I love the NES, Game Boy, Super Nintendo, Genesis, and the original PlayStation, but I have an unwavering fondness for Nintendo 64.
While some kids had the original black N64 model with a gray controller, I apparently had to have one of the Funtastic translucent models. They were not easy to come by, but my mom was determined. When I was visiting home in 2013, she recounted the situation. Luckily, I recorded it.

I try to remember this when I think it’s hard to buy a limited edition something online. For me, it’s just fastest finger. But for her, it was a race through Toys R Us. The console included a matching Jungle green controller, but my mom went one step further and got a second one. I’m thankful for that, because I only had to track down two more as an adult. For uh, completion’s sake.
Here’s me and my grandpa, on the floor playing Star Wars: Racer. It must’ve been Easter, since I’m “dressed up.” On top of my 13" TV there’s a LEGO podracer and model VW Beetle, representations of both N64 games I had at the time, Star Wars — Episode I: Racer and Beetle Adventure Racing.

As an adult, I’ve been collecting the games for consoles I may have rented from video stores, but it’s been hard to play all of them. I’d been able to connect my NES and SNES to modern TVs alright, but getting the N64 to work with modern TVs has been a little bit of a cable pain. When Analogue announced their newest console, I was pumped, but feeling a little sad that I’d be missing out on my Jungle green N64 in the lineup of my other Analogue retro consoles. Still, I bought it.
And then they did the most Analogue thing possible, the thing I should have predicted. They made the Funtastic series, and I instantly found myself back in 1999 desperately wanting that Jungle green model. I frantically placed the order at 1am. And a week later, I got it.


[Download the video.]

Now I don’t feel like I’m missing that critical component of my childhood gaming life. And for the first time, I played Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing with more than just two players. Daikichi and Nikki came over and they’re about the same age I was then. But I bet they don’t think it’s nearly as cool as I do to have four matching Jungle green controllers. I just need to get someone else over here to have the true four-player experience.

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