Rethinking the Nintendo 64

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VideoGameCritic
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Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby VideoGameCritic » May 16th, 2010, 3:12 pm

I've recently rediscovered the joys of the Nintendo 64, having picked up a few new games including Destruction Derby 64.  I'm fascinated by the system because it was the last major cartridge-based console.

The controller is an odd thing.  Being able to grip it two ways to use the digital pad or analog stick seemed like a good idea, but no games ever used the digital pad.  Fighting games are usually best played with a digital pad, but no 2D fighting games like Street Fighter ever appeared on the system.  Why is that?

Nintendo definitely goofy up by not putting two slot in the controller - swapping between the memory card and rumble pack is a hassle.


andrew

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby andrew » May 16th, 2010, 4:06 pm

[QUOTE=The Video Game Critic]I've recently rediscovered the joys of the Nintendo 64, having picked up a few new games including Destruction Derby 64.  I'm fascinated by the system because it was the last major cartridge-based console.

The controller is an odd thing.  Being able to grip it two ways to use the digital pad or analog stick seemed like a good idea, but no games ever used the digital pad.  Fighting games are usually best played with a digital pad, but no 2D fighting games like Street Fighter ever appeared on the system.  Why is that?

Nintendo definitely goofy up by not putting two slot in the controller - swapping between the memory card and rumble pack is a hassle.

[/QUOTE]

I have several games that use the d-pad for movement. All wrestling games and all the midway arcade sports games (Blitz, Showtime, Gretzky 3D Hockey). Most racing games supporr the d-pad as well. I use it whenever possible. As for two slots thing, the rumble pak wasn't relased until it was bundled with Starfox 64. That thing probably wasn't conceived as an idea until the system went into production. While the rumble pak was a great innovation, I don't much care for it as it adds too much weight to the controller.

BTW excellent choice picking up Destruction Derby 64.

N64Dude1
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Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby N64Dude1 » May 16th, 2010, 8:03 pm

While your'e at it try Mischief Makers. I know you like stuff made by Enix and Treasure and that is actually a incredibly well done completely 2D puzzle platformer that's a real joy to play. Also did you get Fighter's Destiny? That was the first of the fighters.

As for the  lack of 2 slots thing,you've got realize even Nintendo didn't know if their "Complete 3D" plan would work,the placement of the thumbstick and huge D-Pad on the left is evidence that Nintendo feared 3D wouldn't catch on. That's clearly the same issue with the controller port,they probably didn't think in 1996 it would be used that much and then it did. Most games that used the rumble pack often didn't need the controller pak or vice versa. 



Luke

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby Luke » May 17th, 2010, 2:57 am

Well, even though the sound isn't quite up to par with the PS1 version.. I still prefer to play Mortal Kombat Trilogy on the N64 (over the PS1 port) and that utilizes the d-pad. So does Killer Instinct Gold.

Adamant1
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Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby Adamant1 » May 17th, 2010, 5:10 pm

Make sure to check out Rocket: Robot on Wheels. One of the greatest, most overlooked titles on the entire system. 


m0zart1
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Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby m0zart1 » May 17th, 2010, 5:48 pm

I really like the old Spider-Man game on the N64.  The PS1 version had better animated cutscenes, while the N64 one replaced it with comic book slides.  But when it came to graphical presentation in the gameplay, the N64 version completely destroyed the PS1 version.


zzz

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby zzz » May 17th, 2010, 7:26 pm

The N64 version in some ways is a lot more playable than the PS1 version. On the PS1, I always felt like I was fighting the camera more than the N64 version. Another good game to check out is StarCraft 64. It's somewhat scaled down, but it still has the cinematics.


Bayou Billy

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby Bayou Billy » May 17th, 2010, 9:28 pm

starcraft 64 is the best ports of the trio (Warcraft 2, Diablo I and Starcraft) game made by Blizzard. The controller was made for this type of game and also unlike warcraft 2, it tell you what button do what in real time


steer

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby steer » May 17th, 2010, 10:40 pm

What's to rethink?

Everyone who knocks the format has to admit the PS1 has  horrible 3-d graphics with joke draw distance and poor textures. Also no load times on the N64.

N64 defined 3-d gaming, back in the day.

True, the expensive carts of that time allowed Sony to bargain bin them to death in the 2nd half of that generation, and set up PS2 for dominance and set the GC up for 'failure' (compared to who? The PS3? The original XBOX?) in the next gen, but at the same time, as a player of games, it is hard to imagine playing Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time on the PS.

I love the controller, but the analog stick was not very durable. But the design is top notch, best d-pad/analog solution ever, great trigger design. Not the controllers fault the whole industry abandoned 3-d and made little use of the d-pad.

Bayou Billy

Rethinking the Nintendo 64

Postby Bayou Billy » May 18th, 2010, 7:07 am

in general, the ps1 as the edge

-over the music  (compare both version of tony hawk pro skater)
-texture (some game ported from the ps1) are ugly on the 64
- Some game on the 64 have load time (Quake for example)

but the 64 has the edge over

-graphics
-faster gameplay
- memory managing


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