Your opinion of the n64 platform?

Heinz

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Xmas 1998 the N64 arrived in the living room and it came with Pokemon Snap! oh what a wonderful xmas! which was completely forgotten when Goldeneye came round. Shortly after a friend down the street had a chipped PS1 and the N64 was no more....
 

oliverclaude

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It's worth having just for 4 or 5 games. Those games are that good/that important in videogame history. Mario64 and the Zelda releases are really all you need.

Historical importance won't save a game from aging badly. Those games you mention are good and important, though.
 

DevilRedeemed

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Historical importance won't save a game from aging badly. Those games you mention are good and important, though.

I don't agree. "Aging badly" is a matter of perspective. They are 3d cart based games, with everything that entails - made and produced by some of the greatest game makers of all time. Mario 64 is perfect to this day. Videogame equivalent of classic literature. I have stressed this before and I stand by it. N64 is worth only if only for Mario 64. It is that meaningful. Also there is something to be said about expecting to enjoy a game of olde the way it was to be enjoyed in the past. Old videogames are about history and where they fit in and what they achieved across the field (sometimes). Sometimes they are even worth playing
 
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Yoshi

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Calling Mario 64 “perfect” is ridiculous. The camera is objectively bad for example.
 

DevilRedeemed

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I have no problem in being ridiculous. Talking about bad camera angles in this particular game is nigh ridiculous.
The game is perfect for what it is. I don't particularly like Mario games. Just this one.
To me it is perfect as something ambitious and made with passion. You can find many faults with it technically but the world it beckons you to enter is singular. Perfect from a subjective perspective is what I mean.
 

Yoshi

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There’s no doubt that it was a hugely important game. For a long time, it was easily the best transition from 2D to 3D. I’m frankly afraid to revisit it these days, because I have fond memories I’d rather not risk. I feel that way about most of the 3D games from that era. I wish Nintendo were remaking that instead of making Link’s Awakening look worse for example.
 

DevilRedeemed

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There’s no doubt that it was a hugely important game. For a long time, it was easily the best transition from 2D to 3D. I’m frankly afraid to revisit it these days, because I have fond memories I’d rather not risk. I feel that way about most of the 3D games from that era. I wish Nintendo were remaking that instead of making Link’s Awakening look worse for example.

My advice would be to revisit it

but if you can, cleanse yourself of any expectations, of recent experiences with more modern games, maybe read an interview or two regarding the production of the game, and allow some of the nostalgia to sweep over you. Also try and not judge any sentiments produced by the clunkiness of the thing. It is a goofy clunky game as much as it is so finely crafted.

I view something like this as not only a landmark title but also something to be appreciated within a particular context. To me much of the charm here (and with other Miyamoto games on the system) is that it is cart based gaming in a cd-governed world, with cart related limitations but also characteristics which made for a type of gaming we where more used to (the cart as a solid object "containing the game", no load times). It's an audacious and strange game full of little challenges and puzzles in a relatively limited small playing field. The fact that there is nothing random about this small world makes it all the more intriguing, it's like it was made by an architect or engineer, to be enjoyed at the micro as well as the macro level.

From Wikipedia:
He (Miyamoto) guided the design of the Nintendo 64 controller in tandem with that of Super Mario 64.
That kind of blow my mind, Mario 64 was an experiment, a concept as much as it was a game, and the controller was tailor-made for this particular game.
The Zelda games where directed/produced by Miyamoto and used a modified Mario 64 engine.

When you watch a film such as The Birds, you kind of have to sink into it a little, like getting into a very hot bath. But it is no way inferior to anything made since, just because it is in black and white with a different pacing and audience in mind.

By the way, I know I am exaggerating a little.
 
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HornheaDD

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I havent read the whole thread, but I'll chime in :D

Im one of those that wasn't a fan of the N64. I can probably count all the "good" games on two hands. Sure we got stuff like Mario 64 which was a great game, camera not withstanding. Ocarina was pretty great for it's time. I wasnt a HUGE fan of Goldeneye but ok, sure it was good. But I mean, "good games" on the NES? "Good" games on the Genesis? Saturn? PS1? SNES? Neo? TG16? Assloads.

Anyway the controller was klunky, even considering that we/game designers didn't really know much about control in a 3D game at the time. That type of 3D control was in it's infancy, I guess? Holding it for 3D games basically removed the D-pad completely. Cameras were issues unto themselves. Graphically the N64 was a muddy mess. I dont believe graphics make a good game, but visually speaking, the N64 games looked like a mess, and the PS1/Saturn which were supposedly half as powerful could do just about anything the N64 could do.

