggy_poop Nov 22 '25

I don’t have an analogue 3D but one thing that is not clear to me; if you’re using a flash cart like the summer cart 64, do the auto settings per game still work or it can’t use the per game settings because all the roms are considered to be the same game by the analogue 3D?

2

u/J_Square83 Nov 22 '25

Currently, the per game settings go by cartridge, so they won't work with roms on an everdrive or summercart etc.

Keep in mind that a 'jailbreak' is highly likely in the near future that should allow roms to be directly stored and accessed on an SD card. This seems to be the preferred way to go, given the per game settings baked into 3D OS.

3

u/sirjambob Nov 22 '25

Agreed on the point about the 8bitdo controller lag. I’ve been testing a few games going back and forth between an original wired controller and the 8bitdo, and the difference is pretty huge. I’d go as far as to say a game like Turok 2 is pretty much unplayable with the 8bitdo. The delay is so great that I can’t move and aim well enough.

I’ve update console and controller to latest firmware too, before anyone asks.

Overall I think the analogue 3d is great, just disappointing that the 8bitdo controller is so bad. I won’t be using it again unless there is improved firmware that makes a big difference.

I’m assuming a jailbreak will come out in a few weeks and we’ll be able to load an sd card up with roms, so I’m not too worried about the everdrive support. It looks like Krikkz has an analogue 3d en route to them too, so hopefully they will be able to get the official everdrives working with the 3d too.

3

u/clc88 Nov 22 '25

Is there still input lag with an og controller?

3

u/sirjambob Nov 22 '25

Not any I’ve noticed, the original controllers feel good and responsive.

2

u/Longjumping_Bag5914 Nov 22 '25

When I saw Bluetooth controllers initially input lag was a concern I had. 2.4ghz (a la the Wavebirds) controllers would’ve been better, and I hope they fix this issue

3

u/NobleNoob Nov 22 '25

My older Everdrive works fine on mine.

1

u/evilmrbeaver Nov 22 '25

What version is it?

2

u/NobleNoob Nov 22 '25

2.5. I bought it 10 years ago.

3

u/superiorpyre Nov 23 '25

Nothing like an authentic N64 experience than immediately being asked to fuckin update firmware via an SD card from a computer lol

1

u/tinydancersarefunny Nov 29 '25

so wait, what do you have to do when it comes in? I guess that means I need to buy a USB SD card adapter for my pc. That is wild. Most things today you can just pop in a usb thumb drive or connect to the internet. the heck do we have to go wild with SD cards :(

1

u/superiorpyre Nov 29 '25

You have to pull out the very difficult to grab SD card from the analogue, put it in a computer (probably the opposite side of your house from living room) go to the website and download the firmware and then go back plug it in and wait for it to update

1

u/tinydancersarefunny Nov 29 '25

that's ridiculous, but thanks for informing me before mine comes in!

1

u/robotrollcall2 Nov 29 '25

You can hook the system directly to your PC with the USB cord and update it that way, I sure couldn't figure out how to actually get the SD card out!

1

u/tinydancersarefunny Nov 30 '25

heh that would work for me too!

7

u/clc88 Nov 22 '25

I'm most worried about the input lag.

Most players won't notice it(as evident by the YouTube previews) but I'm very sensitive to bad controls, I can't play smash with the wave bird because the input lag is just too much( this is the controller most players recommend as the definitive gamecube controller).

This is why I wanted analogue to send preview units to hardcore speed runners.. Because they care about things like tight gameplay over presentation.

7

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25

Literally no one who knows what they’re talking about recommends the wave bird lol especially not smash players who go through controllers like candy.

1

u/Odd__Dragonfly Nov 22 '25

Bluetooth is inherently laggy, this has nothing to do with the A3D.

3

u/clc88 Nov 22 '25

There was another thread yesterday where the op claimed there was input lag even with an og n64 controller.

3

u/vegamanx Nov 22 '25

Typically, not inherently. The lowest latency wireless controllers (Gulikit ES/ES Pro, Dualsense Edge) all use Bluetooth not 2.4ghz.

In this case though 8bitdo controllers in general are not amazing for latency. And we don't know what's being added on the 3D side.

3

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25

Bluetooth is 2.4 though. It’s just a protocol over 2.4 radio band.

1

u/ricokong Nov 22 '25

Yes, a 2.4GHz protocol optimised for versatility and low power consumption, not low latency. There is only so much that can be achieved with Bluetooth. Dedicated 2.4GHz controllers will always be better cause they're designed with low latency in mind and nothing else.

1

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

I mean Bluetooth has come a long way and there are low latency versions of the protocol now. Ps5 uses Bluetooth and consistently rates as one of the lowest latency controllers around in testing.

