Nintendo 64 Memorial Service Thread

[Ernster]

Ok silly name but anywayz LOL

I really loved/love the N64 and was a huge supported of it back in the day. I had countless fights supporting Nintendo against the Playstation and really still cant belive the PSX did better thanthe N64 but hey thats not what this topic is about. Just want to share my love for this great system which was all about providing quality 3D games not achiveable on it's competitors at the time.

When did you get your N64
I got mine a few months after the Australian Launch back in 1997, maybe August/September.

What was the first game you played
Mario Kart 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
My first game was automobili Lamborghini and I did resarch the game and at the time the graphics were its main attraction to me.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64 was my favourite game. It is simply perfect to me, nothing at al wrong with it and puts Sunshine to shame. This game is what 3D gaming was all about and the graphics and gameplay were just breathtaking.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Hmm well I remember leting my cousing "borrow" my WWF Wrestlemania 2000 game and he ended up having it for a few years and than sold it. I also sadly remember the biggest mistake of my life (or 2nd biggest lol) which was swapping my N64 for a PSX:(

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I dont "collect" N64 games but I may do in the future when I have the money to. I do have 8 games though which I love and had more than that when I had my first N64 console.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Nothing really. I thought the quality of gameplay on offer was miles ahead of the competiton and sure the RPG part of it was bad but I dont like RPG's and theres atleast one brilliant game in every genre.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Well sure some games the graphics are a bit fuzzy but I feel there sure more playable than the PSX games were/ still are and I find them just as fun as I did back in the day.

[TRM]

When did you get your N64
I got mine for Christmas. So I have no clue what store it came from.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
The first game I owned was Super Mario 64, but I got it for Christmas. The first game I bought was Crusin' USA. Up until this time, the most powerful racers I had played were Rad Racer and Daytona USA (in the arcades).

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Mario Kart 64. I played this game to death, by now it is so easy that it is boring for me. Great times, and great memories.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
I remember when I first got Shadowgate 64. I had started playing the game on a dark night, and the game got to me. No one was home but me, and it really scared me, though there is nothing too scary in that game --- not nearly as scary as the original.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I don't collect N64. I do have a few games, but I only play to buy. If a game sucks, I sell it for something new.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
I felt that there were not enough RPGs :( If there were more, my N64 would be played much more.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Not always. Take a look at Super Mario 64, the classic example. This game was fun at the time, it had charm and it was new. But looking back on it, the game really wasn't as fun as it was originally thought to be. Combine this with the quickly aging graphics, and many of the older titles aren't too playable.

[SegaAges]

When did you get your N64
I got mine when they did the special bundle that included the atomic purple controller. I don't remember the exact date, but my atomic purple controller still works.

What was the first game you played
I had a friend that bought the n64 on launch day. i remember playing mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
My 1st was clayfighter 63 1/3. i was and still am a huge clayfighter fan. i found out the game was coming out on the n64, and it decided whether i was going to get the system or not.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
it had to be pilotwings 64. i remember playing this game as a kid on snes and it was awesome. i got this game from a friend for free, and was blown away by how improved it was compared to its snes counterpart.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
I did something along the same lines as you, except it was with about 10 games. i lent them to my good friend's cousin, who than moved to cali and gave all of my games away. i finally got them all back, but it sucked, because i had to buy them all back from online.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I love n64. i have about 33 or 34 games right now. i will continue to buy for it until i feel i have every single game that i want for it (which means i probably won't stop until i have them all, pokemon style)

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
The thing that was really lacking in the n64 library were one-on-one fighters. sure they had mortal kombat trilogy and mortal kombat 4 and killer instinct gold and clayfighter, but the rest were not all that great. mace sucked balls. there is one game, called bio freaks i think, where it is a fighter, and you can do a super move and blast off limbs of your opponent, but it sucked. it was cool that they had megaman 64, but it would have been much nicer to see a 2d megaman make its way to n64.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
the n64 will always be playable. i will play it until i am 80 years old with kids calling me super old because all of their games are now on a microchip that is implanted in their brain.

[gamegirl79]

When did you get your N64
I got it for Christmas the same year it was released ('96?). I remember it was slightly difficult to get that holiday season.

What was the first game you played
Pilotwings 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Mario Kart 64. It remains one of my favorite games on the system because of the multiplayer mode and replay value.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
I'd have to say Perfect Dark. I got my first real taste of multiplayer fps's (on a console) with that game.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Back in 2001 I spent the night at a friends house on Thanksgiving so we could get up early and do some shopping the day after. I got up at 4 am and before we left to go shopping, we played Conker's Bad Fur Day. That was the first time I had seen the game, plus I was half asleep so you can imagine my surprise when I saw Conker stumbling around drunk. LOL

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I don't really collect, I mainly just buy the games I like to play. I've only got 19 games.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
I personally would have liked to see a sequel to Earthbound on N64.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Most definitely!!