I dunno. I dont think it was a complete shit system, but it was definitely the Wii of its day.
 

NexusX

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The system definitely has it's drawbacks. I usually see people be able to be happy with the system once they get the 5 or 6 games that really matter to them. Then they are content with what they have.

Although the AV output on the console sucks. Svideo makes it bearable. I think the patents on the hardware are finally expired if I recall correctly. I am actually hoping for some cheap clone consoles with native HDMI output to hit the market, but I think high quality emulation has filled that void already.
 

Neorebel

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I think there is more than just 4 or 5 good games on the system - you just have to be into platformers, arcade racers, and party games. If we're dismissing all the 1st party titles, then really the same can be said about any Nintendo system that followed this too.

For fighting games, the system is known for having a bunch of crappy ones, and the controller is a major issue. That being said, one can get used to it and there are a couple of exceptions:
-Killer Instinct Gold, it's this, the SNES port or buy the PCB
-Mortal Kombat 4 - Graphics & frame rate seem better to me than the PS1 if you're into this game
-Mace: The Dark Age - simple game but when it came out I was really into it - only on n64 and the arcade
 

tacoguy

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I liked the system then, and i still like many of the games today. N64 had many good fps games including the two excellent rare titles, and the turok trilogy which were all good, a fantastic version of doom, two good quake games, and a censored but still decent duke nukem 3d. Not the most amazing lineup but those games still are fun for me to play though on the system. So are all their first party games. But that's always been true for every nintendo console.
 

norton9478

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What's up with Snowboard Kids 2?

I had never heard of it until I got two copies in a lot for $10. Was going to slap $5 each on them until I went on 'the bay.

Is this game good? Is it rare? or Is it just subject to collectardism?
 

pixeljunkie

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The only good games for it we're ported to Wii and are remastered or improved. N64 is just an Atari jaguar with a handful of better games.
 

wataru330

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The Evangelion game couldn’t even save it. The Robotech game could come out tomorrow, and It’d be too little too late.

I love Star Soldier, but not enough to deal with that weaksauce stock controller...or mod a stick to use on N64.

I reckon a high percentage of people that ‘love’ Sin & Punishment, have never seen the third stage boss w/ out YouTube.

Motherfuck this overturned trash trailer of a console.
 

J-P

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I was kinda annoyed about the N64 tbh. I got it on Japanese launch and had to wait very very patiently (or impatiently rather) for most things. I disliked blast corp quite a bit at the time due to it being one of the only things around... I really didn't understand how people gleaned any enjoyment out of that 'game' and put most of it down to Rare fanboyery. The same thing happened with 'Animal Forest' and it's sequels. IMHO Nintendo hasn't been the same since the SNES. I still stupidly purchased the Gamecube, Wii and Wii-U and each of them have some standout titles but are mostly 'disappointing' library-wise. I keep my gamecube just for Mr.Driller Land (lol).

The list of stand-out games I enjoyed on the N64 are probably all fairly familiar: Paper Mario, Mario 64, Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark, Diddy Kong Racing, DK64, Banjo Kazooie + sequel, Zelda games (I preferred Majora's Mask actually, it's still one of my favourite Zelda titles) and Star Wars (Rogue Squadron). As far as imports go; I picked up Bangai-O, Mischief Makers, Sin and Punishment and a few others, but I remember those most.

Its major weakness (IMHO) was that it no fighting or racing arcade titles I was interested in. I had a PS1 and Saturn though... both were cheaper and infinitely more enjoyable libraries. Also, it was definitely the start of Nintendo being a 'kid friendly' company. I mean, I hate Pokemon - why would I buy Pokemon Snap? I'm not gonna be playing Mario Party either. Just really, really - not an essential system for me.
 
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Whippy

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What’s your opinion?

Many great N64 games can be played on a Wii through virtual console. Having a homebrew'd wii helps with this. If you want more than that, a system with a flash drive would be my next go-to. I liked the N64 just as much as the PlayStation, but for different reasons. The only reason I have an N64 is NBA Hangtime, so I can't judge anyone for want it for a few games. It didn't have many, but it had quite a few good titles.
 

heihachi

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It was a great party machine at the time, and I think there are still ~15-20 games that make it worth keeping around if you have one: Zeldas, Mario, Banjo games, Paper Mario, Mario Kart, Smash, the Mario Parties, Ogre Battle, etc.
 

adeneo

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What's up with Snowboard Kids 2?

The PAL version was only released in Australia, and sold rather poorly, yet many collectors in europe wants to buy it, to complete their PAL-collection, hence the high price.
The NTSC version is nothing special.
 
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