CastleMania Games and EON, makers of retro and modern peripheral console accessories, have set July 22 as the release date for their latest gadget, the Eon Super 64.
Pre-orders for the EON Super 64 are open now, and the accessory will retail for $149.99.
The Super 64 is a plug-in that fits in the back of the Nintendo 64 console and lets it connect via HDMI to modern televisions. While the output isn’t 4K or nearing HD in any way, it does upscale all Nintendo 64 games to 480p. 480p might not seem super fancy for some modern gamers, but it’s double the N64’s native output, making it quite the upgrade indeed.
It features two display modes as well. There’s Sharp Mode, which retains the original jagged edges of N64 games but enhances colors and line definition, and Slick Mode, which polishes the display by removing said edges.
More importantly, unlike some visual upgrade devices, the Super N64 requires no modding and won’t result in input lag either.
CastleMania says Eon’s attention to detail has produced the most faithful representation of color so players on the market, basically meaning that players get as close to the real thing as if Nintendo had released their own enhanced N64 (which they haven’t).
The plug-in is designed to take up as little space as possible, so retro fans can keep their N64 alongside their other systems. It reportedly puts no strain on the console and also comes in a special custom-designed package paying homage to the original hardware itself.
This isn’t EON’s first foray into the retro upscaling market either. The company developed the GCHD Mk-II plug-in a few years back, which enhances GameCube games to HD. It was a success as well and received almost universal critical praise.