[joshnickerson]

When did you get your N64
March or April of 1997, when it dropped to $150. I bought it and a copy of Super Mario 64 at the local Wally World

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Super Mario 64. I remember just being amazed at all I could do with Mario and I must have spent months trying to get every last star in the castle. To this day I still boot up the game once in a while just to run around outside the castle.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Ocarina of Time. It finally locked me in as a Zelda fan. Previously, I had only played Link's Awakening for the GB, but after playing this baby, I was hooked on Zelda for life.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
A few months before Ocarina of Time came out, I had reserved it at a store about an hour away from my home (the closest one that was doing pre-orders). Then I found out I had to have my wisdom teeth removed during Thanksgiving break, the same week Ocarina came out. So I was there, two days after the operation, my gums still bleeding, picking up my gold copy of Ocarina of Time. My mom drove me (thank goodness), and I spent the rest of the week recovering, doped up on painkillers, playing Ocarina of Time constantly.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I collect them if I see them out in the wild. I try to get complete copies, but if it's a game I really wanted, I'll settle for the cart. Most recently I finally found The New Tetris and I've put hours into that baby. I have about 40 or so N64 games.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
RPGs were lacking, to be sure, but I've never really been too into those. I think if anything there was an overabundance of platformers on the system.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
It's hard to play some of the games, because they just didn't age well graphically, and they WILL give me a headache now. Still, classics like Zelda and Mario, which depended on gameplay more than graphics, still stand the test of time.

[fishsandwich]

When did you get your N64
I got my Star Wars Racer Bundle for X-Mas sometime in 1997 or 1998, a gift from the ex.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64, but the first game I had any real time with was War Gods (ecchhh)

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Star Wars Racer was my first game, and I was mightily impressed by how dang FAST it was. The graphics are very nice, too. I remember looking all over my ship with the close-up feature and thinking how cool it was.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Hard to say... Maybe Hydro Thunder? I certainly played it a lot. Quake II was impressive in it's day... no FPS from the PSone could match its graphics, especially when your character got close to a wall and there was no pixilation.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
I remember being at a yard sale in '97 when the N64 was still super-hot and this non-English speaking guy kept pointing at an old NES and saying to the lady hosting the yard sale "Nintendo 64?!? Nintendo 64?!?" She was clueless but said "I think" so I interjected "No, it's a Nintendo 8." He didn't buy it. I didn't either... it was $50 plus 4 or 5 crap games.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Yes, I still collect N64 games... only the complete ones, though. I just bought the original Quake and Doom, as well as a wrestling game.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
FIGHTERS, SHOOTERS, and TRADITIONAL RPG's. The best fighter on the N64 is MK4, and the second best is Mace: The Dark Age. Not so great. The ONLY traditional shooter that I know of (including imports) is the update of Star Soldier, and is isn't very good. Let's not mention the RPG situation.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Depends on the game. Some really are still fantastic... some have not aged well at all. I compared Quake II on the PSone and the N64 just last night and found the N64 version to be faster with smoother graphics and a better soundtrack, with the PSone game having *far* better control and brighter colors. I think I'd pick the PSone game and turn the music down. N64 Hydro Thunder is the bomb, though.

Cheers :-P

[digitalpress]

Great thread!

When did you get your N64
Right on launch day!

What was the first game you played
Played lots of Super Mario 64 the day I bought the system. I had a few other games in those early months but the only other one that really stands out because it got lots of playtime was Blast Corps.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
I was very impressed with how BIG the world in Super Mario 64 was but the game had already been voted "Best Game Ever" by some magazine at the time (probably best that I forget that) and I didn't agree with the over-hype of the game in general. Still, it provided many hours of fun.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Definitely Goldeneye 007. It was the first game to steal time at our parties here. Until that point, it was all about Bomberman, and four-player games came and went very quickly. Goldeneye 007 was GUARANTEED to get played whenever four people where here. It was the out-of-the-box multi-player capabilities of the N64 that kept us around for most of its lifespan.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Naturally! I have an "okay" collection at about 80 games. I have taken care of most of the rare ones, I think I still need Harvest Moon.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Great was certainly the out-of-the-box multi-player capabilities of the system. It was nice not having to find a multi-tap. I also liked the cartridge format and knowing there was still a system alive that bog down with load times. On the downside the FOG was always really annoying and it ruined a lot of games for me. I also never quite adapted to the controller which is weird because I love the Gamecube controller. Lots of the third-party gameage was awful too, but the Nintendo first party stuff... that's primo N64.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Um, no. They've aged considerably. Even greats like Goldeneye 007 look very dated today. Again, the first-party Nintendo stuff - the games that weren't trying to be cutting edge in any way but gameplay - have stood the test of time the best.

