The ModRetro M64 has only been out for a few months, and already fans of the console are coming up with custom firmware to take full advantage of its open-source capabilities. We recently had the announcement of OM64 from a fan, and now a new one is in the works called Magic64, from the same creator who built the custom Chromagic firmware for the Chromatic handheld.
Magic64 is a complete replacement firmware for the ModRetro M64, both the FPGA images and the microcontroller have been written from scratch rather than patched from ModRetro's. It is still in development, but Nate, the genius behind this creation, has stated to us in an interview that he plans on releasing it "sometime in October" if all goes to plan. As of now, it currently runs six systems as separate FPGA images, loaded from the built-in SD-card reader. These systems are:
- GAME BOY/GAME BOY Color
- NES
- SNES
- GAME BOY Advance
- Nintendo 64
- PlayStation 1
Credit: CursedToastSDA
All of these systems were built on the open-source MiSTer cores with a plan in the future to support more cores, though Nate has said: "I would rather launch with a more limited list that's been quality tested, rather than have a bunch of buggy cores immediately at launch with HDMI output of 4K60". PlayStation games can load straight from the SD card in cue/bin or CHD formats, with memory cards and multi-disc support from the get-go; just make sure to bring your own BIOS, or there could be open-source ones shipped with the firmware eventually. This will be hardware emulation, rather than software too, running games at real hardware speed, which is great to hear.
Nate also wants to have RetroAchievements on all six systems too, which is a feature the original firmware doesn't have, and I know for a fact many have been asking for it. N64 games can still use the cartridge slot as normal, with the ability to back up a cartridge and its save to the SD card if need be.
If you also use Nate's ChroMagic on the Chromatic, you can connect it via USB, and it will work as a Transfer Pak for games like Pokémon Stadium, and as a cartridge reader, allowing you to play GAME BOY and GAME BOY Color cartridges directly from the handheld, through to the M64, which is pretty cool.
For now, normal Nintendo 64 controllers will work with the console alongside the wireless M64 Pro controller with customizable button mappings; other controllers via USB are planned in the future, alongside the ability to connect wireless USB dongles to connect third-party wireless controllers.
Nate is currently in the "polishing phase", making the firmware user-friendly while ironing out the bugs that he is coming across, with a plan to release the first beta "very soon". He plans to continue working on the Magic64 after this launch, in order to make it take carts for NES, SNES, GB/GBC and GBA, which would be a wild challenge, but one I feel he is willing to take on. This is the first of many new custom M64 firmware drops I think we'll see over the coming years, and it's one I am excited to try once Beta launches in the next month or two! Make sure to follow Nate on X if you want to follow his development journey.
