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StarTopic Nintendo 64 |ST| Appreciation & Collecting Thread

Seik

Emulation is the sincerest form of flattery
Pronouns
He/Him
banner-N64-redone.png


Release Date

Japan: June 23rd 1996
North America: September 29th 1996
Europe: March 1st 1997

Features

-Cartridges with the ability to break long-time partnerships.
-Enables a distinctive lack of creativity toward its games line-up titles.
-Region Free, as long as you're willing to break two plastic pieces near the cartridge connector with pliers.
-The first home console to feature four built-in controller ports so you could ruin friendships more efficiently.
-The first home console to have an expansion port directly on its controller for the use of memory cards, rumble packs, transfer packs.
-The first home console to have a RAM slot for expansion to unlock options for better resolution for select games, some games will function exclusively with it, such as Donkey Kong 64, The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask and Perfect Dark's Campaign Mode.
-The still #1 contender for weirdest controller in history.

How can I access the N64 library during these modern days?

-You can always go the good old fashioned way and buy the console and (most of) the cartridges you wish to play for a fair price, as long as you're not looking for complete CIB copy of its best known games.
-As of November 5th 2021, Nintendo will add N64 games to its Online service as an expansion to it's Online Service for a total of $49.99(USD)/year, with the below games to start and more to be added in the future. (Play Sin & Punishment, it's an absolute banger.)

LEX-N64-Lineup-NoCopy


-If you still have a Wii U (like some loser such as me), there is a selection of N64 available on the E-Shop that you can buy for the price of 9.99$(USD) each.



Is there a way to dump my N64 cartridges to enjoy those on the devices of my choice?

Well aren't you in luck, this is exactly my specialty! There isn't a ton of ways to dump N64 games but if the will is there, you'll manage!

My first choice is the good old trusty Retrode, which by itself is already capable to dump SNES and Genesis cartridges, along with its N64 adapter. It's basically plug-and-play, you plug the Retrode w/cartridge in it on your PC and it'll show up as a stockage device, within you'll find your .N64 file. Transfer it to your desktop and test it ASAP with the emulator of your choice in order to verify that it works as intented.


RETRODEtransparent.png
RETRODEN64transparent.png



You can find the Retrode and adapters on the below websites, when available that is.


There is also a way to dump N64 games with a GameShark Pro, which you'll find on the link below.


Show your collection!

Sure, now show yours. :)

PXL-20211018-003852578.jpg

PXL-20211018-013718175.jpg


Maintenance & Mods

Thanks Mazzle for the contribution!
Battery replacement

Here is a handy list of what save method games use on the Nintendo 64.
As you can see, many use the Controller Pak, which in its original form uses a battery to power the SRAM on it.
A game like for example Mario Kart 64 uses it to save ghost data.

Good thing is, you can buy new Controller Paks like those from 4 Layer, that even fit into the shell of the original Paks and don't need any battery

The other cartridges where a better is in use, also use SRAM. So these game might have lost their save function unless you replace the battery:
  • 1080 Snowboarding
  • Dezaemon 3D (JPN, 768Kbit)
  • F-Zero X
  • Harvest Moon 64
  • Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The
  • Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
  • Mario Golf
  • New Tetris, The
  • Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
  • Pocket Monsters Stadium (JPN)
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Super Smash Bros.
  • WCW/NWO Revenge
  • WWF: Wrestlemania 2000
To open up any cartridge (or console) from NES up to GBA, you need these Game Bits
61IaomkVmtL._AC_SY355_.jpg



Control Stick replacement

The N64 is known for its control stick. Not only for introducing the control method to the mainstream but also for its wear and tear.
One fairly known, but also pricey option is Steel Sticks 64, with long waiting lists and prices over 100$.
Those Sticks are built to feel like the original without wearing down that fast.

Another option is to replace the parts inside the stick.
It's is fairly easy to open up an N64 controller and unscrew the stick with normal Phlips screws and there you can replace
These are cheap options and they work well, iyam.