[Flack]

When did you get your N64
I got my N64 from Wal-Mart in the fall of 1999 (Star Wars Pod Racer Bundle)

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 (Story Link (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30790&highlight=n64+mario)). The next time I went back to TRU I played 1080 Snowboarding.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
The first game I bought was Pod Racer and my reaction after a few minutes was a headache.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64 was groundbreaking at the time.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Never did. I do own 3 N64's and 3 N64 console copiers, however. (LINK (http://www.robohara.com/videogames/consoles/))

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Not enough adult games, which is why I stayed for the most part with the PSX.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Some are okay, but I feel the limitations of the hardware and cartridge format are more apparent now.

[jdc]

EXCELLENT topic!!! :D

Well....

I got my N64 while Christmas shopping with my wife. It was just the core system, not a special pack. Diddy Kong Racing was a brand new release....so that would be December 1997.

The first game that I played was Super Mario 64. More about that in a minute.

The first game that I bought was Diddy Kong Racing. I bought with the system. The "racing" word in the title appealed to me. The box art was bright and colorful. The screenshots looked awsome. I thought to myself "there's NO WAY that it can look THAT good in actuality. Must be computer generated box art." Yep....it was BETTER than the boxart. I found the game to be REALLY hard......remember, I wasn't a previous gamer. I just rebought Diddy Kong and had blown through most of the game in one afternoon. How things change!!!

The game that left the biggest impression was Super Mario 64. I used to go over to a friend's house. He had a Genesis on his coffee table. I never touched it....or any other video games either. They seemed "too hard" and I had "video game performance anxiety", for lack of a better term. One day he phoned me and said "hey, come on over. You've gotta see this new Nintendo system. It's 3D"!!! So over I go. I saw this little guy....I knew that his name was Mario....and he was in this castle....and it was bright and colorful...and it looked FRIENDLY!!! Friendly enough to try. My friend showed me how Mario "worked" and an instant love for this new game system was hammered into my very soul. It wasn't long before I could thread that little plumber through the eye of a needle if asked to.

Sad thing? The day I stupidly traded in my N64, peripherals and 32-game library of all mint completes (I only ever bought new) for a PSX 9001 and a fistfull of games. I guess it wasn't all bad...one of those games was Final Fantasy 7, which fostered my love for RPGs.

I collect. I'm trying to recover from the above mentioned blunder. I only buy completes and don't use Ebay....so it's taking time. I currently have 44 games, a Fire system, a Jungle system (both complete), a Pikachu system (just the console and controller) and the box for the Star Wars Episode One Racer system (which was just a core system with a boxed copy of Episode One Racer inside, which I have). I also have various memory cards, a V3FX wheel and pedals (complete) and I also have a handheld mini steering wheel made by Performance (complete mint).

What was great about the N64 library? Do we have the time and space? ZELDA!!!!....Rare's games.....all of those adventure platformers by the likes of Rare and Ubisoft.....the great shooters like Quake, Doom, Hexen, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark etal......all the great futuristic racing games......just the sheer creativity and FUN that the system's games seemed to have. N64 games are magic. Sure the system didn't do many RPGs....but there are some.

Funny that you should ask about the playability and whether it's held up. The other day I was over at the friend's who first showed me the N64. He had Rayman 2 fired up on his N64. I actually commented to him that the damned system STILL looks current generation.

Is the system current...mildly current.....or retro? It WAS weird. You had a 64-bit processor (two Playstations or half a Dreamcast) and the weirdest texture mapping engine. There was none of that shitty Playstation pixelation. A cool controller that was way different than it's counterparts and comfortable to use. No moving parts to wear out, the only thing that DID wear out was external and replaceable. No load times ever. Tough software. Why didn't more of the so-called hardcore gaming public buy into this system? What the fuck was so "kiddie" about it? Having a plumber as a mascot? Super Mario 64 is a tough game to get 100% on. Where's the "kiddie"? (sorry...but it remains a sore spot with me)

The system rocked back then and still does today. I must say.....that it's great to be a member of a forum where the system gets equal respect with other systems. It's very nice to be able to have a place where I can share views on my favorite system with other like-minded gamers!!!

