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Searched for a dedicated N64 thread but couldn't find one. If one exists let me know!

My history with the Nintendo 64 is pretty limited. Never owned one when it was relevant, but I did own one around 2005 for a little while. Sadly I was living in a pretty lousy apartment complex at the time and somebody broke in and took my N64 and Playstation 2, buy none of my games. I held on to the games for a few years with intentions of buying a new console but never did and ended up selling them off.

Anyway, a week ago I bit the bullet and bought a good condition N64 with expansion pak, an Everdrive 64 and of course a set of S-video cables. The two games I started playing first are none other than the two launch titles here in the US.

Super Mario 64 - I beat this one on the Virtual Console 5 or 6 years ago. I wasn't intending to play through it again but once I started I couldn't stop! Up to 51 stars so far. The control in this game holds up so amazingly well. While Mario flips around the screen I rarely if ever feel like the game is assisting me. Yeah the cameras a little crazy, a common complaint, but I feel that is exaggerated. The game does a pretty good job with it, and a couple presses of the C buttons gets it where I need it most times if I do need to adjust it.

Pilot Wings 64 - Now this is a game I was looking forward to playing again. Seems like everytime I tried to emulate this game over the years I always ran into some kind of glitch. While this game isn't too popular nowadays and has not aged near as well as SM64, I still love it. Just a relaxing good time all around. Great for a quick 20-30 minute gaming session.

Anybody else playing some N64 lately? How do you remember what many would consider Nintendos least popular console?

Even though I grew up on the NES, SNES, and Genesis, the N64 era is one that floods me with memories of local multiplayer and groups of friends. I was exactly what Nintendo wanted for it. It defines a lot of the 90's for me. Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Smash Bros, WCW vs NWO Revenge, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Wave Race, Rush 2049, etc. So many good memories.

Sadly I don't think I've played my N64 in well over a decade. When the PS2 came out I sold like 30 some games, probably 80% of my collection for it and it still haunts me to this day. Lot of guilt makes me shy from playing it again haha.

Zelda OoT (Gold) and Majora's Mask are the only two I still have complete in box. I saved up tons of allowance for Zelda OoT, it was a real treasure. This is one I've still gone back to and replayed through the two Zelda Gamecube collections.

I didn't mind the controller. You don't really discover hate for it until the internet came around. That said, sure it makes it a little hard to go back to some games, but it can be case by case. Those analog sticks were awful though, I remember having to replace controllers after awhile because of how rusty the analog got.

Some of my other top favorites would be Shadows of the Empire, Blast Corps, Bomberman 64 (to which I don't remember liking Hero as much. The 64 was so bizarre, like some ultra complex puzzle platformer that I liked a lot for some reason), San Fransisco Rush and all three of them were incredible, Cruisin USA, etc... I'm sure more will come to mind.

Weirdest games I played... Mischief Makers, Quest 64, and one of the Castlevania 64 games.

I totally agree that Mario 64 holds up. I was replaying it via the VC on WiiU and it's still amazing. Same with those Zelda's for me. Some stuff like the 3D Gex games is best left in the past though, haha. I actually didn't like the Rare 64 platformer output much, Mario 64 was just way too good and I didn't think they compared.

In retrospect, I don't think the N64 is one of the best consoles or even close to it. I prefer the NES and SNES by miles, probably the Wii and the Wii U for sure as well (not a popular opinion but I don't like the Cube much at all, probably my least favorite). I also still play PSX stuff to this day and have never stopped. I got the PSX a little later a tiny bit before the PS2's time, then got super heavy into it. I'll admit there was kind of this mysterious allure to the PSX growing up in the 90's, I was exposed to some of the legendary stuff like FF7, RE2, MGS, etc, or seeing more mature and suggestive stuff you never saw on Nintendo was appealing, the CD quality music, CGI cutscenes, and even the cool factor to discs at the time was rad. And fast forward to today, I think a lot of PSX titles using pre-rendered backdrops or fixed camera angles have let the console age a little better, even if the N64 was more powerful. But yeah it can definitely be case by case. Early 3D is a tricky spot.

I was like ~10 when the N64 was out and it probably resonates strongly with anyone around my era. I was friends with a lot of people back then and just about every kid my age had an N64 or was really into it.

One of thesedays I'll have to hook it up again. By then all the carts will probably be $50+.

I adore the N64, and in the last year I've been trying to cross of the big expensive games on my wants list. I've picked up Kirby 64, Pokémon Stadium 2, Paper Mario and just the other day I added The Mystical Ninja 2 starring Goemon to the collection.

Games I still need to pick up include Rocket: Robot on Wheels, Mario Tennis, Space Station Silicon Valley, Conker's Bad Fur Day and all 3 Mario Party games. The latter stuff on the list can be quite pricy, with Conker and Mario 3 being close to £100 here in the UK.

