The Video Game Console Library

	Nintendo iQue Player
	HANDS ON REVIEW by Marriott_Guy DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
	Page content, development and design by Marriott_Guy

Developer	Manufacturer	Release Date	Country(s)	Initial Price	Model Number	Game Releases	Overall Rating
Nintendo \ Dr. Yen	Nintendo	21-Nov-03	China	$99 USD	IQUE 1-2003	14	5.0
Ratings	Reviews	Pictures\Media	Specs\Manuals	Games\Emulation	Models	Clones	Links

Ratings
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. Ratings based upon a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).
Console Design (appearance, functionality)	06
Console Durability (sturdy or frail and fragile)	07
Controllers (design, response, feel, use)	04
Graphics (graphical capability and presentation)	04
Audio (sound, music, speech, effects)	04
Media (game media format, design, durability)	01
Packaging (appeal, durability of packaging)	07
Game Library (quality, quantity of game library)	01
Innovations (technological industrial strides)	01
Gamer Value (good investment for the gamer?)	01
Collector Value (good collector investment?)	06
Games Rarity (general availability of games)	08
Console Rarity (general availability of a system)	08

Reviews

Nintendo iQue game console

DW FACTS
- by Dark Watcher

China has been a piracy plague for videogame manufacturers for years. Many home consoles have been cloned and sold throughout the streets of Hong Kong. Why spends more money when you can get a cheaper clone?

Although many of their older consoles have been cloned, Nintendo realized there was still money to be made there. In November of 2003, they announced a low cost system to debut in China. This new system, called "iQue" (rough translation = God's Toy), was not necessarily a new console from a technological perspective. Nintendo used nanotechnology on their Nintendo 64 console to create a single chip solution containing CPU, Graphic Engine, etc. This new design allows doubled operating speed, reduced electronic noises, low power consumption, and most noticeably a reduced size. The heart of N64 has been built into a single controller.

What makes it even more interesting is the fact that the iQue, although essentially an N64 machine, does not use cartridges. The console uses a 64 MB Flash Card as its game media. These Flash Cards are used to download and store N64 game ports. The overall concept works similar to Nintendo's efforts with the Famicom Disk System. Gamers simply purchase a game title and download it onto their Flash Card. This design makes the games cheaper for purchase.

So how will Nintendo discourage piracy? Each iQue flash card contains a digital signature specific to that unit. So a flash card from one iQue will not work in another. The flash card also stores a download log. This log records what games have been purchased. This will prevent downloads of games not purchased. It also works for the gamer. If a purchased game is deleted simply to make room for another game, it can be downloaded again for free the next time. This download log system is also used to allow time limited game demos.

iQue Depot Welcome Screen

The iQue retailed for Yuan 598 (Less then $100 USD). It comes packaged with the unit, a power supply (220V), and the 64 MB flash card containing 5 pre-downloaded games. Doctor Mario is a full version title, but Zelda 64: Ocarina of Time (10 hours), Mario 64 (7 hours), Wave Race (1 hour) and Star Fox (1 hour) are time limited demo versions. The package also contains a serial number and password that allow you to obtain new titles via iQue Depots at locations throughout Chins. Games cost approximately $6 USD and include the game manual. An interesting device that can be imported, but may also appear on other shores.

iQue Depot

FACT: The Nintendo iQue uses an operating system called UOS (Updateable Operating System). This allows Nintendo the ability to apply system updates which are stored onto their flash card.

HANDS ON REVIEW
- by Marriott_Guy (08-Nov-07)

One of the lesser known consoles released by Nintendo, the iQue Player (iQue) debuted in China on November 21, 2003. The published intention of this system was to allow gamers easy and affordable access to past game releases for the Nintendo 64. In reality, the truth behind its incarnation seems to lie somewhere in between their attempt to govern the illegal distribution of game ROMs while profiting from the reissuing of past games. Though plans to release the iQue worldwide were in the works at the time, this console was only sold in China. Targeting the Chinese audience was not done by accident - digital copyright laws differ significantly from those employed in the US.

Strongly resembling a plug-n-play device, the iQue is indeed a stand alone console on all levels. The iQue does not offer anything new to the gaming world technologically. Inside this system resides a R-4300 64Bit CPU that is based on the same chip used in the Nintendo 64. Graphically, games are able to be displayed using 2.1 million colors at a maximum rate of 100,000 polygons per second. This sturdy, stylistic unit plugs directly into the television AV ports (composite). Though only one controller interface is provided, an expansion pack (Nintendo iQue Family Package) is offered, sold separately, allowing multiplayer gaming as illustrated below.