[YoshiM]

When did you get your N64

Right on launch day, baby! A friend and I went to Fond du Lac to buy the system and Mario 64. We stood outside Toys R Us (I can't recall if we had a preorder) in the cold until the opened and found out they didn't have systems (for some reason or another). We went to Target to warm up and he bought Mario 64 but they didn't have systems either (I think they were still packed up). We then drove across the street to Shop Ko as a last ditch effort. I asked the clerk in electronics if they had any and she gave me a puzzled looked and asked "What a Nintendo 64?".

Lo and behold, behind the clueless associate was a shelf full of N64's.

The rest, as they say, is history.


What was the first game you played

Mario 64. Till my eyes practically bled.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction

Well, Mario 64 was more of a group purchase as were most N64 games for us. My friend would just buy a game (he worked in the mall at the time, so it was easy for him) and we'd chip in. The first game I actually beat him to the punch on was Banjo Kazooie. It took platforming to a whole new level (but didn't push Mario 64 off the top of the mountain).

Which game left the biggest impression on you

It's a toss up: Mario 64 and Goldeneye. Mario 64 as it successfully brought the famed plumber to 3D and is still great to play today and Goldeneye as it successfully brought the furious action of multiplayer FPS to a game console. Some people may say these games have been surpassed by modern endeavors but I don't agree.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share

I was stuck in a particular level in Banjo Kazooie. I can't recall the actual location anymore (I think it was the place where the bee hive was) but it had many fields of straw/wheat (all yellowish). I was one jinjo short: the yellow one. I spent forever hunting around and I couldn't find the yellow bastard. Finally I said out loud to no one in particular "If I were a Rare developer, where would *I* hide a yellow Jinjo?" Scanning the field, I suddenly see two little off yellow hands waving above the wheat. That's been a catch phrase when trying to find anything that eludes us for more than 10 minutes.


Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have

I do, but right now it's only "games I like" or "will possibly like". I have maybe 20 or 25, maybe a bit more. I may just go for the gusto and actually try and complete the collection. Who knows.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library

The N64 had a solid selection of solid platformers and still probably the best line of wrestling video games since Pro Wrestling on the NES.

Lacking? RPGs mainly, but that's not a big deal to me.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime

To be honest, it can be somewhat difficult to hop into an N64 game after recently playing a current gen game due to major difference in graphics. Play Rogue Squadron on the N64 then play its sequel on the Gamecube. It's hard not to get spoiled. If you can get over that, gameplay wise these games are hella playable.

[MegaDrive20XX]

N64 doesn't die! Just it's owners who forget about it! :D

When did you get your N64
Christmas of 1997 (Year later)

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 at a Fred Meyer's store

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
First games I had, were downright scary, but I had to deal with it..yet ironically these games were somewhat on the list of games "NOT TO GET FOR CHRISTMAS". Duke Nukem 64, Hexen, and Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Hexen I enjoyed already on PC, so this was just a direct port. MK Trilogy I was burnt out with at the time, since I had it on PSX already...and Duke Nukem 64 I was sadly disappointed with...but it's still fun to play...but no cussing was lame for the Duke.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Zelda 64. Upon announcement, I knew it was going to be huge..but with so many delays, we had to wait it out...but god it was worth it! Yet the biggest games that impressed me the most were Super Mario 64 and Wave Race 64. I love watching the water effects

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
37 weekends straight of GOLDENEYE. Every weekend during my Sophomore year in High School. Me and my buddies would pick a place to crash and play GoldenEye till the wee hours of the night.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Of course! At the moment I restarted collecting N64 games and parts mainly. I have about 5 titles.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
As many felt RPG's were lacking, I somewhat disagree, they are out there, just everyone says they suck and etc. I lend an ear to see what these games were like. Yet what was great, was the massive amount of Action/Adventure titles. I can't get enough of those.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Alot of them yes, but some unbearable to even look at without your eyes hurting. Makes me wonder "How in the hell did we play this game??"

[MegaDrive20XX]

.....that it's great to be a member of a forum where the system gets equal respect with other systems. It's very nice to be able to have a place where I can share views on my favorite system with other like-minded gamers!!!

