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= Nintendo_64 =
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Introduction
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The (N64) is a home video game console developed and marketed by
Nintendo. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, in North America
on September 29, 1996, and in Europe and Australia on March 1, 1997.
As the successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES),
the N64 was the last major home console to use ROM cartridges as its
primary storage medium. As a fifth-generation console, the Nintendo 64
primarily competed with Sony's PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.
Development of the N64 began in 1993 in collaboration with Silicon
Graphics, initially codenamed Project Reality and later tested as the
Ultra 64 arcade platform. The console was named for its 64-bit CPU.
Although its design was largely finalized by mid-1995, the console’s
release was delayed until 1996 to allow for the completion of the
console's launch titles, 'Super Mario 64', 'Pilotwings 64', and the
Japan-exclusive 'Saikyō Habu Shōgi.'
The N64’s original charcoal-gray console was later joined by several
color variants. Certain games required the Expansion Pak to boost
system RAM from 4 to 8 MB, improving both graphics and gameplay
functionality. The console supported saved game storage either on
cartridges or the optional Controller Pak accessory. The 64DD magnetic
disc peripheral offered additional storage for game content and
enabled the Randnet online service. However, due to a delayed launch,
the 64DD was a commercial failure and was released exclusively in
Japan.
In 1996, 'Time' magazine named the N64 its Machine of the Year, and in
2011, 'IGN' ranked it as the ninth-greatest video game console of all
time. Though the N64 sold over 32 million units globally, it was
ultimately discontinued in 2002 following the release of its
successor, the GameCube. While it was critically acclaimed, the N64
faced commercial challenges; its sales lagged behind the PlayStation,
and commercially failed in both Japan and Europe, despite strong
performance in the United States.
Background
============
Following the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo revitalized the
industry with the release of its second home console, the Family
Computer (Famicom), launched in Japan in 1983 and later introduced
internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985.
Both the NES and its successor, the Super Nintendo Entertainment
System (SNES), achieved significant commercial success. However, SNES
sales declined during the Japanese economic recession. At the same
time, competition intensified with the arrival of the Sega Saturn, a
32-bit console, which outpaced the aging 16-bit SNES and highlighted
the urgency for Nintendo to upgrade its hardware or risk losing market
share. Additional competition came from Atari's 5200, 7800, Lynx, and
Jaguar systems.
In an effort to extend the SNES’s lifespan, Nintendo explored the
development of a CD-ROM peripheral through partnerships with CD-ROM
technology pioneers Philips and Sony. Despite the creation of early
hardware prototypes, both collaborations ultimately collapsed, and no
games were released by Nintendo or its third-party partners. Philips
retained limited licensing rights and used them to release original
'Mario' and 'Legend of Zelda' games on its competing CD-i device.
Meanwhile, Sony leveraged its progress to develop what would become
the PlayStation console. During this period, third-party developers
also expressed growing dissatisfaction with Nintendo’s strict
licensing policies.
Development
=============
Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI), a long-established leader in
high-performance computing, sought to expand by adapting its
supercomputing technology into the higher volume consumer market,
starting with the video game industry. To support this shift, SGI
redesigned its MIPS R4000 CPU family, reducing power consumption, and
aimed to lower unit cost from up to to approximately . SGI developed
a video game chipset prototype and sought an established industry
partner. SGI founder Jim Clark first pitched the concept to Tom
Kalinske, CEO of Sega of America, who said they were "quite
impressed." However, Sega’s Japanese engineers rejected the design,
citing technical issues, which SGI later resolved. Nintendo disputes
this account, claiming SGI ultimately favored Nintendo because Sega
had demanded exclusive rights to the technology, while Nintendo was
open to a non-exclusive licensing agreement.
In early 1993, Clark met with Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi. By
August 23, during Nintendo's annual Shoshinkai trade show, the
companies announced a joint development and licensing agreement for
what they called "Project Reality." They projected an arcade debut in
1994 and a home release by late 1995, targeting a retail price under .
Michael Slater, publisher of Microprocessor Report highlighted the
significance of the partnership saying, "The mere fact of a business
relationship there is significant because of Nintendo's phenomenal
ability to drive volume. If it works at all, it could bring MIPS to
levels of volume [SGI] never dreamed of."
SGI named the console’s core chipset "Reality Immersion Technology",
featuring MIPS R4300i CPU and the Reality Coprocessor for graphics,
audio, and memory management). NEC, Toshiba, and Sharp would provide
manufacturing support. The chipset was a collaborative effort between
SGI and its subsidiary, MIPS Technologies. SGI and Nintendo also
partnered with Rambus, designing a bus architecture to transfer data
at 500 Mb/s using its proprietary RDRAM. Rambus hoped the partnership
would encourage RDRAM adoption in PCs.
