Nintendo 64 console games and features

Nintendo 64, or N64 console, was considered by the majority of gamers as the top game in the industry in the late 90s. N 64 delivered a highly innovative controller with cutting-edge 3D graphics. During its release in September 1996, it was the best in the market as no other version was running on 64 bit.

It overtook consoles like Sega which operated on 32 bit. It did not quite rule the gaming industry then as compared to SNES, however, its share of brilliant games took full advantage of its power.

Nintendo 64 console Graphics

During the release, it was considered the unit with the best graphics overtaking some of the best PCs during that time. It overtook some of the best consoles like Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation at the time. A lot of games during the late 90s only featured low-polygon models and simple textures.

However, with the emergence of N 64, game developers became more conversant with the N 64 hardware. The release of N64s Expansion pak brought with it new capabilities. For instance, there was an increase in the console’s video RAM to 8 megabytes.

Nintendo 64 console Durability

The company has had a great reputation for making very durable hardware. During the release of the N64, they even offered a lifetime warranty on all of its consoles, games as well as accessories. Some customers reported of the console being dropped from the top of a TV and even subjected to over 60 kilograms on top, yet it remained functional.

Other gamers still use their consoles up to date thanks to its solid-state design. Besides that, the durability of the Nintendo 64 was attributed to its fewer moving parts.

Nintendo 64 console Controller

It came with a very nice controller. It came with plenty of buttons and a nice grip. The controller featured three handles with two main positions for holding it. The leftmost handle featured a digital 8 directional pad which is fine, however, is a bit unresponsive.

The handle also has a left shoulder button which resembles a gun trigger. The middle handle features a thumbstick which was introduced first in the N64 controller. At the bottom of the handle is a Z trigger and finally is the rightmost handle with two action buttons and four camera buttons.

Nintendo 64 console Accessories

It came with various accessories such as a Rumble Pak, when N64 initiated the rumble feature in gaming consoles. It’s nifty and shakes the controller, for instance, when firing a gun or when a car crashes. Besides that, there is an Expansion Pak.

Many games required one to run while others required it in order to enhance graphics. There is also a Memory Pak which was needed to save some games and in other cases save some extra data. Some of the included custom characters and custom levels. Finally, there is the Dex Drive which allowed putting saved games on PC.

Nintendo 64 console Games

N 64 came with fewer games unlike many other consoles at the time. However, most of its games were fantastic and mostly included 1st and 2nd-party releases. Nintendo 64 featured some of the best games ever created and in a wide variety of genres.

Some of the most popular games at the time included:

• Zelda Majora’s Mask
• Ocarina of Time
• Super Mario 64
• Perfect Dark Snowboarding
• Goldeneye 007
• Mario Kart 64
• Ridge Racer 64

Others included:

• PilotWings 64
• Jet Force Gemini
• Diggy Kong Racing
• Beetle adventure racing
• F-zero X

It featured almost every kind of genre from sports to action and adventure.

What were some of the cons of this console?

The company established its success on cartridges, however, this format became outdated as games grew in complexity and size. At one point, they decided to do away with the cartridges and developed Super Nintendo Entertainment System CD.

However, for some reason, the company opted out from the project and remained on cartridges. Even though cartridge games are supposed to load instantly, most gamers are forced to go through endless “introduction” screens displaying the publisher’s logo, producers, and developers.

Although the cartridges were durable, their design was boring. The cartridges also lacked labels on the edges and this made storage difficult.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this console still stands out as one of the best consoles ever made. It comes with plenty of great and innovative games which by far is still the main reasons many gamers still admire it. Its graphics and sounds made this unit stand out besides its nice controller and cool accessories.

N64 also stands out as one of the most durable consoles ever made. Many gamers enjoy the lifetime warranty of the unit and are sure to get a replacement if anything goes wrong. Although it has some shortcomings, such as a small cartridge, it’s still recommended by gamers.

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