I agree 110%

[Nesmaster]

When did you get your N64
Christmas 1996

What was the first game you played
mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
mario 64. i cant even begin to describe my reaction to you. but let me tell you prior to mario 64, all i ever played was 2d games

Which game left the biggest impression on you
super mario 64. it introduced me to 3d gaming

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
i buy games i find in the wild for cheap, and im at 45 games

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
as said, most of the first party stuff was golden, and alot of 3rd party were duds. i did however play goldeneye to death

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
some yes, most no. to me the gfx now seem too fuzzy and choppy

[Mayhem]

When did you get your N64

March 97, about a week before the PAL launch (I got a US version).

What was the first game you played

Super Mario 64.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction

See above. Foremost reaction was "about bloody time someone did a platformer properly in 3D!" LOL

Which game left the biggest impression on you

Good question. Probably swings between SM64, Goldeneye and Ocarina of Time. All are classics and regularly listed in top 10 greatest games ever lists.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories you'd like to share

Having to rewire the RGB Scart plug several times as the company that had done it, had done a lousy job with the soldering. At least it caused me to learn what all 21 points do and how everything works inside :P

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have

No idea how many, probably in the 70-80 region. I still pick them up from time to time if there's something I spot I missed during its lifetime that's interesting (such as Japanese Lode Runner 3D I got last week for very cheap).

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library

Platformers were all the rage really, some brilliants ones present there. RPGs, racing games and fighters were somewhat lacking, which ironically are the three main genres that people seemed to go after on the PS1 and most likely a factor in why it was so successful.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime

Some of them are if you ignore the somewhat blocky, blurry visuals and occasionally slowdown and frame drops. Anything Treasure or Rare is a must really.

[Kai]

When did you get your N64:
Christmas 1997

What was the first game you played :
Mario 64


What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction:
Mario 64. I was completely blown away by the 3D-ness of this game. I played for almost two days straight, which is rare with my short attention span. And I had a lot of trouble with the joystick at first, I couldn't get Mario to go in a straignt line to save my life. In the first world in Mario 64 where there's that little bride you have to cross? Yeah, I fell off every time. And now laugh about it every time I play and see how easy it is.

Which game left the biggest impression on you :
Zelda: OOT. Funny, when I first saw Quest 64 I thought that was the new Zedla so I rented it. When Zelda really did come out, I spent my entire Christmas break playing it. After I beat the Deku tree and ventured out into Hyrule field for the first time was my single defining moment in gaming.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share:
My mom pre-ordered Zelda at Toys R US, and then when we went to pick it up they had given all the gold carts away to the first people who bought it, not bothering to save them for who actually reserved them. Still mad about that.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have :
Yes, I think I have around 25

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library:
I would have liked more RPGs, and the games to be less kiddie. I was disappointed with Paperboy 64 for that reason.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime:
Some I can play, but some make my eyes hurt.

[8-Bit Master]

When did you get your N64
I got mine the month after the US launch date.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Super Mario 64. I remember being absolutely amazed at the game's graphics and just overrall playability. I played and finished the entire game (all 120 stars) a just a few days.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64, which is still one of my favorite games of all time.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Well, when I first got the system I played Super Mario 64 basically nonstop for two days (I had no job at the time :P ). I remember staying up and playing it for so long that by the time I finished the game I started feeling sick. :puke:

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I don't really collect N64 games, but if I see cheap ones I'll pick them up. The problem is, in my area, N64 games are very expensive, about twice the price of a PSX game. I currently have 73 N64 games, most of which are complete with box and instructions.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Nothing that hasn't already been said. The lack of RPG's really hurt the system. There weren't really any good fighting games either.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
A system's age has no effect on how playable a game is in my opinion. I can play N64 games just as easily as Gamecube or Atari 2600 games.

[Aussie2B]

When did you get your N64

The day before the official launch. :) I got a pre-order in August of '96, so Toys R Us called me up a day early saying I could pick it up.

What was the first game you played

Super Mario 64, starting in early September of '96. I went to play the displays in Toys R Us numerous times that month. I'd read my Nintendo Power issue on the way there to get tips, but even then I completely sucked. :) It took me a little while to get used to 3D.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction

Super Mario 64, of course. I was just in awe. The graphics, the open world, everything was just so new to me. It was like nothing I had even seen. And it was a damn fine game to boot. :)

Which game left the biggest impression on you

Super Mario 64? Haha, it's my answer for everything. It probably did make the biggest impression on me, though, for the reasons I stated above. I actually played through the game about 5 times just within the N64's lifespan. That's a lot for me. I think I've replayed that game more than any other N64 game, despite that it's not my favorite N64 (that title would go to Goemon's Great Adventure). I suppose Ocarina of Time left a big impression too. I wasn't as crazy about that game as most people (I actually kind of struggled to beat it, and not because of difficulty), but when I first saw it, I was thinking "These graphics are amazing! Graphics can't get much better than this! It's SO detailed and realistic!" Pretty funny in retrospect. Wonder Project J2 also made a pretty big impression on me as it got my N64 importing started off with a bang.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share

Hmmm... well, let's see. One funny thing is how my boyfriend and I have developed a passionate yet playful hatred for Roger Buster in F-Zero X. He's just so crappy in every way, haha. We love to purposely kill off JUST Roger while we play, hehe, and we're always trying to come up with the most creative ways we can kill him. Oh man, I wish I had videos of some of the deaths I've dealt Roger. :)

My obsessive playing of Getter Love, the only N64 dating sim was pretty funny and weird too. o_O Ultimately, it resulted in the creation of a 100KB guide and a long ass review. :)

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have

Definitely. :) I love buying N64 games. As of right now, I have 67 games, 54 minus duplicates (but most duplicates I have for a reason, like my manufacturer's box of 10 brand new copies of Wonder Project J2.) A good majority of my games are boxed (and a good chunk of those have manuals). I have 5 different Japanese-exclusive imports, and I hope to get lots more. As for hardware and accessories, I have 3 black consoles, 6 controllers (2 grey, 2 red, 1 blue, 1 transparent purple), 4 official controller paks, and 1 official rumble pak. I'm very pleased with the quality of my collection. I think most of my games are at least somewhat good if not great.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library

Well, it was great in lots of ways. At the time, I don't believe there were better looking 3D games on any other home console. There were tons of awesome first-party and second-party games, and many good games from third parties like Hudson and Konami too.

Obviously, the N64 was lacking in a few niche genres like RPGs, fighters, and shmups, but that was never a concern for me. I played the N64 for what it had. I had all the RPGs I could ever have time to play on PlayStation and then some, and other genres could be found elsewhere as well. I always feel that it should be pointed out, though, that what few games that the N64 had in some genres were usually very good. For example, Paper Mario and Ogre Battle 64 are a couple of the best RPGs I've ever played, easily beating out a good majority of the PlayStation RPGs I've played.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime

Yes and no. I can play pretty much any N64 game today (and the controller has always felt extremely comfortable to me), but I do notice choppy frame rates, pop-up, and fog more than I used to. Developers sometimes got a little too ambitious with the hardware, so now the gamers have to pay the price. That's why I love games like F-Zero X that have simple graphics but play at a perfect 60 fps.

[Aussie2B]

RPGs, racing games and fighters were somewhat lacking, which ironically are the three main genres that people seemed to go after on the PS1 and most likely a factor in why it was so successful.

It's funny, I hear a lot of conflicting views about the racing games on N64. I hear tons of people say there were far too many, but then lots of people also say there wasn't enough. I don't really see a problem with the selection of racing games one way or the other. I'm not drowning in them, but I still feel like I have a large, varied selection.

[Cmosfm]

A GREAT GREAT THREAD! I still consider the N64 to be one of the GREATEST systems of all time. It's among my personal favorites. :)

When did you get your N64
I got mine the Christmas of the launch year, it was the only thing on my Christmas list. I was in an utter funk on Christmas day after pre inspecting all the gifts under the tree and there not being an N64 there. My mom gave me a tiny package and it had the note "I owe you a Nintendo 64, all the stores were sold out", still have that box and note somewhere. Anywyays mom asked me to go to the kitchen and get a paper towel, and there it was sitting there on the counter, my N64 with Super Mario 64!

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 at the Toys R Us kiosk

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Well, I got Super Mario 64 with my system, and it was the greatest game ever. But later on, I bought Cruisn' USA and loved it to death!

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64, It had no flaws, it is the greatest game of all time! I was dead set on wanting a Playstation for Christmas that year, there were SO MANY games I wanted for it. Then I played Super Mario 64 in Toys R Us....I didnt want all those games anymore, I wanted this ONE game.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Well, besides my shared story above, nothing really. Just random spurts, like when I got Killer Instinct Gold shortly after release at the pawn shop for 6.00.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I do collect them, and I think it's the next system I want to work an entire collection for. Great games and in great abundance....not many rares at all which makes it easier.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Well, the gameplay was top notch, the controls and graphics were excellent as well....I had so much fun playing my N64 games! The only thing lacking IMO was the fuzzy graphics and fog, but it was nothing I couldnt look past.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Yes, I do. I think you can just as easily pick up a great N64 game as you can a great PS2 game or a great NES game. Of course, fuzzy graphics kinda ruin it sometimes, but not too bad. I love me a good run of San Francisco Rush here and than, and Diddy Kong Racing is still one of my favorite racers of all time!