SGI Onyx like those used for early development
To enable game creation before the hardware was finalized, SGI offered
a development platform based on the Onyx supercomputer to simulate
expected console performance. The Onyx was priced at up to . It
included a RealityEngine2 graphics board and four 150 MHz R4400 CPUs.
Once the chipset was finalized, the supercomputing setup was replaced
by a simulation board integrated into low-end SGI Indy workstation in
July 1995. SGI's early performance estimates proved largely accurate;
LucasArts, for instance, ported a prototype 'Star Wars' game to the
final hardware in just three days.
On June 23, 1994, at the Consumer Electronics Show, Nintendo announced
that the upcoming console would be named the "Ultra 64". The console
design was shown, but its controller remained under wraps. The most
controversial detail was Nintendo’s decision to use limited-capacity
ROM cartridges rather than the increasingly popular CD-ROM format,
despite previous development work for a CD-based SNES. Nintendo
defended the decision, citing the performance advantages of
cartridges. The Ultra 64 was marketed as the world’s first 64-bit
console. Though Atari had previously advertised the Jaguar as a 64-bit
system, its architecture used two 32-bit coprocessors and a 16/32-bit
Motorola 68000 CPU, falling short of Nintendo’s full 64-bit
implementation.
Later in 1994, Nintendo signed a licensing agreement with arcade giant
Williams. The company's Midway studio would develop Ultra 64-branded
arcade titles, including 'Killer Instinct' and 'Cruis’n USA'. However,
these arcade machines used hardware distinct from the home console:
they lacked the Reality Coprocessor, used different MIPS CPUs, and
relied on hard drives instead of cartridges to store game data. The
expanded storage enabled games like 'Killer Instinct' to incorporate
pre-rendered 3D character sprites and full-motion video backgrounds.
In April 1995, it introduced its "Dream Team" of developers. Graphic
development tools were provided by Alias Research and MultiGen, while
Software Creations provided audio tools. Game development studios
included Acclaim, Angel Studios, DMA Design, GameTek, Midway,
Paradigm, Rare, Sierra On-Line, and Spectrum HoloByte. Despite the
initial hype, the Dream Team did not live up to expectations. Some
studios like GameTek failed to deliver games, while only a few,
including Rare, Acclaim, and Midway, made a significant impact.
Nintendo originally planned to launch the console as the "Ultra
Famicom" in Japan and "Nintendo Ultra 64" internationally. While
rumors claimed trademark conflicts with Konami's Ultra Games prompted
a name change, Nintendo denied this, citing a desire for a unified
global brand. The final name "Nintendo 64" was proposed by
'Earthbound' creator Shigesato Itoi. Still, the original name lived on
in the console's model numbering prefix "NUS-", widely believed to
stand for "Nintendo Ultra Sixty-four."
Announcement
==============
The newly renamed Nintendo 64 console was unveiled to the public in
playable form on November 24 at Nintendo's Shoshinkai 1995 trade show.
Eager for a preview, "hordes of Japanese schoolkids huddled in the
cold outside ... the electricity of anticipation clearly rippling
through their ranks". 'Game Zero' magazine disseminated photos of the
event two days later. Official coverage by Nintendo followed later via
the 'Nintendo Power' website and print magazine.
The console was originally slated for release by Christmas of 1995. In
May 1995, Nintendo delayed the release to April 21, 1996. Consumers
anticipating a Nintendo release the following year at a lower price
than the competition reportedly reduced the sales of competing Sega
and Sony consoles during the important Christmas shopping season.
'Electronic Gaming Monthly' editor Ed Semrad even suggested that
Nintendo may have announced the April 21, 1996, release date with this
end in mind, knowing in advance that the system would not be ready by
that date.
In its explanation of the delay, Nintendo claimed it needed more time
for Nintendo 64 software to mature, and for third-party developers to
produce games. Adrian Sfarti, a former engineer for SGI, attributed
the delay to hardware problems; he claimed that the chips
underperformed in testing and were being redesigned. In 1996, the
Nintendo 64's software development kit was completely redesigned as
the Windows-based Partner-N64 system, by Kyoto Microcomputer, Co. Ltd.
of Japan.
The Nintendo 64's release date was later delayed again, to June 23,
1996. Nintendo said the reason for this delay, and in particular, the
cancellation of plans to release the console in all markets worldwide
simultaneously, was that the company's marketing studies now indicated
that they would not be able to manufacture enough units to meet demand
by April 21, 1996, potentially angering retailers in the same way Sega
had done with its surprise early launch of the Saturn in North America
and Europe.
