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The Video Game Console Library - Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64

  DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
 
Developer Manufacturer Release Date Country(s) Initial Price Model Number  Game Releases  Overall Rating
Nintendo Nintendo 20-Jun-96 Worldwide  $199 USD  NUS-001  387  
Ratings Reviews Pictures\Video Specs Games\Emulation Models Clones Links  
   

Ratings
Ratings are based on the available technology at the time of release.  Ratings based on a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).

Console Design (Appearance and overall functionality)

  

Console Durability (Sturdy and hearty or frail and fragile)

  

Controllers (Design, response, feel and ease of use)

  

Graphics (Graphical capability and game presentation)

  

Audio (Sound capabilities, including music, speech, effects)

  

Media (Game media format, design, durability)

  

Packaging (Appeal and durability of packaging)

  

Game Library (Quality and quantity of game offerings)

  

Innovations (Technological strides on the industry)

  

Gamer Value (Is this a good investment for the gamer?)

  

Collector Value (Is this a good investment for the collector?)

  

Games Rarity (General availability of most games)

  

Console Rarity (General availability of a functional system)

  
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    Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

DW FACTS
 - by Dark Watcher

Nintendo stretched the life of their 16-bit console for as long as they could. Their initial attempts at entering the market with a 32-bit CD add-on (see Playstation) never saw the light of day. After the releases of Sony and Sega's 32-bit systems, Nintendo began spreading the word of their new console in development. The leap to a 64-bit console became known as Project Reality. The system was a joint venture by Nintendo and Silicon Graphics. Nintendo would later change the name to Ultra 64.

Nintendo shocked developers and gamers alike with the decision to remain with a cartridge format instead of CDs, which had become the most favorable game media for the time. This turned away many third party software developers who felt the cartridge did not have the storage capacity to handle their game projects (a weakness that hurt the Atari Jaguar). Nintendo stuck by the cartridge format saying that it was the best media to use with the Ultra 64 and that CDs would be plagued with extreme load times. Also carts were more durable then CDs which are prone to scratching (particularly with younger kids). Eventually Nintendo would put all doubts to rest in 1995 with a playable Super Mario 64 shown at a Japanese trade show. Super Mario 64's lush 3D visuals were enough to regain interest in Nintendo’s new console.

On June 20th, 1996, the console was again renamed Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan along with Super Mario 64 and two other games. It was then released in USA on 26 September of the same year. Other countries saw N64 releases soon after.

The console was an immediate success, but a shortage of quality games began to slow system sales. Games were released in small trickles. Developers found the cartridge format limiting. Effects such as Full Motion Video and large quantities of voiceover, music, and sound effects could not be reproduced due to the limited storage capacity (keep in mind however that N64 can produce CD quality sound). Gamers found some of the N64 third party game releases cheaper on rival consoles CD formats (carts had a high manufacturing price which was filtered down, naturally, to the consumer. The same held for other game titles large in size. The more megabits the cart the... the higher the price).

Even with the small amount of game releases, Nintendo managed to release amazing game titles based on franchise characters from their SuperNES / NES days. Also with help from RARE, the company that breathed new life into the SuperNES with Donkey Kong Country, the Nintendo 64 saw some great game exclusives that kept gamers happy with their console choice. While 64-bit updates to popular SuperNES games was the way to go, it also generated a Nintendo 64 stereotype of being a "kiddy" console (although most of those supposed kiddy games are amazingly fun). Rival console manufacturers would use this stereotype to their advantage in an effort to attract older 'hardcore' gamers.

Nintendo clearly understood that the cartridge storage abilities would limit third party developers. In 1997 they began announcing a device called the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive or N64DD for short. It would be a magnetic disk drive, which connected to the N64's expansion port. The device would add an addition 4 megabytes of RAM to the N64 and offer 64 megabytes of additional read / writeable RAM for developers to use. The device saw numerous delays and eventually was released in Japan only. Other countries however did receive the N64 Expansion Pack. This accessory was released around 1998. It added an additional 4Mb of RAM . Games specifically made to take advantage of its capability could increase the game's resolution, improve graphics, make levels larger, etc. For other games however it did nothing.

In the end Nintendo 64 was a remarkable machine that brought about innovations such as controller 'rumble' effects and analog / digital controllers. The console was supported well into 2002 and sold over 30 million units worldwide. It also marked the end of the 'Cartridge Era'.

FACT: The N64 console was developed in a wide assortment of colors. Even a special edition Pikachu (ph33r the Pikachu!) unit was created.


  HANDS ON REVIEW
 

Coming soon...
 

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     Pictures & Video
Silicon Graphics Tech Demos

Video courtesy of monokoma. 		Nintendo 64 Debut at E3 1996

Video courtesy of Grooveraider. 		Various Nintendo 64 Commericals
Video courtesy of CanadienDestroyer. 		Commerical for the LE Pikachu Console
Video courtesy of Eric032289.
       
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    Specs
Processor Type Processor Speed

Other Processor Information

 RAM \ Video RAM
 64-bit MIPS R4300i-class RISC CPU 93.75 MHz 93 MIPS  64-bit MIPS RISC "Reality Immersion" RCP (62.5 MHz) 4 MB

Screen Resolution

Color Palette

Polygons \ Sprites

Audio

256 x 224 to 640 x 480

16.7 million w/ 32,000 on screen  150,000  Full digital stereo with anhancements

Media Format

Media Capacity

Games Released

Other Supported Formats
 Cartridge  256 Megabit  387  None

Internal Storage

External \ Removable Storage

Game Controllers

Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
 None  Cart Battery, Controller Pak  Joypad  Nintendo 64 Disk drive, Memory Expansion Pack, Rumble Pack, etc.
Controller Ports Network Ports

Other Ports

Audio \ Video
 Four (4)  None (optional with 64DD)  None  Multi-Out (S-Video, Composite)

Power Supply

Other Outputs

 Other Details \ Notes
 AC - 120V  None Compatible with the Gameboy with special adaptor
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    Games & Emulation

The following lists some games screen shots and\or videos released for this system.
User Top 10 Compilation

Video courtesy of cloud8745. 		50 Nintendo 64 games in 4 minutes

Video courtesy of SeppeD. 		1996 N64 Promo Games

Video courtesy of spacebutler. 		Nintendo 64 Game Commercials

Video courtesy of sandeyboy.

The following lists links to third party sponsored game emulators
Program Website Description
Various http://www.emulation64.com/

Tons of information and downloads for N64 emulation.
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    Models

The following lists additional authorized releases for this console.

Nintendo 64 - Original
 

Nintendo 64 - Jungle Green
Nintendo 64 - Fire Orange
 
Nintendo 64 - Grape Purple

Nintendo 64 - Ice Blue
Nintendo 64 - Smoke Black
Nintendo 64 - Watermelon Red
Nintendo 64 - Pikachu Edition
Picture courtesy of N64emu
 
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    Clones

The following lists non-licensed additional releases.
No clones were released for this system.
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    Links

The following sites\resources are highly recommended for this system.  References utilized in compiling this data are denoted with an (#).
Name Website
   
   
   
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counter hit make
visitors since 01-Apr-2008
System page last updated 01-Nov-2008
 

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