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How do you judge a console? By it's games?
Well, personally, I think there's a bit more to it than that. After all, the Neo Geo may have boasted perfect arcade games, but at obver £200 per game(!) you could hardly say that the console was that great! So pricing is also an important factor.
Another is treating customers well- a console with good games, but erratic release dates, massive price variations and no structure to sales can't be considered a great console... the Saturn is just one example of this.
So, when taking all these points into account, and some more, how does the N64 sum up?
Well, on the games front, the console has mixed success. There were some completely revolutionary games- Mario 64, Goldeneye and Zelda must feature as some of the best consoles games ever. For that reason alone, the N64 will be a must have for any serious console enthusiast.
However, during the life of the consoles, quality game releases were erratic. There could be months at a time without a really good game being released. Month between revolutionary games is fine and pretty normal, but months between quality games is just disapointing.
There was also the serious problem of missing support meaning that genres like Realistic Racers and Realistic Fighters were completely missing from the console. Even big genres like RPGs had games few and far between.
Well, moving away from that games, what about the pricing of the console?
I think anyone will agree that games were far too expensive. The only reason for this being that Ninty had decided to use a medium that stored less data but cost more to make.
OK, so there's more to it than that- no loading times vs higher price. Piracy vs more FMV sequences.
But when the other consoles are offering £35 for a new game, and £20 for a platinum game, £50 is far too much for anyone to afford regular games (although by the time a good game came out, you'd probably have saved enough!).
However, one big problem with the console was the marketting- releasing it at £250 and then dropping it to £150 within 2 weeks destroyed customer confidence. In fact, the console only released with 1 game in Japan anyway (with only 4 games 3 months later), and only 3 games in the UK!
So, my views on the console?
In the long term, it is certainly a classic all time must have. Games like Zelda and Mario just say it all!
However, during the console's life itself, the console wasn't anywhere near as great as people made out. Releases alwasy on the horizon and months of waiting just made it unbearable!
Sonic
Well, personally, I think there's a bit more to it than that. After all, the Neo Geo may have boasted perfect arcade games, but at obver £200 per game(!) you could hardly say that the console was that great! So pricing is also an important factor.
Another is treating customers well- a console with good games, but erratic release dates, massive price variations and no structure to sales can't be considered a great console... the Saturn is just one example of this.
So, when taking all these points into account, and some more, how does the N64 sum up?
Well, on the games front, the console has mixed success. There were some completely revolutionary games- Mario 64, Goldeneye and Zelda must feature as some of the best consoles games ever. For that reason alone, the N64 will be a must have for any serious console enthusiast.
However, during the life of the consoles, quality game releases were erratic. There could be months at a time without a really good game being released. Month between revolutionary games is fine and pretty normal, but months between quality games is just disapointing.
There was also the serious problem of missing support meaning that genres like Realistic Racers and Realistic Fighters were completely missing from the console. Even big genres like RPGs had games few and far between.
Well, moving away from that games, what about the pricing of the console?
I think anyone will agree that games were far too expensive. The only reason for this being that Ninty had decided to use a medium that stored less data but cost more to make.
OK, so there's more to it than that- no loading times vs higher price. Piracy vs more FMV sequences.
But when the other consoles are offering £35 for a new game, and £20 for a platinum game, £50 is far too much for anyone to afford regular games (although by the time a good game came out, you'd probably have saved enough!).
However, one big problem with the console was the marketting- releasing it at £250 and then dropping it to £150 within 2 weeks destroyed customer confidence. In fact, the console only released with 1 game in Japan anyway (with only 4 games 3 months later), and only 3 games in the UK!
So, my views on the console?
In the long term, it is certainly a classic all time must have. Games like Zelda and Mario just say it all!
However, during the console's life itself, the console wasn't anywhere near as great as people made out. Releases alwasy on the horizon and months of waiting just made it unbearable!
Sonic
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I thought the N64 was great (and still is), it was better than the PS1 anyway.
Taking myself back to the nostalgic time of late 1995, watching the N64 being unveiled in Japan...I thought 'there's nothing special about this console'
But in many ways I was wrong.
For all its foibles the N64 still managed to put a huge grin on my face...what with the fantastic Zelda Ocarina Of Time, Mario Kart, Pokemon Stadium and Super Smash Bros. The controller design was also, I feel, a great one. It made playing games effortless compared to the PS' 'achy thumb' controller with its fiddly d-pad.
I have to admit there was a big letdown in the cost of the N64...and its games. Plus, the expansion pak? Why didn't they just build it into the machine in the first place??
Now...with the release of the Gamecube just months away, I am not sad to see the N64 go, it's best points will be passed on and enhanced for the new generation of Nintendo games.