To counteract the possibility that gamers would grow impatient with
the wait for the Nintendo 64 and purchase one of the several competing
consoles already on the market, Nintendo ran ads for the system well
in advance of its announced release dates, with slogans like "Wait for
it..." and "Is it worth the wait? Only if you want the best!"
Release
=========
'Popular Electronics' called the launch a "much hyped,
long-anticipated moment". Several months before the launch, 'GamePro'
reported that many gamers, including a large percentage of their own
editorial staff, were already saying they favored the Nintendo 64 over
the Saturn and PlayStation.
The console was first released in Japan on June 23, 1996. Though the
initial shipment of 300,000 units sold out on the first day, Nintendo
successfully avoided a repeat of the Super Famicom launch day
pandemonium, in part by using a wider retail network which included
convenience stores. The remaining 200,000 units of the first
production run shipped on June 26 and 30, with almost all of them
reserved ahead of time. In the months between the Japanese and North
American launches, the Nintendo 64 saw brisk sales on the American
gray market, with import stores charging as much as $699 plus shipping
for the system. The Nintendo 64 was first sold in North America on
September 26, 1996, though having been advertised for the 29th. It was
launched with just two games in the United States, 'Pilotwings 64' and
'Super Mario 64'; 'Cruis'n USA' was pulled from the line-up less than
a month before launch because it did not meet Nintendo's quality
standards. In 1994, prior to the launch, Nintendo of America chairman
Howard Lincoln emphasized the quality of first-party games, saying
"... we're convinced that a few great games at launch are more
important than great games mixed in with a lot of dogs". Its American
launch was wildly successful, breaking records - its first day sales
were significantly higher than PlayStation's and Saturn's respective
launches the year before.
The PAL version of the console was released in Europe on March 1,
1997, except for France where it was released on September 1 of the
same year. According to Nintendo of America representatives, Nintendo
had been planning a simultaneous launch in Japan, North America, and
Europe, but market studies indicated that worldwide demand for the
system far exceeded the number of units they could have ready by
launch, potentially leading to consumer and retailer frustration.
Originally intended to be priced at , the console was ultimately
launched at to make it competitive with Sony and Sega offerings, as
both the Saturn and PlayStation had been lowered to $199.99 earlier
that summer. Nintendo priced the console as an impulse purchase, a
strategy from the toy industry. The price of the console in the United
States was further reduced in August 1998.
Promotion
===========
The Nintendo 64's North American launch was backed with a $54 million
marketing campaign by Leo Burnett Worldwide (meaning over $100 in
marketing per North American unit that had been manufactured up to
this point). While the competing Saturn and PlayStation both set
teenagers and adults as their target audience, the Nintendo 64's
target audience was pre-teens.
To boost sales during the slow post-Christmas season, Nintendo and
General Mills worked together on a promotional campaign that appeared
in early 1999. The advertisement by Saatchi & Saatchi, New York
began on January 25 and encouraged children to buy Fruit by the Foot
snacks for tips to help them with their Nintendo 64 games. Ninety
different tips were available, with three variations of thirty tips
each.
Nintendo advertised its Funtastic Series of peripherals with a $10
million print and television campaign from February 28 to April 30,
2000. Leo Burnett Worldwide was in charge again.
Technical specifications
==========================
Main motherboard Main motherboard Memory Expansion Pak
The Nintendo 64's architecture is built around the Reality Coprocessor
(RCP), which serves as the system’s central hub for processing
graphics, audio, and memory management. It works in tandem with the
VR4300, a 93.75 MHz 64-bit CPU fabricated by NEC with a performance of
125 million instructions per second. 'Popular Electronics' compared
its processing power to that of contemporary Pentium desktop
processors. Though constrained by a narrower 32-bit system bus, the
VR4300 retained the computational capabilities of the more powerful
64-bit MIPS R4300i on which it was based. However, software rarely
utilized 64-bit precision, as Nintendo 64 games primarily relied on
faster and more compact 32-bit operations.
The RCP operates at 62.5 MHz and contains two critical components: the
"Signal Processor", responsible for sound and graphics processing, and
the "Display Processor", which manages pixel drawing. The RCP renders
visual data into the graphics frame buffer and controls direct memory
access (DMA), transferring video and audio data from memory to a
digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for final output.
A key advantage of the Nintendo 64's architecture is that the CPU and
RCP operate in parallel, dividing tasks for better efficiency. While
the VR4300 executes the main game logic, the RCP processes graphics
and sound independently. This design enables 3D rendering and complex
audio effects but also requires careful coordination to avoid
performance bottlenecks.