Of course you can buy one of those replacement sticks that are built like your standard control stick today, but those have huge dead zones and
would need a potentiometer replacement, which requires you to solder.



RGB

The N64 doesn't support RGB natively.
So if you wanna use your N64 via the RetroTINK X5 or OSSC in its full capacity, you need a RGB Mod.

I personally use the kit from Tim Worthington, which you can buy here: CLICK
The installation guide is also on that website, plus the latest firmware by Borti4938 includes a switchless Deblur and 15bit Colour Mode.
You can see how to install this here on the third picture: CLICK

And of course, you need some proper cables to actually use RGB.
So again a personal reccomendation are these cables by RetroGamingCables from the UK.


But if you want more informations about RGB Mods, cables or even HDMI Mods, please visit


Youtube Section

All the N64 ads from 1996 to 2001.




My go-to for N64 videos is Glenn Plant N64, he's basically on a quest to review every single N64 games out there and he's been doing this for almost ten years.





CGQ's Launch coverage is a good watch as well.





Some Game Sack because why not.





Coverage by My Life in Gaming.




Now, let's discuss this great console, your favorite games, your favorites moments with it. Let's celebrate the Nintendo 64!

Cheers!

----

Other FamiRetro threads:

Nintendo Entertainment System |ST| Appreciation & Collecting Thread

Super Nintendo Entertainment System |ST| Appreciation & Collecting Thread

Retro Gaming on Switch |ST| True Preservation
Emulation Discussion Thread |ST| Reliving our Favorites through Software, Hardware, and FPGA!

 
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Excellent ST, and timely too. Great you see you here, Seik.

Got to say I'm more excited for N64 NSO than I have been for most games in a while.
 
0
Goemon 64 will always have a place in my heart. A good action game I spent a lot of time on. I still remember the first time Goemon calls Impact and I was like "it has an opening by Kageyama, they can't top that" but then Ichiro Mizuki started to sing the Impact theme. After that I asked my parents to gift me the game for my birthday (the first time I rented it in blockbuster)

And it's still a good damn song

 
This is fantastic! And as I’m diving more into retro games I have quite a few n64 games I want to replay. Some weird and wild games. I can’t suggest road rash 64 enough for a wild way to spend some time. Unlock the highest speed bikes and fly through polygonal hell
 
My childhood system, and the one I'll always have the most attachment to. I don't own many games for it anymore, when I decided to buy one again the North American used games market had become ridiculous, so I decided to buy a Japanese system and just a few favourites. I still own the two Tony Hawk games from when I was a kid as well, though I've nothing to play them with (I know that region breaking an N64 is apparently easy.. I would find some way to mess it up anyhow I think, lol)

Y1q7j5s.jpg


Goemon 64 will always have a place in my heart. A good action game I spent a lot of time on. I still remember the first time Goemon calls Impact and I was like "it has an opening by Kageyama, they can't top that" but then Ichiro Mizuki started to sing the Impact theme. After that I asked my parents to gift me the game for my birthday (the first time I rented it in blockbuster)

And it's still a good damn song



The whole soundtrack is so good, I always get such a warm and comforting feeling hearing anything from that game.
 
Goemon 64 will always have a place in my heart. A good action game I spent a lot of time on. I still remember the first time Goemon calls Impact and I was like "it has an opening by Kageyama, they can't top that" but then Ichiro Mizuki started to sing the Impact theme. After that I asked my parents to gift me the game for my birthday (the first time I rented it in blockbuster)

And it's still a good damn song


Da-Da-Dash!!

Moeru taiyou se ni ukete
Yuku zo
Hasshin
MACHINE ga unaru


Ore wa kikai da Tetsujin da (hei)
Ima tokihanate yo Hagane no tamashii (iku zee)

BREAK DOWN!!

