Downing has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for a complete Nintendo 64 portabalization kit. It includes almost everything you’d need to make a true handheld N64, including a 3D printed enclosure and boards/circuits designed by 4LayerTech. You’ll still need to provide an original N64 and trim the motherboard, but the trimming required for this project is far easier than most other portabalization projects. The kits are about $350 and are due to ship by October of this year. Check out the Kickstarter for all the details, including the informative launch video:
Pre-Order Here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/downingsbasement/downings-5th-gen64-portable-nintendo-64-diy-kit
Main Website: https://downingsbasement.com/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DowningsBasement
I think it’s important to note that the goal of this kit is to make a true portable N64, but in a way that doesn’t require crazy advanced modding. As a result, some compromises had to be made, such as no two-player support and no support for the expansion pack (or the games that require it). Overall, I think that’s a fair tradeoff and this revision of the kit has been tweaked over the past two years, to make the installation as streamlined as possible.
If you’d like to see more about this kit, check out the video from the reveal at MGC earlier this year. Also, Downing will be at Retro World Expo this September, so come hang out with us there and meet him (and his handhelds!) in person:
