The Analogue 3D Just Got a Game-Changing Update
Retro gaming enthusiasts, your patience has been rewarded. Analogue has officially released a new firmware update for its Analogue 3D console that introduces the long-awaited Memories save state feature — and for fans of classic Nintendo 64 games, this is a pretty big deal.
What Are Memories, Exactly?
Memories is Analogue's proprietary save state system, first introduced on its popular handheld console, the Analogue Pocket. The feature lets you save your game at any point — mid-level, mid-boss fight, mid-anything — and pick up exactly where you left off later.
For anyone who grew up rage-quitting N64 games because they couldn't find a save point before dinner, this is nothing short of revolutionary. Gone are the days of leaving your console running overnight just to preserve your progress through Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask.
Why This Matters for Analogue 3D Owners
The Analogue 3D is a premium FPGA-based console that plays original Nintendo 64 cartridges in stunning 4K resolution. It launched to considerable fanfare — and a fair amount of anticipation around Memories specifically, since Analogue had announced the feature alongside the console's initial reveal.
But getting save states to the device has taken time, partly because of an ongoing gap in the console's feature set: the Virtual Controller Pak option — a digital replacement for the original N64 Controller Pak memory card — still doesn't work when using original or wired N64 controllers. That's a notable limitation, since the Controller Pak was how many classic N64 games saved progress in the first place.
The Memories update doesn't fix the Controller Pak issue outright, but it does provide a reliable workaround. Since Memories saves your entire game state at the system level, players can now bypass the Controller Pak problem entirely for most use cases.
The Broader Picture: Analogue's Firmware Journey
Analogue has built a reputation for releasing hardware that improves significantly over time through firmware updates. The Analogue Pocket, for instance, launched with a limited feature set and has since grown into a feature-rich retro handheld through consistent post-launch updates.
The Analogue 3D appears to be following the same trajectory. If Analogue's track record holds, expect more quality-of-life updates to roll out gradually — including, hopefully, a full fix for the Virtual Controller Pak compatibility with original controllers.
Who Should Care
If you already own an Analogue 3D, update your firmware now. The Memories feature alone makes the console significantly more user-friendly, especially for longer RPGs and adventure games that originally relied on memory cards.
If you've been on the fence about picking one up, the addition of Memories makes the Analogue 3D a more complete package. It's still a premium-priced device aimed at dedicated retro gaming collectors, but the gap between what it promised and what it delivers is narrowing with each update.
For N64 fans who grew up in the late '90s, this is exactly the kind of modern convenience that makes revisiting classic games feel fresh again — without losing any of the authenticity of playing on original cartridges.
Source: The Verge