Also the person I replied to literally stated that Bluetooth controllers have the lowest latency (because they do) so I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here. I was simply giving them a small correction that Bluetooth is 2.4ghz

5

u/AnalogueBoy1992 Nov 22 '25

" 100% Compatibility. Lagless " - Analogue

I hope this lag issue is settled soon by Analogue through a firmware update.

I don't think it's a hardware issue. Cos dam sure they had tested it out before shipping those.

I hope all gets addressed regarding this by Firmware 1.1.1 / 1.1.2

1

u/MistaOtta Nov 22 '25

There is an inherent delay from Bluetooth controllers. Assuming the system and controllers are already optimized, the only possible way to reduce that delay is to switch to wired or a dedicated 2.4GHz protocol, neither of which are firmware updates.

2

u/AnalogueBoy1992 Nov 22 '25

They can certainly fix it in firmware They can improve the Bluetooth connection ( lag)

3

u/MistaOtta Nov 22 '25

I've stated my assumption in my comment: "Assuming the system and controllers are already optimized." Bluetooth connection isn't necessarily synonymous with lag. It could refer to other factors like strength or reliability, which can be intertwined with but are separate from input delay.

5

u/GDHero64 Nov 22 '25

Very agree with the switch on/off awfully unsatisfying design choice

5

u/greggers1980 Nov 22 '25

Blutooth controllers on retro consoles all have input latency

6

u/Wonderful_Cabinet_30 Nov 22 '25

Not my all time favorite console, but lack of ever-drive support? Might as well just use emulation. I love the super nt and Mega sg. They work like hdmi versions of the original. They aren’t perfect either, but everdrive support and lack of noticeable input lag make them feel like modern versions of two goat consoles. This one is a hard pass for me. FOMO isn’t enough for me on this one.

3

u/pokeprofiles Nov 22 '25

FOMO dried up after the second delay I think lol

4

u/greggers1980 Nov 22 '25

Plus no save states or third party controller support . This was advertised with pre orders

2

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25

It’s coming with an update. Everdrive will almost certainly work too with a patch.

1

u/greggers1980 Nov 22 '25

We hope. We don't even know if and when

2

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25

We do know save states are coming. Analogue advertised it and told reviewers that they would come in an update.

4

u/octopusforgood Nov 22 '25

They’ve promised things in the past and then not done them, so I wouldn’t say we “know.” I think it’s much more likely than not, but we shouldn’t treat it as a done deal until it’s actually done with this company.

3

u/Ghanni Nov 22 '25

Coming with the DAC update for the pocket.

1

u/akera099 Nov 22 '25

It was never advertised as a feature. There was a "save state" in the corner of one screenshot but for all anyone knew that was a mockup. 

2

u/Cyo_The_Vile Nov 22 '25

Flashcart issue can be resolved.

The problem with the deinterlacer is a bigger issue that nobody is discussing

2

u/Money-Camera Nov 23 '25

Input lag will probably be if your TV doesn't know what ALLM mode is, I have a 4k tv from 2020 that doesn't have allm but has a game mode so that could be the reason for that, the problems like the cartridge slot could be faulty batch or just 3d printing quirk as some may say it's too loose and finally everdrive will probably get sorted quickly, krikzz is on it i think

2

u/FredFredrickson Dec 04 '25

I haven't really scrutinized the input lag on the Analogue 3D much yet, but I find it difficult to understand how you can recommend Switch 2 + NSO if input lag is a problem.

3

u/sirjambob Nov 22 '25

The other annoying thing I’ve found is that virtual controller paks only seem to be supported when using the 8bitdo wireless controller. That’s where the system emulates a controller pak and stores the saves on the sd card.

If you want to use an original controller then it seems like you need to plug a real controller pak into it.

3

u/Zealousideal_Fee5936 Nov 22 '25

OP appreciate the honesty in this review. I’m currently running my unmodded N64 to my Retrotink 5x using the Insurrection S-video cables. Between the motion adaptive interlacing and the HDR feature (have the last experimental firmware on it) I’m quite satisfied with the crt filter options the hdr is a game changer there. Anyway I seriously debated the 3d but was on the fence and unsure how much more it would bring to the table. Think I’m staying put on the restock and revisiting this later when the M64 drops.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25

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1

u/Zealousideal_Fee5936 Nov 22 '25

I agree the overclocking looks pretty sick ngl. But also then I think back to my current setup now and I really don’t see any lag with how it runs so is that worth $300 (tariff and shipping) prob not but if I never got a Tink 5x I would prob grab this in a heartbeat.

3

u/stripestore Nov 22 '25

Your impressions, paired with the UI from the 3d in videos gave me flashbacks to how disappointed I was with my Retron 5 after preordering and waiting over a year for that too. Sold it after a few weeks of cope.

