"Why Am I Still Doing This?" - Modder's 16th Handheld N64 Is His Best Yet 1
Image: @Downing1082

Fan-made portable N64 systems aren't a new thing – we've been seeing them for years, if not decades by this point. Modding veteran Downing's Basement has produced 15 previous takes on the concept alone, but he's back with the GeN64 – his 16th attempt, and the best one yet.

"Hard to believe that it’s been over 8 years since my last major design of a portable N64," he says. "To put that in perspective, the portable version before that was a vacuum-formed and frankencased monstrosity that might as well have been held together with bubblegum!"

This new version is made up of 3D-printed parts, improved buttons, redesigned circuit boards and a 5-inch screen. It has a rechargeable internal battery, which is topped up via USB-C, and the N64's original mainboard has been trimmed down to fit within the shell.

The end result is a sleek and portable N64 which accepts original cartridges. It's a fascinating project, but we'd put money on Downing's Basement cooking up a 17th evolution as more advanced modding techniques come around.

[source downingsbasement.com]