Warui yatsura wo buchikowase
Hissatsu, hissatsu, genkai pawaa
Da Hyakuretsu Panchi
Ore wa

GORGEOUS!!

Aa Impakato

Da-Da-Dash!!
 
0
Love to see those N64 cases, as a kid I don't think I kept a single box! As a kid one of my friends had this which I thought was just the coolest:

s-l400.jpg
s-l300.jpg
 
I know this pic is missing a few things(mission impossible and Shadowman) and there’s some stuff I have on other consoles via ports(MM, SM64) but this should be the bulk of it and I don’t feel like pulling it out for new pics today at least

image0.jpg

Definitely looking forward to playing some of these on my switch at the end of the month. Plus the stuff I never bothered to track down before the market got too pricy for my tastes
Goemon 64 will always have a place in my heart. A good action game I spent a lot of time on. I still remember the first time Goemon calls Impact and I was like "it has an opening by Kageyama, they can't top that" but then Ichiro Mizuki started to sing the Impact theme. After that I asked my parents to gift me the game for my birthday (the first time I rented it in blockbuster)

And it's still a good damn song


A fave of mine, I’m sad Goemon’s Great adventure had its themes stripped for the western release. Hoping to see both on the switch service!
My childhood system, and the one I'll always have the most attachment to. I don't own many games for it anymore, when I decided to buy one again the North American used games market had become ridiculous, so I decided to buy a Japanese system and just a few favourites. I still own the two Tony Hawk games from when I was a kid as well, though I've nothing to play them with (I know that region breaking an N64 is apparently easy.. I would find some way to mess it up anyhow I think, lol)

Y1q7j5s.jpg




The whole soundtrack is so good, I always get such a warm and comforting feeling hearing anything from that game.
Surprised you don’t have the Goemon spinoff too
 
If there's one thing I wasn't fond of was the pricing as stores went crazy with the prices Mexico. When they launched the memory expansion pack, me and a lot of friends had to search for third party ones, because they sold the original with the retail price of a game. And while the third party packs worked, they tended to overheat and turned off the console. It was a challenge trying to finish a mission in Perfect Dark with one of these

kuQDP9S.jpg
 
Battery replacement

Here is a handy list of what save method games use on the Nintendo 64.
As you can see, many use the Controller Pak, which in its original form uses a battery to power the SRAM on it.
A game like for example Mario Kart 64 uses it to save ghost data.

Good thing is, you can buy new Controller Paks like those from 4 Layer, that even fit into the shell of the original Paks and don't need any battery

The other cartridges where a better is in use, also use SRAM. So these game might have lost their save function unless you replace the battery:
  • 1080 Snowboarding
  • Dezaemon 3D (JPN, 768Kbit)
  • F-Zero X
  • Harvest Moon 64
  • Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The
  • Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
  • Mario Golf
  • New Tetris, The
  • Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
  • Pocket Monsters Stadium (JPN)
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Super Smash Bros.
  • WCW/NWO Revenge
  • WWF: Wrestlemania 2000
To open up any cartridge (or console) from NES up to GBA, you need these Game Bits
61IaomkVmtL._AC_SY355_.jpg



Control Stick replacement

The N64 is known for its control stick. Not only for introducing the control method to the mainstream but also for its wear and tear.
One fairly known, but also pricey option is Steel Sticks 64, with long waiting lists and prices over 100$.
Those Sticks are built to feel like the original without wearing down that fast.

Another option is to replace the parts inside the stick.
It's is fairly easy to open up an N64 controller and unscrew the stick with normal Phlips screws and there you can replace
These are cheap options and they work well, iyam.

Of course you can buy one of those replacement sticks that are built like your standard control stick today, but those have huge dead zones and
would need a potentiometer replacement, which requires you to solder.



RGB

The N64 doesn't support RGB natively.
So if you wanna use your N64 via the RetroTINK X5 or OSSC in its full capacity, you need a RGB Mod.

