Nintendo 64
- This article is about the video game console. For other uses, seeNintendo 64 (disambiguation).
| Nintendo 64 | |
|---|---|
 Official logo  An original model of the Nintendo 64 | |
| Generation | Fifth generation |
| Release dates |  June 23, 1996[1] September 26, 1996[2] 1997[3] March 1, 1997[4] March 1, 1997[5] July 19, 1997[6] September 1, 1997[7] December 10, 1997[?] November 17, 2003 (iQue Player)[8] |
| Discontinued | April 30, 2002[?] May 11, 2003[?] May 16, 2003[?] November 30, 2003[?] December 31, 2016 (iQue Player)[?] |
| Predecessor | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Successor | Nintendo GameCube |
- “Get N or get out!”
- —The N64 slogan
TheNintendo 64 (formatted on the logo asNINTENDO64), also abbreviated as theN64, as well as rebranded as theHyundai Comboy 64 in South Korea, is a video game console created byNintendo. It was released in 1996 to compete with theSega Saturn and thePlayStation. It was codenamed "Project Reality" during development and is the first Nintendo home console to use the same name and design between the Japanese and international versions.
After failing to beat the PlayStation and theSuper Nintendo Entertainment System's sales, the Nintendo 64 was described as "a step backwards for the company in terms of commercial success"[9] due to a number of poor business decisions associated with the system, most notably the choice to use ROM cartridges for its games (instead of the higher-capacity CD-ROMs used by competing systems) and a lack of substantial third-party support, the latter of which is commonly pinned on frustrations with Nintendo's licensing policies. Despite this, the Nintendo 64 gained popularity during the first few months of its release, mainly due to the release of the critically acclaimedSuper Mario 64. Furthermore, although its sales figures were lackluster, the Nintendo 64 is not considered a true commercial failure, still generating a profit for Nintendo and outselling the Sega Saturn outside Japan.
Super Mario 64 was one of the first games of its kind to feature full 3D graphics and depth of field effects. The Nintendo 64 was able to pull this off because it was the first system to feature a 64-bit processor (for which the console was named) and 32-bit graphics chip (aside from the failedAtari Jaguar, which featured multiple coprocessors using 64-bit architecture on a 32-bit main processor). The Nintendo 64 also featured the first successful analog control stick implementation and four built-in controller ports, unlike its competitors, the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. The console is also Nintendo's first with 16:9 widescreen support (in addition to the traditional 4:3), though only 13 titles supported this feature, withDonkey Kong 64 being the sole game related to theSuper Mario franchise among them. Conversely, the Nintendo 64 is noted as the last home console system to use cartridges until theNintendo Switch. Starting with theNintendo GameCube and carrying on until theWii U, Nintendo would shift to using optical disks like its competitors, albeit with proprietary formats instead of industry standard ones.
The Nintendo 64 is best known for games such asSuper Mario 64,Super Smash Bros.,Mario Kart 64,Mario Party,Paper Mario,Donkey Kong 64,Star Fox 64,The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,GoldenEye 007,Banjo-Kazooie, andF-Zero X. Production of the Nintendo 64 ended in 2002. The Nintendo 64 sold 32.93 million units during its lifetime.[10]
In 1999, Nintendo released the64DD; similarly to theFamily Computer Disk System, it was an add-on that enabled support for games on proprietary magnetic disks. The add-on was intended as a cheaper alternative to optical disc-based competitors, but it ultimately became a commercial failure due to its belated and limited release. In total, four games of theSuper Mario franchise were released on the 64DD, all in theMario Artist series.
In 2003, theiQue Player was released in China, serving as the Chinese equivalent of the Nintendo 64, albeit with a differently designed controller. Its D-Pad and analog stick are placed as on the Nintendo GameCube Controller. The entire system consists of only the controller, which has the chip onboard. It has a limited selection ofSuper Mario titles, all of which were released for the Nintendo 64 outside China. These includeSuper Mario 64,Mario Kart 64,Paper Mario,Yoshi's Story,Dr. Mario 64, andSuper Smash Bros.