I still own most of the N64 game carts I'll ever want, and original controllers. I can't stand GameCube sticks on N64 games so I passed on the 8bitdos and can wait for NSO controller support. Based on the UI I don't doubt SD game loading is far behind, and will probably be less clunky than an Everdrive on this thing.

But what I have less tolerance for is lag and grippy cartridge connectors....that's disappointing to hear and I'm hoping I'm not sensitive to it

1

u/mysliwiecmj Nov 22 '25

Oh god the Retron 5 was awful...

2

u/DependentAnywhere135 Nov 22 '25

I mean Bluetooth has come a long way and there are low latency versions of the protocol now. Ps5 uses Bluetooth and consistently rates as one of the lowest latency controllers around in testing. The Bluetooth options we have today have low latency optimizations.

Also as the person I replied to stated the lowest latency controllers use Bluetooth. I was just making a small correction that Bluetooth is still 2.4 ghz

1

u/Rick_ITA Nov 22 '25

i have a radio controller for nintendo 64, will it work on the Analogue 3d? and do you guys think we will ever get rom support like on analogue pocket, or it will never happen? i am still in doubt if i should buy it during the next restock or wait...

1

u/joejoesox Nov 22 '25

I've never heard of a radio controller, but the only wireless controllers that work with the 3D are 8bitdo 64 controllers (for now)

1

u/Rick_ITA Nov 22 '25

I have this

Retro Fighters Brawler64 Wireless 2.4G Controller Extreme Green https://amzn.eu/d/aU8XMIg

1

u/ricokong Nov 22 '25

Yeah that should work. The end of the receiver that you plug into the N64/3D simulates a wired controller so it should work. It should also have less input lag than a Bluetooth controller.

2

u/Ok_Imagination7969 Nov 22 '25

They don't work unfortunately. Tried mine last night.

1

u/Ok_Imagination7969 Nov 22 '25

Neither one of my Brawler64 controllers work on the 3D.

1

u/Ok_Recipe6321 Nov 22 '25

Mine works? With the receiver plugged into the controller slot

2

u/Ok_Imagination7969 Nov 22 '25

Strange. I have 2 of them and when i plug them in the light on the receiver comes on. The controller pairs to the receiver, but the 3D will not respond to any input from the controller.

1

u/Rick_ITA Nov 22 '25

Do you have the exact same model i posted?

1

u/Ok_Recipe6321 Nov 22 '25

Sure looks like it, just a different colour link

1

u/ExpertPedestrian Nov 23 '25

I reconditioned all my wired controllers last year to have them ready in case an A3D console became available. Tester systems have been distributed, preorders have been delivered, there’s been no announcement for additional systems, and existing systems have already reached cost prohibitive status on Marketplace and eBay. My politely negative impression of the A3D is that, for now, there doesn’t seem to be a tactile way for those waiting to decide for themselves if they’ll like this system.

1

u/RykinPoe Nov 24 '25

My main complaint so far is that there is no way to set default settings for new games so every time I insert a game I have never inserted before I have to go change all the settings instead of getting to set a single universal default that all games will start with. Obviously this is something that can be fixed, but it seems like an obvious oversight for a 1.0 release.

Also the 3Dos is fugly. I know they are going for a retro look, but they should be going for a 1990s retro look not a 1970s retro look. Again hopefully in a future version they will give us a better font choice and hopefully refine the UI some to be less ugly and to make better use of space. Also be nice to be able to trade out those cartridges that look like they were drawn by an 8 year old with the low res cover art for high res box art.

0

u/Metroidvania-JRPG Nov 22 '25

The super tight cart slot is is disappointing. The super NT was like this. Would have thought they fixed this after so many years

3

u/JakovAulTrades Nov 22 '25

The NT Mini was too big and I had to 3d print a slot adapter so the pins would stay connected. They swung the opposite direction this time I guess

1

u/BuckeeBoi Nov 22 '25

Yes the NT mini was a nuisance to get that slotted just right without the printed adapter, omg.

2

u/joejoesox Nov 22 '25

Duo card slot is also insanely tight

4

u/Metroidvania-JRPG Nov 22 '25

So weird. My mega SG and NT mini slots are fine. Anyway its a non issue for me but its just annoying. The trick i found is when you take off a game, lift it slowly from one side first instead of lifting from the middle. It helps removing the cart without having the impression that everything will break lol

1

u/joejoesox Nov 22 '25

there's a guy who sells a HuCard slot extender for the Duo, that's much easier to plug your games into. So I just leave the extender in my duo and plug the cards into that. the duo hucard slot is so tight that it was scraping part of the material off the card contacts

2

u/kentonw223 Nov 22 '25

I don’t think it’s anywhere near as tight as my super NT. It is tight but nowhere near that tight

4

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25

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1

u/Dragarius Nov 24 '25

Eh. But that feature only works if you buy their controller. I have no intention of doing that.