I personally use the kit from Tim Worthington, which you can buy here: CLICK
The installation guide is also on that website, plus the latest firmware by Borti4938 includes a switchless Deblur and 15bit Colour Mode.
You can see how to install this here on the third picture: CLICK

And of course, you need some proper cables to actually use RGB.
So again a personal reccomendation are these cables by RetroGamingCables from the UK.


But if you want more informations about RGB Mods, cables or even HDMI Mods, please visit
 
Recently got a bit into N64 collecting here in Japan. It's great because pretty much ever game is readily available fo $1~$15 dollars. I think the most I paid was $20 for Mischief Makers.
 
@Seik I love your thread! Thank you for this! The fact that we're at the 25 year anniversary this year has me feeling old, so many good memories of this system and with friends.

Goemon 64 will always have a place in my heart. A good action game I spent a lot of time on. I still remember the first time Goemon calls Impact and I was like "it has an opening by Kageyama, they can't top that" but then Ichiro Mizuki started to sing the Impact theme. After that I asked my parents to gift me the game for my birthday (the first time I rented it in blockbuster)

And it's still a good damn song



I adore Mystical Ninja. One of my favorite N64 games and an underrated gem. The soundtrack is excellent, as is the quirky writing. Felt unlike anything at the time, and still to this day there hasn't been anything that has quite scratched that itch. Love going back and playing through it.

This song brings back so many memories:
 
I would do anything for Mario Golf to get the Smash remix treatment. I’m begging for that game to have more courses and characters. Someone please
 
Battery replacement

Here is a handy list of what save method games use on the Nintendo 64.
As you can see, many use the Controller Pak, which in its original form uses a battery to power the SRAM on it.
A game like for example Mario Kart 64 uses it to save ghost data.

Good thing is, you can buy new Controller Paks like those from 4 Layer, that even fit into the shell of the original Paks and don't need any battery

The other cartridges where a better is in use, also use SRAM. So these game might have lost their save function unless you replace the battery:
  • 1080 Snowboarding
  • Dezaemon 3D (JPN, 768Kbit)
  • F-Zero X
  • Harvest Moon 64
  • Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The
  • Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr.
  • Mario Golf
  • New Tetris, The
  • Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber
  • Pocket Monsters Stadium (JPN)
  • Resident Evil 2
  • Super Smash Bros.
  • WCW/NWO Revenge
  • WWF: Wrestlemania 2000
To open up any cartridge (or console) from NES up to GBA, you need these Game Bits
61IaomkVmtL._AC_SY355_.jpg



Control Stick replacement

The N64 is known for its control stick. Not only for introducing the control method to the mainstream but also for its wear and tear.
One fairly known, but also pricey option is Steel Sticks 64, with long waiting lists and prices over 100$.
Those Sticks are built to feel like the original without wearing down that fast.

Another option is to replace the parts inside the stick.
It's is fairly easy to open up an N64 controller and unscrew the stick with normal Phlips screws and there you can replace
These are cheap options and they work well, iyam.

Of course you can buy one of those replacement sticks that are built like your standard control stick today, but those have huge dead zones and
would need a potentiometer replacement, which requires you to solder.



RGB

The N64 doesn't support RGB natively.
So if you wanna use your N64 via the RetroTINK X5 or OSSC in its full capacity, you need a RGB Mod.

I personally use the kit from Tim Worthington, which you can buy here: CLICK
The installation guide is also on that website, plus the latest firmware by Borti4938 includes a switchless Deblur and 15bit Colour Mode.
You can see how to install this here on the third picture: CLICK

And of course, you need some proper cables to actually use RGB.
So again a personal reccomendation are these cables by RetroGamingCables from the UK.


But if you want more informations about RGB Mods, cables or even HDMI Mods, please visit

Added to the OP, thank you, this is good stuff.

