The N64 is a chunky monkey, of that there is little doubt. Compared to the sleek lines of its biggest rival, the Sony PlayStation, it looks positively bulky – which is perhaps why so many attempts have been made over the years to create portable versions of the legendary console which are a little less cumbersome.
The latest of these efforts, crafted by GmanModz, has to rank as the smallest yet seen. Yes, there are tiny machines that can emulate the N64 perfectly, but this creation actually contains real N64 hardware and can play physical cartridges. You might remember GmanModz from one of his previous creations, the N64 SP.
Of course, the iconic control layout has had to be sacrificed, but the revised interface – which replaces the C-button cluster with a stick taken from a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con – looks decent enough (although we'd hate to play Killer Instinct Gold with that setup, we have to admit). The "Z" and "R" buttons are found on the top edge of the system, but the "L" button is mapped to the left stick (also taken from a Joy-Con) and you have to click it down to access it.
[source comicbook.com]
Comments 24
"a stick taken from a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con"
Oh no. OH NO
I saw this. It's pretty cool. But it gets to the point where N64 cartridges are holding back how small they could make it.
Does it drift?😁
Well that's one way to get a better joystick. A very costly way, but a way, and a good one.
With only two buttons and two sticks, that thing isn't suitable for playing most games but it works I guess. Still with no way to plug in the Expansion Pak games like Donkey Kong 64 and Majora's Mask won't work properly.
In theory, that’s awesome. But yeah.
I can’t wrap my head around how people can emulate N64 perfectly with hardware but we can’t seem to get it to work all that great with software emulation. I just don’t understand what the problem that can’t be overcome is.
"Compared to the sleek lines of its biggest rival, the Sony PlayStation, it looks positively bulky" lolwut? The PSX is a grey rectangle with jagged edges, and a little bigger than the N64. Not saying the N64 is aesthetically perfect either but it's sleeker than that bland slab.
As amazing as that is, using an analogue stick for the C-buttons just wouldn't work very well, especially with it mounted below the A and B buttons.
Things like the frog mini-game in Ocarina of Time would be frustrating as the frog positions would no longer correspond to the button positions and pushing the stick in even slightly the wrong direction would fail the mini-game (speaking from experience here from playing OoT on previous VC releases).
If Nintendo ever bring N64 games to the Switch, I really hope they create a new right Joy-Con with actual C-buttons for playing them.
That's awesome. Imagine how much N64 games would go for on eBay if Nintendo released something like this for an N64 anniversary!
Passion projects like this always impress me with the volume of craftsmanship and technical know-how.
What’s more, I like this creators humble attitude admitting “the battery life sucks, and it’s uncomfortable to hold”.
Good job, fella 👏👏👏
@stinky_t HAHAHHA XD.......
man this is beyond a joke at this point
Looks awesome
Such amazingness
How many minutes of battery life?
No D-pad. Does this mean I can't play Mischief Makers on it?
Sleek lines of the PlayStation?!? WHAT?
@Rpg-lover Yeah, in Crusin' USA.
I would not recommend Mario party 3 for this.
@Ventilator LMAO..
@Clyde_Radcliffe I think the price of N64 games have peaked, it really is a console that can be played better via emulation. Nintendo wouldn't release a console they can't make money off today either, so it would be digital only.
The Playstation was sleek? Since when? I guess...if you're into the blocky rectangle with weird ridges and oversized buttons.
PSOne fixed it a bit by smoothing and rounding it out a bit, but the n64 looked way sleeker with cool curves.
N64 games might look ok on a screen that small, it'll mask how poor the textures are on most of them.
@Curbie I thought the exact same thing. I actually have my N64 on top my PS1 in an armoire i converted to a CRT retro station and the N64 is much sleeker
"and then there's Chunky, his dead..."
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