Accessories[edit]
Nintendo 64 Controller[edit]
TheNintendo 64 Controller is the standard controller for the Nintendo 64. It is unique among video game controllers, as it has three grips instead of the more common two, resembling the letterM. There are many color variations of the controller, including solid and clear colors. This was a unique concept at the time.
The Nintendo 64 is not the first console to use analog control sticks; it is just the first successful console to use them. TheVectrex was the first home console to have an analog stick; it also had four controller ports, a feature that was not popularized until the Nintendo 64.
There was also aLodgeNet controller that was exclusive to hotels.[11]
Buttons[edit]
The Nintendo 64 Controller lost the
,
, and
buttons from theSNES but instead features additional buttons:
- A
- B
- Camera Buttons/C Buttons
*- Camera Up/C-Up
* - Camera Right/C-Right
* - Camera Down/C-Down
* - Camera Left/C-Left
*
- Camera Up/C-Up
- START
- Z Trigger
* - L Trigger
- R Trigger
- Control Stick
* - Control Pad
* – Signifies new buttons
Controller Pak[edit]
Although this item was not required like for the Nintendo 64's competitor, thePlayStation, some games utilized external storage by the use of theController Pak. The only game in theSuper Mario franchise to support it isMario Kart 64, which can use it to saveghosts for Time Trials.
Transfer Pak[edit]
- Main article:Transfer Pak
TheTransfer Pak allowsGame Boy andGame Boy Color games to connect to select Nintendo 64 games. It was bundled withPokémon Stadium, althoughMario Golf (Nintendo 64) andMario Tennis (Nintendo 64) can connect withMario Golf (Game Boy Color) andMario Tennis (Game Boy Color), respectively. TheGame Boy Camera is the only Game Boy accessory to connect with a64DD game:Mario Artist: Paint Studio andMario Artist: Talent Studio.
Rumble Pak[edit]
- NintendoWiki article:Rumble (feature) § Nintendo 64
Bundled withStar Fox 64, theRumble Pak is an accessory inserted into the controller's memory cartridge slot, although this prevents simultaneous use of the Controller Pak. The Rumble Pak made the Nintendo 64 the first home console to utilizeforce-feedback vibration and has since become standard in gaming.
TheSuper Mario-related games that support it are:
- Mario Golf
- Mario Tennis
- Mario Party
- Mario Party 2
- Mario Party 3
- Paper Mario
- Yoshi's Story
- Donkey Kong 64
- Diddy Kong Racing
- Super Smash Bros.
- Super Mario 64: Shindō Pak Taiō Version
Expansion Pak[edit]
- NintendoWiki article:Expansion Pak
TheExpansion Pak is a RAM expansion that adds four additional megabytes of RAM to the console while in use, increasing the total amount of RAM accessible to eight megabytes. It is added console by removing the cover marked "Memory Expansion" in front of the cartridge slot and inserting it into the slot underneath, replacing the system's pre-installed Jumper Pak.
OneSuper Mario-related game requires the use of the Expansion Pak,Donkey Kong 64, and because of to this, a free Expansion Pak was bundled with earlier copies of the game. Arumor states thatDonkey Kong 64 required the Expansion Pak as the result of a memory leak or game-breaking bug, reinforced by a video created by formerRare employee Chris Marlow. However, this has been denied byDonkey Kong 64 developerMark Stevenson, who suggested that the rumor was a byproduct of the conflation of two separate stories involving the Expansion Pak and a severe bug, respectively.
64DD[edit]
- Main article:64DD
The64DD accessory was commercially available only in Japan and was a failure, although it was planned for an international release. Only fourSuper Mario games were released for it, all of them being part of theMario Artist series.
Appearances in theSuper Mario franchise[edit]
- InDonkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, there is a chance thatWrinkly Kong plays on a Nintendo 64 inWrinkly's Save Cave.
- InYoshi's Story, a Nintendo 64 can be seen in the backgrounds of a fewlevels.
