Analogue 3D firmware adds save states across N64 library

Analogue’s 3D just took its biggest step from pristine showpiece to everyday N64 machine. Firmware v1.3.0, dated May 15, 2026, brings Memories, Analogue’s save-state system, across the full 900-plus cartridge library, along with fixes for Controller Pak handling that remove two of the biggest friction points in real play: where you stop, and how you keep your saves organized.

The practical payoff is immediate. Games can now save across different Controller Paks, which matters for anyone rotating between original pads, swapping accessories, or revisiting cartridges that depended on the N64’s finicky save ecosystem. Memories itself now appears in a list view inside both the library and the in-game menu, with up to 20 Memories per game and the option to pin key states so they do not get overwritten. Analogue also added controller hotkeys for the 8BitDo 64 controller and original controllers, a small but telling sign that this feature is meant for living-room use, not for buried settings menus.

That pushes the 3D closer to the convenience layer modern emulation players already expect, without abandoning the hardware-first pitch. Analogue says the console remains 100% compatible with the original cartridge library and with original accessories, including the Transfer Pak and Pokémon Stadium’s GB Tower. IGN’s review noted that some functions the original Nintendo 64 relied on external accessories for, including Expansion Pak-related behavior, are built into the hardware, so the 3D was already unusually self-contained. Memories now adds the other half of that promise: fewer lost sessions, fewer permanent commitments, and less need to plan every playthrough around a single save point.

The update is especially meaningful for RPGs, long platformers, and anything you might revisit in short bursts, the kind of games that benefit most when a console finally behaves like a modern setup without losing its cartridge-era quirks. Analogue also says it first introduced Memories on Analogue Pocket in 2022, and the feature’s arrival here signals that the company is no longer treating 3D as a clean-room novelty. It is starting to look like a system people can actually live with.

That matters because the 3D’s launch timeline has already been a long one, with preorder access opening at the end of 2024, shipping beginning on November 18, 2025, and a restock following on December 10, 2025. At $269.99 for the black and white models, v1.3.0 is the update that most clearly answers the question of whether the machine is worth using right now. With save states, Controller Pak fixes, and better menu control, the answer finally leans yes.