The Nintendo 64 was among the first consoles to implement a unified
memory architecture, eliminating separate banks of random-access
memory (RAM) for CPU, audio, and video operations. It features 4 MB of
RDRAM (Rambus DRAM), expandable to 8 MB with the Expansion Pak. At the
time, RDRAM was a relatively new technology that provided high
bandwidth at a lower cost.
Audio processing is handled by both the CPU and the RCP and is output
through a DAC with a sample rate of up to 44.1 kHz with 16-bit depth,
matching CD quality. However, this level of fidelity was rarely used
due to the high CPU demand and the storage limitations of the ROM
cartridges. Most games featured stereo sound, with some supporting
Dolby Pro Logic surround sound.
For video output, the system supports composite and S-Video output,
using the same cables as the Super NES and GameCube. It can display up
to 16.8 million colors and resolutions ranging from 256×224 to 640×480
pixels. While most games run at 320×240, some support higher
resolutions, often requiring the Expansion Pak. The console also
accommodates widescreen formats, with games offering either anamorphic
16:9 or letterboxed display modes.
Controller
============
The Nintendo 64 controller features a distinctive "M"-shaped design,
with a "control stick", making Nintendo the first manufacturer to
include a thumbstick as a standard feature in its primary controller.
While functionally similar to an analog stick, the control stick is
digital, operating on the same principles as a ball mouse.
The controller includes a D-pad and ten buttons: a large A and B
button, a Start button, four C-buttons (Up, Down, Left, and Right),
two shoulder buttons (L and R), and a Z trigger positioned on the
back. 'Popular Electronics' described its shape as "evocative of some
alien spaceship." While noting that the three-handle design could be
confusing, the magazine praised its versatility, stating "the separate
grips allow different hand positions for various game types".
A port on the bottom of the controller allows users to connect various
accessories, including the Controller Pak for saving game data, the
Rumble Pak for force feedback, and the Transfer Pak, which enabled
data transfer between supported Nintendo 64 and Game Boy games.
The Nintendo 64 was also one of the first consoles to feature four
controller ports. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo included
four ports because it was the first console powerful enough to handle
four-player split-screen gameplay without significant slowdown.
Game Paks
===========
After multiple attempts to develop a compact disc-based add-on for the
Super NES, many in the industry expected Nintendo’s next console to
follow Sony’s PlayStation in adopting the CD format. However, when the
first Nintendo 64 prototypes debuted in November 1995, observers were
surprised to find that the system once again used ROM cartridges.
Nintendo 64 cartridges range in size from 4 to 64 MB and often include
built-in save functionality.
Nintendo’s selection of the cartridge medium was highly controversial
and is frequently cited as a key factor in the company losing its
dominant position in the gaming market. While cartridges offered
advantages such as faster load times and durability, their
limitations--higher production costs, lower storage capacity, and
longer manufacturing lead times--posed challenges for developers. Many
of the format’s benefits required innovative solutions, which only
emerged later in the console’s lifecycle.
Advantages
============
Nintendo cited several reasons for choosing cartridges. The biggest
advantage was their fast load times--unlike CDs, which required
lengthy loading screens, cartridges provided near-instant gameplay.
This advantage had previously helped Nintendo compete against home
computers like the Commodore 64 in the 1980s. Although cartridges are
susceptible to long-term environmental damage, they are significantly
more durable than compact discs.
Another key factor was copyright protection--cartridges were harder to
pirate than CDs, reducing widespread software piracy. While
unauthorized N64-to-PC devices eventually emerged, they were far less
common than the more easily copied PlayStation CDs.
Disadvantages
===============
Cartridges also had notable drawbacks. They took longer to manufacture
than CDs, requiring at least two weeks per production run. This forced
publishers to predict demand ahead of time, risking either
overproduction of costly cartridges or weeks-long shortages if demand
was underestimated. Additionally, cartridges were significantly more
expensive to produce than CDs, leading to higher game prices,
typically more than PlayStation titles.
Third-party developers also complained that they were at an unfair
disadvantage. Since Nintendo controlled cartridge manufacturing, it
could sell its own first-party games at a lower price, and prioritize
their production over those of other companies.
Storage limitations were another key issue. While Nintendo 64
cartridges maxed out at 64 MB, CDs could hold 650 MB. As games became
more complex, this restriction forced compromises, including
compressed textures, shorter music tracks, and fewer cutscenes.
Full-motion video was rarely feasible, and many multiplatform games
had to be scaled down for the N64.
These cost and storage constraints pushed many third-party developers
toward the PlayStation. Square and Enix, which had originally planned
to release 'Final Fantasy VII' and 'Dragon Warrior VII' on the
Nintendo 64, switched to Sony’s console due to storage constraints.