BTW, when you're talking about the replacement sticks with huge deadzones that will require solder at some point, are you talking about these? Because I replaced three of my OG controller's sticks with those and was about to edit them in my OP. :LOL:

Replacementstick.png


So far they had a ton of play and I had no issue with them. Except for first person shooters like 007 and Perfect Dark where they feel a bit stiff, but still manageable.
 
Last edited:
Most of my Nintendo 64 collection is in storage, but I do have my original Ocarina of Time LE box still in a case on display.

v6AVAmc.jpg
 
Love to see those N64 cases, as a kid I don't think I kept a single box! As a kid one of my friends had this which I thought was just the coolest:

s-l400.jpg
s-l300.jpg

I thought I knew all the official accessories, but I'd never seen this before!

If there's one thing I wasn't fond of was the pricing as stores went crazy with the prices Mexico. When they launched the memory expansion pack, me and a lot of friends had to search for third party ones, because they sold the original with the retail price of a game. And while the third party packs worked, they tended to overheat and turned off the console. It was a challenge trying to finish a mission in Perfect Dark with one of these

kuQDP9S.jpg

I rented one of those from Blockbuster once. I think it was shaped like this, but yellow:

expansion-pak-joy-tectgk0w.jpg
 
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Recently got a bit into N64 collecting here in Japan. It's great because pretty much ever game is readily available fo $1~$15 dollars. I think the most I paid was $20 for Mischief Makers.

Yeah, it really is affordable. I almost feel a tinge of regret, whenever I browse a game store or book-off, like I’m wasting an opportunity not to put together some sort of collection myself.

(I’m too busy deciding which limited edition console of theirs that I want to buy!)
 
0
Surprised you don’t have the Goemon spinoff too

That wasn't something I became aware of until I was looking up the Japanese releases for the two mainline games lol. Looks like a party game sort of thing? I was only going for old childhood favourites in any case, that would be neat to check out one day but honestly I'm more interested in checking out some of the other Japanese only Goemon titles that were mainline, first.
 
I loved how the early titles on the system, including the box art, had this cutting-edge tech-demo vibe, with heavy emphasis on the 3D visuals and bright/simple colours:

supermario648ykev.jpg


pilotwings64mek1l.jpg


mariokart64sxjpv.jpg


starfox64usk8o.jpg


waverace647cj2a.jpg

That vibe also extended into the clean, synthy, bubbly soundtracks:







 
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0
Here's my collection. Not really going for deep cuts since I like to keep my collections relatively small, so I basically just have most of the heavy hitters. Pretty happy with what I have.

20210120_200507.jpg
 
Added to the OP, thank you, this is good stuff.

BTW, when you're talking about the replacement sticks with huge deadzones that will require solder at some point, are you talking about these? Because I replaced three of my OG controller's sticks with those and was about to edit them in my OP. :LOL:

Replacementstick.png


So far they had a ton of play and I had no issue with them. Except for first person shooters like 007 and Perfect Dark where they feel a bit stiff, but still manageable.
Yes these. You know those calibration software for joysticks where you move a point?
With these, you don't get the full octogon but rather a square, because it doesn reach the outer edges.
That's why doing spin attacks in Zelda is so hard or why nobody uses them for pro Smash 64

Maybe there are newer ones where this is fixed, but I only know the ones I described
 
0
I wish i had enough money and space to get back my N64 and games, i'm only keeping this controller (not my pic), first thing i bought before everything went to shit

s-l1000.jpg

But i will never not love the N64, its games pushed me through my teen years and still play some of them regularly. The main reason why i'm playing the NSO expansion pack it's BECAUSE the N64 library.

Control Stick replacement

The N64 is known for its control stick. Not only for introducing the control method to the mainstream but also for its wear and tear.
One fairly known, but also pricey option is Steel Sticks 64, with long waiting lists and prices over 100$.
Those Sticks are built to feel like the original without wearing down that fast.

