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Well, I've had that little black console with the Nintendo logo for ages now. It sits there, next to my PS2 and Dreamcast quite happily and doesn't complain one bit when I turn on one of the other consoles instead.
Why is it there? Do I use it as a toast rack? a handy door stop? a foot warmer? Of course not, I use it to play games, and it still does that very well, thankyouverymuch.
The N64 wasn't ever going to be the biggest selling console of all time. By the time it was released, Nintendo had a certain reputation for the type of games they produced and Sony had pretty much soaked the media in advertising. Still, it sold well enough for Nintendo to be pleased with it and it has lasted a long time with a steady (though very slow) stream of releases gradually filling up the shelves. There are some really classic games that you can revisit many times without fear of boredom.
Where Mario Kart impressed perhaps less than it's SNES brother, Diddy Kong Racing had planes and a very nice story element too, not to mention some sharp tracks and a great two player. Goldeneye goes without mention and is even today considered one of the best in it's genre, Super Mario 64 is so playable that even after completing it, you end up doing it all over again. The list goes on, but perhaps what has become most apparent is that this console only appeals to a certain type of gamer. Nintendo's console is for those gamers who liked the early games and don't mind if their shelves are not bulging with all sorts of genres and games titles. There are a high percentage of great games among the many that were released and some remain classics in anyones eyes, while even newer generation consoles try to re-create some of these N64 game's magic.
With the lovely controllers, which sit nicely in the hand, and the cart based instant gaming, the N64's sound is possibly the only weak point, not having access to the CD based music of its counterparts. Not that this matters too much when you have some great visuals on offer. So they may be too 'soft' for some, but I believe that this all goes to make up a much friendlier feel and is certainly all the better for the more 'cartoony' style games. Still, games like Goldeneye and Resident Evil 2 managed to produce some tense visual effects using the same chips.
With the Gamecube either in homes via import or coming soon to your living room, perhaps now is the time to dust down that shapely black Nintendo box and have another go on the console that gave us some great gaming experiences.
Viva the N64!
Why is it there? Do I use it as a toast rack? a handy door stop? a foot warmer? Of course not, I use it to play games, and it still does that very well, thankyouverymuch.
The N64 wasn't ever going to be the biggest selling console of all time. By the time it was released, Nintendo had a certain reputation for the type of games they produced and Sony had pretty much soaked the media in advertising. Still, it sold well enough for Nintendo to be pleased with it and it has lasted a long time with a steady (though very slow) stream of releases gradually filling up the shelves. There are some really classic games that you can revisit many times without fear of boredom.
Where Mario Kart impressed perhaps less than it's SNES brother, Diddy Kong Racing had planes and a very nice story element too, not to mention some sharp tracks and a great two player. Goldeneye goes without mention and is even today considered one of the best in it's genre, Super Mario 64 is so playable that even after completing it, you end up doing it all over again. The list goes on, but perhaps what has become most apparent is that this console only appeals to a certain type of gamer. Nintendo's console is for those gamers who liked the early games and don't mind if their shelves are not bulging with all sorts of genres and games titles. There are a high percentage of great games among the many that were released and some remain classics in anyones eyes, while even newer generation consoles try to re-create some of these N64 game's magic.
With the lovely controllers, which sit nicely in the hand, and the cart based instant gaming, the N64's sound is possibly the only weak point, not having access to the CD based music of its counterparts. Not that this matters too much when you have some great visuals on offer. So they may be too 'soft' for some, but I believe that this all goes to make up a much friendlier feel and is certainly all the better for the more 'cartoony' style games. Still, games like Goldeneye and Resident Evil 2 managed to produce some tense visual effects using the same chips.
With the Gamecube either in homes via import or coming soon to your living room, perhaps now is the time to dust down that shapely black Nintendo box and have another go on the console that gave us some great gaming experiences.
Viva the N64!
Brilliant post pb! Read it all the way through, which is a great achievment for me when a post is as long as that (not very long, :D).
Anyway, you have 3 consoles sitting next to each other? Queer. :-) Well it looks like another GAD for you then, great post!
Anyway, you have 3 consoles sitting next to each other? Queer. :-) Well it looks like another GAD for you then, great post!
who says we never play on N64 Smash Bros is a all time mega good classic . Plus Zelda Ocarina of time is FANTASTIC for 1 player
i agree it is a good post.
Good post. I haven't even thought about putting my N64 away when I get a GameCube. There's still about 10 games I want to get and play on it, and I still wish that some of the earlier games I missed were still available. Yeah, you can always go back to Mario 64 and co., and the challenges in NGC magazine are one reason as to why people do. And that includes me.
well said.
