Nintendo 64
A 64-bit console that introduced 3D gaming and the analog thumbstick.
The Nintendo 64 (N64) is a home video game console made by Nintendo. It was the company’s third major home system, arriving after the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and went up against Sony’s PlayStation and the Sega Saturn during the fifth console generation. Its name comes from its 64-bit central processor, and it includes a separate coprocessor that handles graphics and audio independently, enabling 3D visuals. The controller was the first to come with a thumbstick as a standard feature.
Development began in 1993, with Nintendo working alongside Silicon Graphics. The console has four controller ports for multiplayer sessions. Add-ons include the Expansion Pak, which increases system RAM from 4 MB to 8 MB; the Rumble Pak, which provides force feedback; and the Controller Pak, a memory card. In Japan, Nintendo released the 64DD, a peripheral that adds internet connectivity and allows for expanded, rewritable storage using proprietary magnetic disks. It failed commercially and never launched outside Japan.
The N64 was praised for its hardware and technical innovations. *Time* magazine named it "Machine of the Year" for 1996. Nintendo sold 32.93 million units worldwide; it performed well in North America but struggled in Japan and Europe. Nintendo chose to use ROM cartridges instead of optical discs, citing faster load times and concerns over software piracy. This decision alienated many third-party developers due to higher production costs and limited storage space, leading them to focus on the PlayStation instead. As a result, the N64 library contains only 388 games, forcing Nintendo to rely heavily on its own major franchises like Mario and The Legend of Zelda, along with titles from second-party studios like Rare.
The N64 outsold the Saturn but fell far behind the PlayStation. Nintendo discontinued the console in 2002 after launching its successor, the GameCube. Retrospectively, video game journalists consider the N64 one of the most iconic consoles ever. Several of its games—such as *Super Mario 64* (1996), *GoldenEye 007* (1997), and *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time* (1998)—are frequently listed among the best of all time. Nintendo has re-released many N64 titles on later systems through the Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics services. The N64 was the last major home console to use cartridges until the Nintendo Switch arrived in 2017.
Quick Facts
- Codename
- Project Reality
- Developer
- Nintendo R&D3
- Manufacturer
- Nintendo
- Generation
- Fifth
- Discontinued
- 2002
- Units Sold
- WW · Worldwide: 32.93 million (details) / NA: 20.63 million / JP: 5.54 million / EU/AU: 6.75 million
- Media
- Nintendo 64 Game Pak · 64DD magnetic disc
- Cpu
- NEC VR4300
- Cpu Speed
- 93.75 MHz
- Memory
- 4MB RDRAM (8MB with Expansion Pak)
- Memory Card
- 32 KB Controller Pak
- Graphics
- SGI RCP @ 62.5MHz
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Nintendo began developing the N64 in 1993 in collaboration with Silicon Graphics. The console's core chipset, named 'Reality Immersion Technology', featured a MIPS R4300i CPU and the Reality Coprocessor for graphics, audio, and memory management. Nintendo originally planned to launch the console as the 'Ultra Famicom' in Japan and 'Nintendo Ultra 64' internationally. The console design was shown in June 1994, but its controller remained under wraps. Nintendo's decision to use ROM cartridges rather than optical discs, citing reduced loading times and software piracy concerns, alienated third-party developers due to cost and storage constraints. Many third parties opted to prioritize PlayStation development, contributing to a relatively small library of 388 games and requiring Nintendo to rely on its major first-party franchises such as Mario and The Legend of Zelda, as well as games by second-party developers such as Rare. Accessories include the Expansion Pak to boost system RAM from 4 to 8 MB, the Rumble Pak for force feedback, and the Controller Pak, a memory card. In Japan, Nintendo released the 64DD, a peripheral that adds internet connectivity and enables expanded, rewritable data storage via proprietary magnetic disks; it was a commercial failure and was never released internationally.
Reader's Guide
The Nintendo 64 received acclaim for its hardware and technical innovations. The American news magazine Time declared it 1996's 'Machine of the Year'. Nintendo sold 32.93 million N64s; while it was a major success in North America, it underperformed in Japan and Europe. The N64 outsold the Saturn, but sold far less than the PlayStation. Nintendo discontinued the N64 in 2002, following the release of its successor, the GameCube. In retrospect, video game journalists regard the N64 as one of the most iconic game consoles. Several N64 games, such as Super Mario 64 (1996), GoldenEye 007 (1997), and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), have been listed by multiple sources as one of the best video games of all time. Nintendo has re-released many N64 games for its subsequent consoles via the Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics services. The N64 was the last major cartridge-based home console until the Nintendo Switch in 2017.
Did You Know?
- The N64 controller was the first to include a thumbstick as a standard feature.
- The console includes four controller ports for multiplayer games.
- The 64DD peripheral, released only in Japan, added internet connectivity and rewritable magnetic disk storage but was a commercial failure.
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