Ahhhh....the N64, the memories are so great!

[sisko]

When did you get your N64
About two years after launch. I bought it from my best friend's brother with a bunch of games for $200.

What was the first game you played
I dabbled in Pilot Wings, but the first I sat down and played hardcore was Mario Kart, or Golden Eye, whichever came out first.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Out of that lot I purchase, Goldeneye was my favorite. It was just fun.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Perfect Dark. It was just like Goldeneye, but smarter, faster and stronger.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
The great Mario Party blister of 1998 (or whenever it came out).

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I don't actively collect them, rather if I come across one that I remember I enjoyed, or will enjoy for cheap, I grab it. I've only got about 30 games.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
I'm still kind of bummed that the 64DD never made it out here.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Some are, some aren't. Mario Tennis still gets a lot of attention when my sisters and I get together and play, while others have taken a back seat to their modern counterparts (Smash Brothers Melee, Time Splitters).

[Tetsu]

When did you get your N64

Got it within the first week of the US launch, summer of 95 I believe


What was the first game you played

I played Super Mario 64 first, and I didn't like it but I played the entire thing through, even unlocked all the secrets.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction

I actually didn't buy a game for the system for two years, just rented and borrowed them. I was waiting for updates of my favorite SNES games like Mega Man X, Mario Kart and Super Metroid that never came. Or, in the case of Mario Kart 64, had really unbalanced difficulty. I was pretty excited when Starfox 64 came out, though, and bought that. Despite the crappy music, I was blown away. The gameplay was phenomenal, and I still pull it out and play it now and then to relive the magic.


Which game left the biggest impression on you

See above.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have

I used to have lots of the unconventional N64 stuff, like Mischief Makers, Sin and Punishment, and Jet Force Gemini because I didn't dig the foggy 3D FPS games. Right now I have Starfox, Conker, and Kirby: The Crystal Shards, which is one of my favorite Kirby games on account on its originality.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library

I would have liked to see more 2.5D games like Paper Mario and Yoshi's Story, as well as the aformentioned Kirby CS. Also, more shooters like Zanac, and more classic game collections like Midway Collection

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime

The 3D ones like Turok and Shadowman are unplayable, especially since superior versions are available on PC and Dreamcast. Some of the multiplayer ones, like Mario Kart, are still fun with friends

[MegaDrive20XX]

When did you get your N64

Got it within the first week of the US launch, summer of 95 I believe


Sorry bro, but the release date was Sept 30th, 1996...How'd you do that?

[Mayhem]

RPGs, racing games and fighters were somewhat lacking, which ironically are the three main genres that people seemed to go after on the PS1 and most likely a factor in why it was so successful.

It's funny, I hear a lot of conflicting views about the racing games on N64. I hear tons of people say there were far too many, but then lots of people also say there wasn't enough. I don't really see a problem with the selection of racing games one way or the other. I'm not drowning in them, but I still feel like I have a large, varied selection.

I should point out I am refering to proper car racing games, not anything like Mario Kart or F-Zero X, brilliant though they were. Proper Gran Turismo like stuff that the "casuals" went after more. Apart from Ridge Racer 64, GT something and that rally type game, can't think of any more offhand.

[jdc]

Mayhem.....seek out a copy of World Driver Championship. It's a total simulation racer and is equal to Gran Turismo....but with FAR better A.I.

The N64 had a whole slew of proper racers.

World Driver Championship.
Multi Racing Championship.
Top Gear Rally.
Top Gear Rally 2.
Beetle Adventure Racing.
Destruction Derby 64
Polaris Snowcross
Monaco Gran Prix

I could probably name about 25 non-fantasy racers.

[fishsandwich]

Mayhem.....seek out a copy of World Driver Championship. It's a total simulation racer and is equal to Gran Turismo....but with FAR better A.I.

The N64 had a whole slew of proper racers.

World Driver Championship.
Multi Racing Championship.
Top Gear Rally.
Top Gear Rally 2.
Beetle Adventure Racing.
Destruction Derby 64
Polaris Snowcross
Monaco Gran Prix

I could probably name about 25 non-fantasy racers.

Noooooooooo! Not Polaris Snowcross! @_@

The others are good, though. Extreme G (part 1... part 2 was just too fast), Hydro Thunder, and Star Wars Racer are all great, but they're not like Gran Turismo.