Other developers, like Konami, released far fewer N64 titles than
PlayStation games. As a result, new N64 releases were less frequent
compared to its competitors.
Despite these challenges, the Nintendo 64 remained competitive,
bolstered by strong first-party titles and exclusive hits like
'GoldenEye 007'. Nintendo’s flagship franchises, including Mario and
Zelda, retained strong brand appeal, and deals with second-party
developers like Rare further strengthened the console’s game library.
Programming characteristics
=============================
Programming for the Nintendo 64 presented unique challenges alongside
notable advantages. 'The Economist' described development for the
system as "horrendously complex". Like many game consoles and embedded
systems, the Nintendo 64 featured highly specialized hardware
optimizations, which were further complicated by design oversights,
limitations in 3D technology, and manufacturing constraints.
As the console neared the end of its lifecycle, Nintendo’s hardware
chief, Genyo Takeda, repeatedly reflected on these difficulties, using
the Japanese term , meaning "reflective regret." Looking back, he
admitted, "When we made Nintendo 64, we thought it was logical that if
you want to make advanced games, it becomes technically more
difficult. We were wrong. We now understand it's the cruising speed
that matters, not the momentary flash of peak power."
Regional lockout
==================
Unlike the NES and Super NES, which employed region-specific branding
and hardware variations, the Nintendo 64 maintained a consistent
design and brand worldwide. While Nintendo initially announced the use
of regional lockout chips to restrict game compatibility, the platform
ultimately enforced region-locking through physical cartridge design,
with each market having cartridges with different notches on the back,
preventing a cartridge from one region from being inserted into a
foreign console.
Color variants
================
The Nintendo 64 comes in several colors. The standard Nintendo 64 is
charcoal gray, nearly black, and the controller is light gray (later
releases in the U.S., Canada, and Australia included a bonus second
controller in Atomic Purple). Various colorations and special editions
were released.
Most Nintendo 64 game cartridges are gray in color, but some games
have a colored cartridge. Fourteen games have black cartridges, and
other colors (such as yellow, blue, red, gold, and green) were each
used for six or fewer games. Several games, such as 'The Legend of
Zelda: Ocarina of Time', were released both in standard gray and in
colored, limited edition versions.
Games
======================================================================
A total of 388 Nintendo 64 games were officially released, with just
85 exclusively sold in Japan. For comparison, the PlayStation received
4,105 games, the Saturn got over 1,000, the SNES got 1,755 games, and
the NES got 716 Western releases plus over 1,000 in Japan. The
considerably smaller Nintendo 64 game library has been attributed by
some to the controversial decision not to adopt the CD-ROM, and
programming difficulties for its complex architecture. This trend is
also seen as a result of Hiroshi Yamauchi's strategy, announced during
his speech at the Nintendo 64's November 1995 unveiling, that Nintendo
would be restricting the number of games produced for the Nintendo 64
so that developers would focus on higher quality instead of quantity.
The 'Los Angeles Times' also observed that this was part of Nintendo's
"penchant for perfection [...] while other platforms offer quite a bit
of junk, Nintendo routinely orders game developers back to the boards
to fix less-than-perfect titles".
Although having much less third-party support than rival consoles,
Nintendo's strong first-party franchises such as 'Mario' enjoyed wide
brand appeal. Second-parties of Nintendo, such as Rare, released
groundbreaking titles. Consequently, the Nintendo 64 game library
included a high number of critically acclaimed and widely sold games.
According to TRSTS reports, three of the top five best-selling games
in the U.S. for December 1996 were Nintendo 64 games (both of the
remaining two were Super NES games). 'Super Mario 64' is the
best-selling console game of the generation, with 11 million units
sold beating 'Gran Turismo' for the PlayStation (at 10.85 million) and
'Final Fantasy VII' (at 9.72 million) in sales. The game also received
much praise from critics and helped to pioneer three-dimensional
control schemes. 'GoldenEye 007' was important in the evolution of the
first-person shooter, and has been named one of the greatest in the
genre. 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' set the standard for
future 3D action-adventure games and is considered by many to be one
of the greatest games ever made.
Graphics
==========
The most graphically demanding Nintendo 64 games on larger 32 or 64 MB
cartridges are among the most advanced and detailed of 32- and 64-bit
platforms. To maximize the hardware, developers created custom
microcode. Nintendo 64 games running on custom microcode benefit from
much higher polygon counts and more advanced lighting, animation,
physics, and AI routines than its competition. 'Conker's Bad Fur Day'
is arguably the pinnacle of its generation combining multicolored
real-time lighting that illuminates each area to real-time shadowing,
and detailed texturing replete with a full in-game facial animation
system. The Nintendo 64 is capable of executing many more advanced and
complex rendering techniques than its competitors. It is the first
home console to feature trilinear filtering, to smooth textures. This
contrasts with the Saturn and PlayStation, which use nearest-neighbor
interpolation and produce more pixelated textures. Overall however the
results of the Nintendo cartridge system were mixed.