Nintendo iQue Player connected to the optional Family Package

Now to the games. There are no new ones. The iQue solely uses ports of existing games from the Nintendo 64. Games are played from and stored on 64 MB flash cards that are inserted into the bottom of the unit. The system itself comes with time-limited demos of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Wave Race 64 and Star Fox 64 along with the full version of Doctor Mario. Additional titles are purchased through official iQue distributors (downloaded onto the flash cards). Games are exactly as they were at the time of their original release, though graphics have been updated slightly. Game downloads sold for $5-$10 USD. A nice thing about the system was that the Flash cards are rewritable but retains your download history for purchased games (so you can reinstall them at no charge if you run out of room and need to delete a title). As of this writing, there are 14 known game ports for this system.

Overall, this console is nothing more than a compact, glorified N64 port machine aimed at thwarting piracy (ROMs) and attempting to cash in as well. These systems are somewhat rare, but not entirely. Do not spend a great deal in investing in these systems. A CIB unit should run you around $100 USD, with about $45 S/H from China. This console should go up in price in time due to its limited release in China. If making the purchase, due so for collection purposes only, not for a new gaming experience.

Pictures & Media

Various picture\media for this console. Click pictures to enlarge.

Nintendo iQue Packaging and Box Contents

Detailed pictures of the iQue Player and Slave Controller

iQue Player - Front

iQue Player - Back

iQue Slave Controller

Nintendo iQue Player Family Package Box and Contents

Nintendo iQue Family Pack - Box Contents

Specs & Manuals

For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.

Processor Type	Processor Speed	Other Processor Information	RAM \ Video RAM
64-bit R-4300 CPU	93.75 MHz	Unknown	4 MB
Screen Resolution	Color Palette	Polygons \ Sprites	Audio
Unknown	2.1 Million Colors	Unknown	ADPCM 64
Media Format	Media Capacity	Games Released	Other Supported Formats
Flash Card (downloaded)	64 MB	14 Known Downloadable Versions	None
Internal Storage	External\Removable Storage	Game Controllers	Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
1 KB Flash ROM	On Flash Card (64 MB)	Built-in control pad	None
Controller Ports	Network Ports	Other Ports	Audio \ Video
N\A	None	None	Composite
Power Supply - External	Other Outputs	Other Details \ Notes
Input: AC 220V, 50Hz Output: DC 5V, 2A	None	With Family Pack adaptor, up to 4-way play possible
Manuals
Nintendo iQue Owner's Manuals (PDF) (Chinese) - 1.35 MB Nintendo iQue Gaming Manuals (PDF) (Chinese) - 1.40 MB

Games & Emulation

Games, media format, emulators and screen shots for titles released on this system.

Nintendo iQue Player Menu \ Interface Screenshots
(click image to enlarge)

iQue Welcome Screen

iQue Player Personal Information Screen

iQue Player Game Selection Screen

Nintendo iQue Player Flash Card

Game Screenshots of the 14 games that have been released for this Nintendo iQue Player
(some are from the N64, but graphically they are the same)

Animal Crossing

iQue Animal Crossing screenshot

Custom Robo

iQue Custom Robo screenshot

Dr. Mario

iQue Dr. Mario screenshot

Excitebike 64

iQue Excitebike 64 screenshot

F-Zero X

iQue F-Zero X screenshot

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

iQue Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time screenshot

Mario Kart 64

iQue Mario Kart 64 screenshot

Paper Mario

iQue Paper Mario screenshot

Star Fox 64

iQue Star Fox 64 screenshot

Sin and Punishment

iQue Sin and Punishment screenshot

Super Mario 64

iQue Super Mario 64 screenshot

Super Smash Bros.

iQue Super Smash Bros. screenshot

Wave Race 64

iQue Wave Race 64 screenshot

Yoshi's Story

iQue Yoshi's Story screenshot

Nintendo iQue Promotional Fliers (click image to enlarge)

Third Party Emulators
Program	Website	Description
Since iQue essentially runs Nintendo 64 games, you can find emulators for each system.

Models

Additional authorized releases for this console.

This console is a variant of the Nintendo 64. No other additional models were released.

Clones

Non-licensed releases (clones).

No clones were released for this system. This system is a clone.

Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.

Name	Website	Description
iQue Official Site	http://www.ique.com/index.jsp	Official website (in Chinese)
Chayx.Net	http://www.chayx.net/.../the-chinese-nintendo-64-ique.html	Very nice article on the iQue, games and operation

visitors since 01-Apr-2008
Page last updated 11-Dec-2011

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