M64 Controller Review: The N64 Remote Perfected

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M64 Controller Review: The N64 Remote Perfected

I grew up with the N64 controller glued to my hands. I would spend hours using this thing while defeating Shadow Ganon, serving Aces on Mario Tennis, and racing through Moo Moo Farm with my friends. When they talk about muscle memory, they talk about knowing something like the back of your hand; your fingers instantly lock back into a certain grip or hold something in a particular way without you even thinking. And when I picked up the M64 controller, that's exactly what happened, spanning three decades to the moment I turned on my N64 for the very first time.<br>When I picked up the ModRetro Chromatic for the first time, I called it the ultimate version of the Game Boy. I think my exact words were 'The Game Boy to end all Game Boys', the perfect version of a classic. It looks and feels like a Game Boy and oozes nostalgia, and if you gave it to someone who had a Game Boy in the 90s, they'd probably call it a bona fide Game Boy and load up Tetris with a smile. But it's got a premium touch that makes it the ultimate evolution, the last Game Boy you'll ever need.<br>🤝<br>Like our website? Support us as an independent publisher by tipping , joining our paid community or checking out our accessories brand GAMENOOK !

It's no surprise, therefore, that ModRetro have taken that same line of thinking with their M64 controller. Holding this thing in my hands takes me back to my childhood, but in a way that makes me feel like a VR Trooper, an updated and enhanced version of my younger gaming self. This one's for seven-year-old me, and a misspent youth playing games coming to fruition in 2026.<br>N.B - This review won't be touching on the M64 console itself - I'm focusing solely on the M64 controller, how it feels, works, and compares to both the original remote and its main competition.

10

The Ultimate Evolution Of Nintendo's Iconic Controller<br>Design10

Connectivity10

Nosalgia10

Controls10

Price10

We've seen multiple game pads for the N64 over the years, but ModRetro have, in true form, dropped the mic and called the job done with their new controller. With the original N64 trident controller shape, an aluminium back, enhanced triggers, and a TMR thumbstick, its the controller we needed back in the 90s when spending hours on Super Mario 64 and Perfect Dark. ModRetro have created a channel back to our childhood with this gamepad, albeit one that makes us feel like supercharged Power Rangers in the process.

Price - $89.99<br>Launch Date - July 28th, 2026<br>Available from - ModRetro<br>Shape and Feel<br>Familiar yet enhanced, the M64 remote has taken a classic and turned it into something even better than we could have imagined. I can remember looking at the N64 remote and thinking it looked like a bunch of bananas compared to the SNES controller. But the first time I held it in my hand, it fit like a glove.<br>I know that other companies like Retro Fighters and 8BitDo have turned to more of a modern pro controller feel with their remotes as of late, but ModRetro's main ethos is all about nostalgia. They were only ever going to enhance and improve the original controller, just like they enhanced and improved the Game Boy, and I'm very happy about it. It's instantly clear that ModRetro's employees love the N64 and have built and designed this controller based on their own experiences with the original.<br>The first thing that you see when the controllers are side-by-side is that there has been a lot of attention to detail when it comes to overall shape and detailing. The ModRetro logo sits in the same place as the Nintendo logo on the original controller. Both pads have that classic trident shape, and the button layout is exactly as the original. The action and C-buttons are marginally smaller than the original, but it isn't anything that has hampered my playing sessions in the slightest.<br>We all know how precarious the original joystick was on the N64. It used to get that weird gunk inside the pot, and then it would sometimes become loose and unresponsive. Not to mention the marks it caused on our hands when spinning it around playing Mario Party, something we all did despite Nintendo telling us not to. It's been replaced with a brand new TMR thumbstick that looks decidedly more substantial, like it could take multiplayer action until the end of time. It's super smooth too and doesn't feel like it would break under pressure.<br>The D-pad is slightly curved, just like the original, and feels tactile when navigating menus. It's not often that I use it in games these days, but it's nice to know that ModRetro haven't just overlooked it and still class it as an important feature in the controller's architecture.<br>💌<br>Like retro gaming news? Join our free newsletter to receive a...