- InSuper Smash Bros. Melee in the background of the stand where all of the player'strophies are, a Nintendo 64 with the controller and theSuper Smash Bros. game cartridge and box appear on a shelf, along with various other Nintendo systems.
- InWario World, a Nintendo 64 appears as atreasure.
- InSuper Paper Mario, in one ofFrancis's rooms, a Nintendo 64 can be seen alongside the other Nintendo platforms released by that time, as well as aVirtual Boy.
- InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, one of the names that can appear whenever a player presses the random button when they are naming their custom stage is "N64."
- InWarioWare Gold, the Nintendo 64 appears as a collectible Nintendosouvenir.
- InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, there was aSpirit Boardevent focused on spirits from the Nintendo 64 era. The name of the event was the slogan of the Nintendo 64.
- InWarioWare: Get It Together! in9-Volt's Nintendo Classics level, the boss that appears in the intermission before the boss microgame wears an upside-down Nintendo 64 Controller as a crown.
- InThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, one of the islands surrounding theMushroom Kingdom is in the shape of a Nintendo 64 controller with the left grip broken off.
- InThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a hologram of the Nintendo 64 logo can be seen above the futuristic city.[12]:0:14
Super Mario games[edit]
1996[edit]
1997[edit]
1998[edit]
1999[edit]
2000[edit]
2001[edit]
Galleries[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, seeGallery:Nintendo 64.
Horizontal logo
Super Mario 64 Player's Guide bundle
Donkey Kong 64 Bundle promo
64DD Boot screen
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ニンテンドウ６４[15] Nintendō 64 | - | Depending on the game or if it is referring to the console itself, the number "64" is pronounced as 「六四」 (rokuyon, "six four")[13] or 「六十四」 (rokujūyon, "sixty-four")[14] |
| Korean | 현대 컴보이 64 Hyeondae Keomboi 64 | Hyundai Comboy 64 | The number "64" is pronounced as 「육십사」 (yuksipsa) using the Sino-Korean number system instead 「예순넷」 (yesunnet) that comes from the native Korean system.[16] |
Notes[edit]
- Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer's Edition falsely states thatSuper Mario Bros. was ported to the Nintendo 64.[17]
- Several Nintendo 64 games depict the cartridges with a different artwork than their corresponding box art (e.g.,Super Mario 64,Mario Kart 64,Donkey Kong 64, etc.).
- In Japan, the Nintendo 64 was discontinued before the Famicom and Super Famicom.[18][19]
- Super Mario 64 helped to define the layout of the N64 Controller: the Control Stick and buttons respectively being incorporated for better movement in a 3D environment and better free-camera control.[20]
- The Nintendo 64 was Nintendo's last system to be distributed byHyundai Electronics in South Korea. TheGame Boy Advance,Nintendo GameCube, andNintendo DS would be distributed in the region byDaewon Media,[21] while all later systems would by handled by Nintendo themselves (due to South Korea lifting most of its bans on Japanese cultural imports between 1998 and 2004). As the Daewon and Nintendo of Korea-distributed systems retain their Japanese names, it is also Nintendo's last system to go under a different moniker in an international market, one generation after abandoning the practice in North America and PAL regions.
- The Nintendo 64 was originally showcased under the name "Ultra 64," with plans to brand it the "Ultra Famicom" in Japan.[22] The rename to "Nintendo 64," which initially covered the Japanese release[23] before being applied to the system internationally as well, stemmed from a desire for "a single product identity worldwide."[24] The new name was the suggestion ofEarthBound creator and copywriterShigesato Itoi.[25][26] The original name is reflected in the development ofSuper Mario 64, which began development asUltra 64 Mario Brothers.[27]
References[edit]
 | The Cutting Room Floor has an article onNintendo 64. |
 | Wikipedia has an article onNintendo 64. |
- ^June 24, 1996. Long-Awaited Nintendo 64 Machine Hits Stores. Santa Clarita:The Signal. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^Scott McCall (September 28, 1996).N64's U.S. Launch.Archive 64 (English). Retrieved September 7, 2024. (Archived October 12, 2015, 20:23:16 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Joshua Rogers (December 26, 2020).World of Nintendo: Exploring Nintendo in (Eastern) Europe.PAX (via YouTube) (English). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived June 5, 2024, 20:16:14 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Curtis, Maree (March 2, 1997). Remember the Games of the Old School Yard.The Age.