Another option is to replace the parts inside the stick.
It's is fairly easy to open up an N64 controller and unscrew the stick with normal Phlips screws and there you can replace
These are cheap options and they work well, iyam.

Of course you can buy one of those replacement sticks that are built like your standard control stick today, but those have huge dead zones and
would need a potentiometer replacement, which requires you to solder.

I'll be using this to repair my controller's stick, the only thing on it that doesn't work properly.

This is such an amazing thread, always happy to see then chonky curvy ol' N64 getting some love.
 
0
I have no collection to show, but I remember to this day the first time I put my hands on an N64 controller to play Mario 64.
My brain almost exploded... That was the first time in my life that I just didn't know what to do with that joystick, I had to learn all over again how to play a videogame.

It was around March 1997, I was 11yo.
 
I have no collection to show, but I remember to this day the first time I put my hands on an N64 controller to play Mario 64.
My brain almost exploded... That was the first time in my life that I just didn't know what to do with that joystick, I had to learn all over again how to play a videogame.

It was around March 1997, I was 11yo.
The stuff you could do back then was mindblowing.
Today you know and see how you can break stuff and where they tricked around but back then? WOW
 
0
That wasn't something I became aware of until I was looking up the Japanese releases for the two mainline games lol. Looks like a party game sort of thing? I was only going for old childhood favourites in any case, that would be neat to check out one day but honestly I'm more interested in checking out some of the other Japanese only Goemon titles that were mainline, first.
I mean it’s based off the same board game as Mario party but it’s actually more of a Culdecept like. To be fair, really hard to play without a knowledge of Japanese from what I’ve seen.
 
0
So as my N64 controllers age, my brother got really sick of the looseness of the sticks, so a few years ago he got these things: The Horri Minipad
n64-hori-mini-pad-front.jpg


I realize this thing looks absurd: its tiny, and pretty much unusable for 2D games like Mischief Makers. However, the stick is shockingly high quality, and once I got used to the tinyness, it became my go-to controller for 3D stuff!

(Here's hoping the Switch Online N64 controllers got better sticks!)
 
0
So what you guys playing first on NSO ep next week? I’m thinking Dr Mario story, and then some Yoshi’s story nostgalia then giving Winback a first try
 
0
My very first console, the N64 holds so much nostalgia for me. Paper Mario, Kirby 64, Pokemon Snap and the Stadiums, and Smash Bros will always have a piece of my heart.
 
My very first console, the N64 holds so much nostalgia for me. Paper Mario, Kirby 64, Pokemon Snap and the Stadiums, and Smash Bros will always have a piece of my heart.
Yep, I'm very much the same - I had handhelds previously, but the N64 was the first console that I owned. I regret so much having sold off my collection years ago, but I've since restored a modest little set (all boxed with manual), seen at the back here:

dU9Wo23.jpg


Plus big-box Lylat Wars, which doesn't fit on the shelf!

That's:
  • Banjo-Kazooie
  • Banjo-Tooie
  • Blast Corps
  • Diddy Kong Racing
  • Donkey Kong 64
  • Extreme G
  • F-Zero X
  • FIFA 98
  • Goldeneye
  • Jet Force Gemini
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
  • Lylat Wars
  • Mario Kart 64
  • Micro Machines 64 Turbo
  • Perfect Dark
  • Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
  • Super Mario 64
  • Top Gear Rally
  • Waverace 64
  • WipEout 64
  • Worms Armageddon
  • Yoshi's Story
 
0
Here's my collection. Not really going for deep cuts since I like to keep my collections relatively small, so I basically just have most of the heavy hitters. Pretty happy with what I have.

20210120_200507.jpg
Nice. I would want to see your full collection.
 
0
Got this yesterday, full trilogy now! (Rage Wars doesn't exist.)

Heard a lot of good about it and I never played it so I'm excited to try it out later tonight.

PXL-20211030-162910425-2.jpg
 
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