The smaller storage size of ROM cartridges can limit the number of
available textures. As a result, many games with much smaller 8 or 12
MB cartridges are forced to stretch textures over larger surfaces.
Compounded by a limit of 4,096 bytes of on-chip texture memory, the
result is often a distorted, out-of-proportion appearance. Many games
with larger 32 or 64 MB cartridges avoid this issue entirely,
including 'Resident Evil 2', 'Sin and Punishment: Successor of the
Earth', and 'Conker's Bad Fur Day', allowing for more detailed
graphics with multiple, multi-layered textures across all surfaces.
Emulation
===========
Several Nintendo 64 games have been released for the Wii and Wii U
Virtual Console (VC) services and are playable with the Classic
Controller, GameCube controller, Wii U Pro Controller, or Wii U
GamePad. Differences include a higher resolution and a more consistent
framerate than the Nintendo 64 originals. Some features, such as
Rumble Pak functionality, are not available in the Wii versions. Some
features are also changed on the Virtual Console releases. For
example, the VC version of 'Pokémon Snap' allows players to send
photos through the Wii's message service, and 'Wave Race 64's' in-game
content was altered due to the expiration of the Kawasaki license.
Several games developed by Rare were released on Microsoft's Xbox Live
Arcade service, including 'Banjo-Kazooie', 'Banjo-Tooie', and 'Perfect
Dark', following Microsoft's acquisition of Rareware in 2002. One
exception is 'Donkey Kong 64', released in April 2015 on the Wii U
Virtual Console, as Nintendo retained the rights to the game. Select
Nintendo 64 games have been re-released via the Nintendo Classics
service as part of the "Expansion Pack" tier of the Nintendo Switch
Online service. With the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5,
2025, the additional features of the Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Classics
will offer CRT filter, rewind function and button remapping (one of
these features is also available on the Nintendo Switch).
Several unofficial third-party emulators can play Nintendo 64 games on
other platforms, such as Windows, Macintosh, and smartphones.
64DD
======
Nintendo released a peripheral platform called 64DD, where "DD" stands
for "Disk Drive". Connecting to the expansion slot at the bottom of
the system, the 64DD turns the Nintendo 64 console into an Internet
appliance, a multimedia workstation, and an expanded gaming platform.
This large peripheral allows players to play Nintendo 64 disk-based
games, capture images from an external video source, and it allowed
players to connect to the now-defunct Japanese Randnet online service.
Not long after its limited mail-order release, the peripheral was
discontinued. Only nine games were released, including the four 'Mario
Artist' games ('Paint Studio', 'Talent Studio', 'Communication Kit',
and 'Polygon Studio'). Many planned games were eventually released in
cartridge format or on other game consoles. The 64DD and the
accompanying Randnet online service were released only in Japan.
To illustrate the fundamental significance of the 64DD to all game
development at Nintendo, lead designer Shigesato Itoi said: "I came up
with a lot of ideas because of the 64DD. All things start with the
64DD. There are so many ideas I wouldn't have been allowed to come up
with if we didn't have the 64DD". Shigeru Miyamoto concluded: "Almost
every new project for the N64 is based on the 64DD. ... we'll make the
game on a cartridge first, then add the technology we've cultivated to
finish it up as a full-out 64DD game".
iQue Player
======================================================================
The iQue Player was a handheld TV game Nintendo 64 system that
released only in China on November 17, 2003, after China banned video
game consoles. The games that were released in the iQue Player's
lifetime (from 2003 to 2016) are 'Super Mario 64', 'The Legend of
Zelda: Ocarina of Time', 'Mario Kart 64', 'Wave Race 64', 'Star Fox
64', 'Yoshi's Story', 'Paper Mario', 'Super Smash Bros.', 'F-Zero X',
'Dr. Mario 64', 'Excitebike 64', 'Sin and Punishment', 'Custom Robo'
and 'Animal Crossing'.
Critical reception
====================
The Nintendo 64 received acclaim from critics. Reviewers praised the
console's advanced 3D graphics and gameplay, while criticizing the
lack of games. On G4techTV's 'Filter', the Nintendo 64 was voted up to
No. 1 by registered users.