- ^Younge, Gary (March 1, 1997). Battle of the Giants Launched.The Guardian.
- ^Sam Derboo (July 13, 2010).A History of Korean Gaming.Hardcore Gaming 101 (English). Retrieved September 7, 2024. (Archived March 2, 2024, 03:39:51 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Frantz Durupt (September 29, 2015).Il y a 20 ans, la PlayStation sortait en France.Gamekult (French). Retrieved June 5, 2024. (Archived May 1, 2021, 00:02:17 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^November 2003.iQue PLAYER优惠套装上海试卖，五款精品游戏同步发售！.iQue (Simplified Chinese). Archived December 25, 2005, 02:11:32 UTC from theoriginal via Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
- ^https://www.goliath.com/gaming/10-reasons-why-the-nintendo-gamecube-failed/
- ^December 31, 2020.Dedicated Video Game Sales Units.Nintendo. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^Nintendrew (August 15, 2018).LodgeNet Game Controllers - Nintendo's Hotel Rental Service! | Nintendrew.YouTube.
- ^Illumination and Universal Pictures (February 6, 2026).The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Level Up.YouTube. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
- ^https://youtu.be/kg0m_flXKhQ?si=_e8uIQVxc6DQtq7x
- ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bf2kpeJnPw
- ^Nintendo 64 Japanese box art
- ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66QEsdstP7M
- ^Guinness World Records. (2011).Guinness World Records 2011: Gamer's Edition. BradyGames. p. 111.
- ^Niizumi, Hirohiko. (May 30, 2003).Nintendo to end Famicom and Super Famicom production.GameSpot. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^Reisinger, Don. (June 23, 2016).That Was Quick: Nintendo 64 Is 20 Years Old.Fortune. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^DidYouKnowGaming? (September 29, 2012).Mario - Did You Know Gaming? Feat. Egoraptor.YouTube.
- ^Gamecube : Korean Master-List !.Scanlines16.com. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^Ziff Davis (September 1995). Gaming Gossip.Electronic Gaming Monthly (Issue 74). Page 44. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived via Wayback Machine.)
- ^December 1995. Nintendo 64 Homes in on Japan.NEXT Generation (Issue 12). Page 19. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Ziff Davis (April 1996). Say Goodbye to Ultra.Electronic Gaming Monthly (Issue 81). Page 16. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Lindsay (November 5, 2011).The 64DREAM – November 1996.Yokuma!. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived November 8, 2011, 23:11:05 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Marcus Liedholm (January 1, 1998).The N64´s Long Way to completion.Nintendo Land. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived March 4, 2008, 06:47:40 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Prerelease:Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64).The Cutting Room Floor. Retrieved June 7, 2024. (Archived May 16, 2024, 19:30:40 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
[Edit] Nintendo 64games | |
|---|---|
| Super Mario franchise | Super Mario 64† (1996) •Mario Kart 64† (1996) •Mario no Photopi (1998) •Mario Party (1998) •Mario Golf (1999) •Mario Artist: Paint Studio* (1999) •Mario Party 2 (1999) •Mario Artist: Talent Studio* (2000) •Mario Artist: Communication Kit* (2000) •Mario Tennis (2000) •Paper Mario† (2000) •Mario Artist: Polygon Studio* (2000) •Mario Party 3 (2000) •Dr. Mario 64† (2001) |
| Donkey Kong franchise | Diddy Kong Racing (1997) •Donkey Kong 64 (1999) |
| Yoshi franchise | Yoshi's Story† (1997) |
| Crossovers | Super Smash Bros.† (1999) |
* For64DD † ForiQue Player | |