That's whats great about technology progression. The best just keeps getting better.
But in many ways I was wrong.
For all its foibles the N64 still managed to put a huge grin on my face...what with the fantastic Zelda Ocarina Of Time, Mario Kart, Pokemon Stadium and Super Smash Bros. The controller design was also, I feel, a great one. It made playing games effortless compared to the PS' 'achy thumb' controller with its fiddly d-pad.
I have to admit there was a big letdown in the cost of the N64...and its games. Plus, the expansion pak? Why didn't they just build it into the machine in the first place??
Now...with the release of the Gamecube just months away, I am not sad to see the N64 go, it's best points will be passed on and enhanced for the new generation of Nintendo games.
That's whats great about technology progression. The best just keeps getting better.
Sibs wrote:
> Cooky wrote:
Dunno....
> I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
BURN THE
> HERETIC!
:'(
Well F-Zero X did have a random track generator which was kinda nice!
:D
> Cooky wrote:
Dunno....
> I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
BURN THE
> HERETIC!
:'(
Well F-Zero X did have a random track generator which was kinda nice!
:D
Cooky wrote:
Dunno....
> I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
BURN THE HERETIC!
Dunno....
> I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
BURN THE HERETIC!
Sibs wrote:
> yeah, the 64 was the console of choice for platformers and FPS... and
> unrealistic racers! (F-Zero X, Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing)
F-Zero X is
> still the daddy of futuristic racers!
Dunno.... I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
> yeah, the 64 was the console of choice for platformers and FPS... and
> unrealistic racers! (F-Zero X, Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing)
F-Zero X is
> still the daddy of futuristic racers!
Dunno.... I kinda liked Wipeout!
:D
yeah, the 64 was the console of choice for platformers and FPS... and unrealistic racers! (F-Zero X, Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing)
F-Zero X is still the daddy of futuristic racers!
F-Zero X is still the daddy of futuristic racers!
Also if you wanted decent first person shooters on a console you have to get a N64!
Other than Medal Of Honour the Playstation was lacking ANY decent FPS!
But the N64 had them by the bucket load!
Goldeneye
Perfect Dark
Forsaken
Turok 1 2 3 rage wars
Armourines
...
:)
Other than Medal Of Honour the Playstation was lacking ANY decent FPS!
But the N64 had them by the bucket load!
Goldeneye
Perfect Dark
Forsaken
Turok 1 2 3 rage wars
Armourines
...
:)
===SONICRAV---> wrote:
In fact, the console
> only released with 1 game in Japan anyway (with only 4 games 3 months later),
LOL! What b***!
Anyways, the N64 was a great console!
It had loads of BRILLIANT games on it, and is one of my favourite consoles of all time. My other fav console being the SNES!
It may not have had Tekken, GT, or FF, but it was still a brilliant console. Specially if you were a fan of platformers. Nearly every platformer on the N64 out performed any on the Playstation!
The N64 was GREAT! nuff said!
:)
In fact, the console
> only released with 1 game in Japan anyway (with only 4 games 3 months later),
LOL! What b***!
Anyways, the N64 was a great console!
It had loads of BRILLIANT games on it, and is one of my favourite consoles of all time. My other fav console being the SNES!
It may not have had Tekken, GT, or FF, but it was still a brilliant console. Specially if you were a fan of platformers. Nearly every platformer on the N64 out performed any on the Playstation!
The N64 was GREAT! nuff said!
:)
Cyclone, what are you on about?
With the n64 you "knew that you were getting quality titles". I think that you'll find that the PS had just as many qulaity titles, in addition to a far wider range of games and genres.
You may slate the PS mags for having a new classic each month, but N64 mags were just as bad- South Park got over 90% from NOM, and every mag used to give at least one game over 90% a month... which means an almost perfect game was released every month.... hmmmmmm?
sonic
With the n64 you "knew that you were getting quality titles". I think that you'll find that the PS had just as many qulaity titles, in addition to a far wider range of games and genres.
You may slate the PS mags for having a new classic each month, but N64 mags were just as bad- South Park got over 90% from NOM, and every mag used to give at least one game over 90% a month... which means an almost perfect game was released every month.... hmmmmmm?
sonic
As far as I am concerned, the '64 produced a lot of quality games that always outweighed the PS games that were supposed to be classic- in the PS mags, every week seemed to have a new classic release, as yet another eagerly awaited game was revealed - I even saw "Move Over Goldeneye, Bond is back!" FOR TOMMORROW NEVER DIES?!!!!!!!!
At least with the '64 you KNEW you were getting a quality title.
At least with the '64 you KNEW you were getting a quality title.
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