It's come down a lot lately in the US. Seems to go for between $30 and $40 here.

Second best version of Daikatana.

miked wrote:Searched for a dedicated N64 thread but couldn't find one. If one exists let me know!

Nope. I'm glad someone finally made one though!

Xeogred wrote:Even though I grew up on the NES, SNES, and Genesis, the N64 era is one that floods me with memories of local multiplayer and groups of friends. I was exactly what Nintendo wanted for it. It defines a lot of the 90's for me. Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Smash Bros, WCW vs NWO Revenge, F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64, Diddy Kong Racing, Wave Race, Rush 2049, etc. So many good memories.

I can say about the same. The graphics (PS1 too, for that matter) have aged very poorly compared to 8 and 16-bit consoles. And I think for that reason, I play a lot less of the N64 and PS1 these days compared to other retro consoles. But as big of a SNES fan as I am, I have every bit of nostalgia for the N64 as I do for the SNES. Lots of great times with multiplayer, but I've had a hell of a time with single player as well!

Xeogred wrote:I didn't mind the controller. You don't really discover hate for it until the internet came around. That said, sure it makes it a little hard to go back to some games, but it can be case by case. Those analog sticks were awful though, I remember having to replace controllers after awhile because of how rusty the analog got.

I wont defend the stick, as they do wear out a little too easily, but I'm sick of the complaints about the controller. At least, certain complaints are starting to really bother me. Yes, the controller looks stupid. But some people don't understand the 3 prong design. If you're using the stick, you're ignoring the D-Pad and L button. The Z trigger becomes the L shoulder button. You're not meant to use the stick and D-pad at the same time, like on a PS2 or Xbox controller. You don't switch back and forth, and you don't have to worry about not being able to reach the L button. Some people don't get this.

Holding the two outer prongs, it's a SNES controller with 2 extra face buttons. Holding the middle and right prongs, it's the SAME only with a stick instead of a D-Pad. That's all there is to it, but some people don't get it.

"It only has one stick, and that's why it sucks!" It was an early 3D platform, hindsight and all that. The PS1 and Saturn launched with less joysticks than the N64, don't forget. The Dreamcast controller only had 1 stick, where's all the hate for that? At least the N64 had enough face buttons to compensate, and we'll give them a pass being it was the early days of 3D. What is the Dreamcast's excuse for only having 1 stick?

Ziggy587 wrote:The Dreamcast controller only had 1 stick, where's all the hate for that? At least the N64 had enough face buttons to compensate, and we'll give them a pass being it was the early days of 3D. What is the Dreamcast's excuse for only having 1 stick?

I don't know if I've ever read anyone giving the DC pad a pass. People love to complain about it. It's right up there with the N64 and Gamecube pads.

Really? Because I feel like the N64 controller gets the hatred for all other controllers combined.

The Dreamcast controller actually hurt the console due to its inadequacies, but that's not true with the N64. Some people have such a hatred for the N64 controller that it keeps them from playing the console (I've heard people state this in YouTube videos). I haven't heard that of any other controller, let alone the Dreamcast.

Ziggy587 wrote:At least the N64 had enough face buttons to compensate, and we'll give them a pass being it was the early days of 3D. What is the Dreamcast's excuse for only having 1 stick?

Or a too-short cord that came out the wrong side, terrible ergonomics, a huge amount of wasted space for VMU slots, a glossy convex analog stick, and a terrible too-tall d-pad...

The single stick is almost the least of its sins. I assume that the designers incorporated the analog triggers to try and expand analog control, instead of a second stick (which might have gotten in the way of the VMU! I mean, how horrible would that have been?).

That doesn't change that - at least in retrospect - the N64 controller being designed around not using a third of it at any one time wasn't especially smart. Personally I like the Super Pad design, since you could easily use both and it was more comfortable to hold.

isiolia wrote:That doesn't change that - at least in retrospect - the N64 controller being designed around not using a third of it at any one time wasn't especially smart.

It was certainly strange, but I wouldn't say "not smart." I've read that Nintendo was unsure about 3D gaming, so they designed the controller around the fact that 3D gaming might be a fad. I don't know if that's true, but it perfectly explains why the controller looks the way it does. Playing 2D, hold the outer two prongs. 3D, hold the middle and right prongs. You don't compromise a thing. That is, other than the fact that some people look at it and wonder how you're suppose to use it without 3 hands.

isiolia wrote:Personally I like the Super Pad design, since you could easily use both and it was more comfortable to hold.

See, that's just it. If you find a controller less comfortable or more comfortable, that's one thing. But why the need to use the joystick and D-Pad at the same time? What games require that?