I don't see why people ignore the N64. It's got many great games (I don't need to list them). There's no need to buy any new consoles, by the time you've played all the good games on N64 all the next-gen consoles will be dirt cheap with a wide range of games to play. Just because new games aren't being made it doesn't mean old games aren't just as godd and are a fraction of the price.
Agreed.
Of course the fact that Playstations could be easily chipped and games be bought for next to nothing kind of gave the Playstation huge amounts of popularity.
Still the N64 is my favourite console.
Of course the fact that Playstations could be easily chipped and games be bought for next to nothing kind of gave the Playstation huge amounts of popularity.
Still the N64 is my favourite console.
wow! good post there... I never knew you were a Nintendo fan... anyway... get a GameCube. And post in the Nintendo forum more... because no notables do...
Well, I've had that little black console with the Nintendo logo for ages now. It sits there, next to my PS2 and Dreamcast quite happily and doesn't complain one bit when I turn on one of the other consoles instead.
Why is it there? Do I use it as a toast rack? a handy door stop? a foot warmer? Of course not, I use it to play games, and it still does that very well, thankyouverymuch.
The N64 wasn't ever going to be the biggest selling console of all time. By the time it was released, Nintendo had a certain reputation for the type of games they produced and Sony had pretty much soaked the media in advertising. Still, it sold well enough for Nintendo to be pleased with it and it has lasted a long time with a steady (though very slow) stream of releases gradually filling up the shelves. There are some really classic games that you can revisit many times without fear of boredom.
Where Mario Kart impressed perhaps less than it's SNES brother, Diddy Kong Racing had planes and a very nice story element too, not to mention some sharp tracks and a great two player. Goldeneye goes without mention and is even today considered one of the best in it's genre, Super Mario 64 is so playable that even after completing it, you end up doing it all over again. The list goes on, but perhaps what has become most apparent is that this console only appeals to a certain type of gamer. Nintendo's console is for those gamers who liked the early games and don't mind if their shelves are not bulging with all sorts of genres and games titles. There are a high percentage of great games among the many that were released and some remain classics in anyones eyes, while even newer generation consoles try to re-create some of these N64 game's magic.
With the lovely controllers, which sit nicely in the hand, and the cart based instant gaming, the N64's sound is possibly the only weak point, not having access to the CD based music of its counterparts. Not that this matters too much when you have some great visuals on offer. So they may be too 'soft' for some, but I believe that this all goes to make up a much friendlier feel and is certainly all the better for the more 'cartoony' style games. Still, games like Goldeneye and Resident Evil 2 managed to produce some tense visual effects using the same chips.
With the Gamecube either in homes via import or coming soon to your living room, perhaps now is the time to dust down that shapely black Nintendo box and have another go on the console that gave us some great gaming experiences.
Viva the N64!
Why is it there? Do I use it as a toast rack? a handy door stop? a foot warmer? Of course not, I use it to play games, and it still does that very well, thankyouverymuch.
The N64 wasn't ever going to be the biggest selling console of all time. By the time it was released, Nintendo had a certain reputation for the type of games they produced and Sony had pretty much soaked the media in advertising. Still, it sold well enough for Nintendo to be pleased with it and it has lasted a long time with a steady (though very slow) stream of releases gradually filling up the shelves. There are some really classic games that you can revisit many times without fear of boredom.
Where Mario Kart impressed perhaps less than it's SNES brother, Diddy Kong Racing had planes and a very nice story element too, not to mention some sharp tracks and a great two player. Goldeneye goes without mention and is even today considered one of the best in it's genre, Super Mario 64 is so playable that even after completing it, you end up doing it all over again. The list goes on, but perhaps what has become most apparent is that this console only appeals to a certain type of gamer. Nintendo's console is for those gamers who liked the early games and don't mind if their shelves are not bulging with all sorts of genres and games titles. There are a high percentage of great games among the many that were released and some remain classics in anyones eyes, while even newer generation consoles try to re-create some of these N64 game's magic.
With the lovely controllers, which sit nicely in the hand, and the cart based instant gaming, the N64's sound is possibly the only weak point, not having access to the CD based music of its counterparts. Not that this matters too much when you have some great visuals on offer. So they may be too 'soft' for some, but I believe that this all goes to make up a much friendlier feel and is certainly all the better for the more 'cartoony' style games. Still, games like Goldeneye and Resident Evil 2 managed to produce some tense visual effects using the same chips.
With the Gamecube either in homes via import or coming soon to your living room, perhaps now is the time to dust down that shapely black Nintendo box and have another go on the console that gave us some great gaming experiences.
Viva the N64!