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The Video Game Console Library - Nintendo iQue

Nintendo iQue Nintendo iQue Nintendo iQue

  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\Video Specs Games\Emulation Models Clones Links
Nintendo iQue
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
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Reviews
 


 

  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 realizes there is still money to be made there. So in November of 2003, They announced a low cost system to debut in China. The system called "iQue" (rough translation = God's Toy) is not necessarily a new console. Nintendo used nanotechnology on their Nintendo 64 console (similar to Sony's PSX) 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 picture above tells the tale. The heart of N64 has been built into a single controller. The nanotechnology design also gives iQue the ability to "hardware emulate" the SuperNES system.

What makes it even more interesting is the fact that iQue, although essentially an N64 machine, does not use cartridges. The console uses a 64-megabyte Flash Card as a game media. These Flash Cards will be used to download and store N64 / SuperNES games. 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.

The iQue retails for Yuan 598 (Less then $100 USD). It comes packaged with the unit, a power supply (220V), and the 64megabyte 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 download new titles to your system at locations throughout Shanghai, and possibly through the Internet. Full versions of games cost 48 Yuan(approximately $6 USD per download), and contain in-game manuals. An interesting device that can be imported, but may also appear on other shores.

FACT: The Nintendo iQue uses an operating system called UOS (Updateable Operating System). This allows Nintendo the ability to possibly change features in the unit. These changes simply need to be downloaded by the gamer onto their flash card.


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

One of the lesser known consoles released by Nintendo, the iQue debuted in China on November 21, 2003. The published intention of this system was to allow gamers easy and affordable access to past Nintendo game releases for both the Super Nintendo/Famicom and N64. 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 million colors at a maximum rate of 100,000 polygons per second. This sturdy, stylistic unit plugs directly into the television AV ports. Though only one controller interface is provided, an expansion pack is offered, sold separately, allowing multiplayer gaming. Nintendo iQue

Now to the games. There are no new ones. The iQue solely uses ports of existing games from the Super Nintendo/Famicom and N64. 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 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). There are 14 known game ports for this system.


Overall, this console is nothing more than a compact, glorified SNES/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.
 

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Pictures & Video

Various picture\video media for this console.  Click pictures to enlarge.
iQue - System & Box

 iQue - System & Box
 iQue - Main System - Front

 iQue - Main System - Front
 iQue - Family Pack - Front

 iQue - Family Pack - Front
iQue - Box Front

 iQue - Box Front
 iQue - Main System - Top

 iQue - Main System - Top
 iQue - Family Pack - Back

 iQue - Family Pack - Back
iQue - Box Back

 iQue - Box Back
 iQue - Main System  - Side

 iQue - Main System  - Side
 iQue - Family Pack - Contents

 iQue - Family Pack - Contents
iQue - Box Contents

 iQue - Box Contents
 iQue - Slave Controller - Front

 iQue - Slave Controller - Front
 iQue - System & Family Pack Hooked Up

 iQue - System & Family Pack Hooked Up
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Specs

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 485 MHz Unknown Unknown

Screen Resolution

Color Palette

Polygons \ Sprites

 Audio
Unknown 16 Million Unknown Unknown

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
1KB Flash ROM Standard GameCube Memory Card Built-in control pad None
Controller Ports Network Ports

Other Ports

Audio \ Video
N\A None None Standard AV Connection

Power Supply

Other Outputs

 Other Details \ Notes
220 volt None With Family Pack adaptor, up to 4-way play possible
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Games & Emulation

Games screen shots and\videos released for this system.
iQue Flash Game Card
Picture courtesy of Dicas Online

 iQue Game Depot
Picture courtesy of Dicas Online

 iQue - Hardware Display
Picture credits unknown.
Third Party Emulators
Program Website Description

 Since iQue essentially runs Nintendo 64 and SuperNES games, you can find emulators for each system.
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Models

Additional authorized releases for this console. 

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

Non-licensed releases (clones). 
No clones were released for this system.  This system is a clone.
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Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.
Name Website Description
Dicas Online http://dicasonline.com.br/.../ique-player....nintendo-64  Excellent web resource with more pictures and info!
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Page last updated 06-Feb-2010

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