In February 1996, 'Next Generation' magazine called the Nintendo Ultra
64 the "best kept secret in videogames" and the "world's most powerful
game machine". It called the system's November 24, 1995, unveiling at
Shoshinkai "the most anticipated videogaming event of the 1990s,
possibly of all time". Previewing the Nintendo 64 shortly prior to its
launch, 'Time' magazine praised the realistic movement and gameplay
provided by the combination of fast graphics processing,
pressure-sensitive controller, and the 'Super Mario 64' game. The
review praised the "fastest, smoothest game action yet attainable via
joystick at the service of equally virtuoso motion", where "[f]or
once, the movement on the screen feels real". Asked if consumers
should buy a Nintendo 64 at launch, buy it later, or buy a competing
system, a panel of six 'GamePro' editors voted almost unanimously to
buy at launch; one editor said consumers who already own a PlayStation
and are on a limited budget should buy it later, and all others should
buy it at launch.
At launch, the 'Los Angeles Times' called the system "quite simply,
the fastest, most graceful game machine on the market". Its form
factor was described as small, light, and "built for heavy play by
kids" unlike the "relatively fragile Sega Saturn". Showing concern for
a major console product launch during a sharp, several-year long,
decline in the game console market, the review said that the
long-delayed Nintendo 64 was "worth the wait" in the company's pursuit
of quality. Although the 'Times' expressed concerns about having only
two launch games at retail and twelve expected by Christmas, this was
suggested to be part of Nintendo's "penchant for perfection", as
"while other platforms offer quite a bit of junk, Nintendo routinely
orders game developers back to the boards to fix less-than-perfect
titles". Describing the quality control incentives associated with
cartridge-based development, the 'Times' cited Nintendo's position
that cartridge game developers tend to "place a premium on substance
over flash", and noted that the launch games lack the "poorly acted
live-action sequences or half-baked musical overtures" which it says
tend to be found on CD-ROM games. Praising Nintendo's controversial
choice of the cartridge medium with its "nonexistent" load times and
"continuous, fast-paced action CD-ROMs simply cannot deliver", the
review concluded that "the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 delivers
blistering speed and tack-sharp graphics that are unheard of on
personal computers and make competing 32-bit, disc-based consoles from
Sega and Sony seem downright sluggish".
'Time' named it the 1996 Machine of the Year, saying the machine had
"done to video-gaming what the 707 did to air travel". The magazine
said the console achieved "the most realistic and compelling
three-dimensional experience ever presented by a computer". 'Time'
credited the Nintendo 64 with revitalizing the video game market,
"rescuing this industry from the dustbin of entertainment history".
The magazine suggested that the Nintendo 64 would play a major role in
introducing children to digital technology in the final years of the
20th century. The article concluded by saying the console had already
provided "the first glimpse of a future where immensely powerful
computing will be as common and easy to use as our televisions". The
console also won the 1996 Spotlight Award for Best New Technology.
'Popular Electronics' complimented the system's hardware, calling its
specifications "quite impressive". It found the controller
"comfortable to hold, and the controls to be accurate and responsive".
In a 1997 year-end review, a team of five 'Electronic Gaming Monthly'
editors gave the Nintendo 64 scores of 8.0, 7.0, 7.5, 7.5, and 9.0.
They highly praised the power of the hardware and the quality of the
first-party games, especially those developed by Rare's and Nintendo's
internal studios, but also commented that the third-party output to
date had been mediocre and the first-party output was not enough by
itself to provide Nintendo 64 owners with a steady stream of good
games or a full breadth of genres. 'Next Generation's' end of 1997
review expressed similar concern about third party support, while also
noting signs that the third party output was improving, and speculated
that the Nintendo 64's arrival late in its generation could lead to an
early obsolescence when Sony and Sega's successor consoles launched.
However, they said that for some, Nintendo's reliably high-quality
software would outweigh those drawbacks, and gave the system 3 1/2 out
of 5 stars.
Developer Factor 5, which created some of the system's most
technologically advanced games along with the system's audio
development tools for Nintendo, said, "[T]he N64 is really sexy
because it combines the performance of an SGI machine with a
cartridge. We're big arcade fans, and cartridges are still the best
for arcade games or perhaps a really fast CD-ROM. But there's no such
thing for consoles yet [as of 1998]".
Sales
=======
The Nintendo 64 was highly successful in the North America region;
conversely, sales proved to be underwhelming in the domestic Japanese
and in European markets. Nintendo reported that the system's vintage
hardware and software sales had ceased by 2004, three years after the
GameCube's launch; as of December 31, 2009, the Nintendo 64 had
yielded a lifetime total of 5.54 million system units sold in Japan,
20.63 million in the Americas, and 6.75 million in other regions, for
a total of 32.93 million units.
North America
===============
The Nintendo 64 was in heavy demand upon its release. David Cole,
industry analyst, said "You have people fighting to get it from
stores". 'Time' called the purchasing interest "that rare and glorious
middle-class Cabbage Patch-doll frenzy". The magazine said celebrities
Matthew Perry, Steven Spielberg, and Chicago Bulls players called
Nintendo to ask for special treatment to get their hands on the
console. In North America and Europe, the console had only two launch
games, with 'Super Mario 64' as its killer app.
During the system's first three days on the market, retailers sold
350,000 of 500,000 available console units. During its first four
months, the console yielded 500,000 unit sales in North America.
Nintendo successfully outsold Sony and Sega early in 1997 in the
United States; and by the end of its first full year, 3.6 million
units were sold in the United States. 'BusinessWire' reported that the
Nintendo 64 was responsible for Nintendo's sales having increased by
156% by 1997. Five different Nintendo 64 games exceeded 1 million in
sales during 1997.
After a strong launch year, the decision to use the cartridge format
is said to have contributed to the diminished release pace and higher
price of games compared to the competition, and thus Nintendo was
unable to maintain its lead in the United States. The console would
continue to outsell the Sega Saturn throughout the generation, but
would trail behind the PlayStation.
Nintendo's efforts to attain dominance in the key 1997 holiday
shopping season were also hurt by game delays. Five high-profile
Nintendo games slated for release by Christmas 1997 ('The Legend of
Zelda: Ocarina of Time', 'Banjo-Kazooie', 'Conker's Quest', 'Yoshi's
Story', and 'Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.') were
delayed until 1998, and 'Diddy Kong Racing' was announced at the last
minute in an effort to somewhat fill the gaps. In an effort to take
the edge off of the console's software pricing disadvantage, Nintendo
worked to lower manufacturing costs for Nintendo 64 cartridges, and
leading into the 1997 holiday shopping season announced a new pricing
structure which amounted to a roughly 15% price cut on both
first-party and third-party games. Response from third-party
publishers was positive, with key third-party publisher Capcom saying
the move led them to reconsider their decision not to publish games
for the console.
Japan
=======
In Japan, the console was not as successful, failing to outsell the
PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. Benimaru Itō, a developer for 'Mother
3' and friend of Shigeru Miyamoto, speculated in 1997 that the
Nintendo 64's lower popularity in Japan was due to the lack of
role-playing video games. Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi also said the
console's lower popularity in Japan was most likely due to lack of
role-playing games, and the small number of games being released in
general. The higher price of cartridges as opposed to CD-ROM has also
been cited as a reason for the system's lackluster third-party
support, which led to domestically big titles, such as 'Dragon Quest
VII', moving away from Nintendo's platforms to its rivals.
Shigeru Miyamoto commented at the time that the Nintendo 64's
situation in Japan was grim and that it was also tough in Europe, but
that these were overcome by its success in America and therefore "the
business has become completely viable".
Legacy
========
The Nintendo 64 is one of the most recognized video game systems in
history, Designed in tandem with the controller, 'Super Mario 64' and
'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' are widely considered by
critics and the public to be two of the greatest and most influential
games of all time. 'GoldenEye 007' is one of the most influential
games for the shooter genre.
The Aleck 64 is a Nintendo 64 design in arcade form, designed by Seta
in cooperation with Nintendo, and sold from 1998 to 2003 only in
Japan.
In 2011, 'IGN' ranked it as the ninth-greatest video game console of
all time.
External links
======================================================================
*
[
https://books.google.com/books?id=uA0EAAAAMBAJ&q=billboard+may+18,+1996
'Billboard Magazine' of May 18, 1996, p.58], covering the launch of
Nintendo 64, including Yamauchi's explanation of cartridge strategy
and negotiations about Netscape's online strategy for Nintendo 64
*
[
https://web.archive.org/web/20140314191929/http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2012/07/13/why-netscape-almost-didnt-exist/
"Why Netscape Almost Didn't Exist"], on Andreesson's choice to cofound
Netscape instead of working on N64, and later proposing N64's first
online strategy
*
*
[
https://web.archive.org/web/20150503194948/http://64dd.net/modules/specials/?p
Index of all Nintendo 64 promotional videos]
* [
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2001/0016517.html US Patent for
the N64]
*
[
https://web.archive.org/web/20110203150110/https://nw.64scener.com/n64releaselist.php
The Most Complete N64 Game Releaselist by NESWORLD]
License
=========
All content on Gopherpedia comes from Wikipedia, and is licensed under CC-BY-SA
License URL:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64