Eh

Cheers :D

[atomicthumbs]

When did you get your N64
Not until Early 1998

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 and Wave Race 64 (on a friend's system)

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Star Fox 64 w/ Rumble Pak! I had played the game before and loved it (I still do)!!!

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64. I remember playing it and thinking "Oh. My. God. These graphics are gorgeous!" I was immediately a huge fan of the controller, especially the analog stick.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Well... I traded my copy of Wave Race 64 for a Sega Nomad. Then later on bought a used copy for $15.00 (back in 1999).

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Hell yeah. Right now I have 86 games, and they are all ones that I wanted (no numbers cushioning here).

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
The only thing I really wanted was another Mario adventure game like Super Mario 64. Yeah, I was happy with Paper, Kart, Golf etc. but it was just too long a wait until Super Mario Sunshine.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
In most cases, absolutely. Sure, the BattleTanx series is showing some serious age, and the fog in a majority of the games is a serious downer, but yeah. I still enjoy most of the games that I have for the system, especially...

Aero Gauge
Beetle Adventure Racing!
Doom 64
F-Zero X
Gauntlet Legends
Goldeneye 007
Iraira-Bo
The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda – Majora’s Mask
Magical Tetris Challenge
Mario Golf
Mario Kart 64
Paper Mario
PilotWings 64
Pokemon Snap
Space Invaders
Star Wars – Shadows of the Empire
Star Wars – Rouge Squadron
Star Wars – Episode I: Racer
StarFox 64
Super Mario 64
Wave Race 64
Yoshi Story


Sorry... Kinda rambled there.

[Famidrive-16]

When did you get your N64
June 1997 I think

What was the first game you played
Pilotwings 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Super Mario 64. I was obsessed with it.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Diddy Kong Racing. IMHO, it's the most impressive N64 game ever released. The graphics are beautiful, the courses are HUGE and I was shocked to see all the critters react to one another. It's not my favorite 64 game, but since that game no others have left quite a reaction on me

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
I did a weird SM64 glitch once.....I picked up a bom-omb right when it exploded and when i picked it up, it was walking and was huge. X_x but when i pressed Z it dissapeared like poof

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Yes, I've got at least 30 games now

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
What was lacking was all the third party games. Other than that, the 64 had the best racing games EVER.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
yes, although some don't age too well, like crusin' usa.

[kevincure]

When did you get your N64
I bought my 64 within the last few years, but my neighbor when I was younger had it on launch day.
What was the first game you played
Mario 64 in a Sears-style store before the system was launched. The game blew me away. I was still playing Madden 95 on my SNES, so this was step up :-)
What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Mario 64.
Which game left the biggest impression on you
Mario 64. Joe said it was overrated above, but I still claim it's the best videogame ever made. Really - almost 10 years on, and there are only a few platform games even in the same *league* (Rayman 2, Ratchet & Clank, Jax & Dexter); zero 3d platformers are equal or better. I also remember the spread on the fly-leaf of Next Generation magazine where they had the 100 or so screenshots from Zelda: TOoT. Wow.
Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
The Paper Mario Blister, as everyone had back in the day.
Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Not really. I have 5 games here. I only like buying games complete, and complete N64 games 1) don't store well, and 2) take up a lot of space. I have to move quite a bit being a student, so it's not really worth it to collect now. I will say, though, that if you collect N64, now is absolutely the peak time to buy. You can get lots for far cheaper than even last year.
What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Great: Mario, Zeldas, Wave Race, Space Station: Silicon Valley, Beetle Adventure Racing. I had a bit of fun with Snowboard Kids as well. Not so great: Way too few games, and awful third party selection. Fighter's Destiny is the only halfway decent fighter, and there are no solid RPGs. Sports games were poor on the whole. I never thought Goldeneye was very good - the difference between PC shooters and Goldeneye is much larger than the difference between PC FPS and Halo/Halo 2. Perfect Dark was a flawed, flawed game.
Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
The N64, in terms of quantity, has 20-30 games worth playing today, tops. However, many of them were exclusives, and the best of the best are among the best games ever made.

[Tetsu]

When did you get your N64

Got it within the first week of the US launch, summer of 95 I believe


Sorry bro, but the release date was Sept 30th, 1996...How'd you do that?


guess i got it in 96...man, the memory is the first thing to go.

[Ed Oscuro]

The N64 hasn't died! What foolishness is this? Mine is still sitting downstairs waiting for somebody to switch it on.

Anyhow. The wrestling games were cheesy fun at the time...very simplistic gameplay, a nice intro to fighting games.

Xtreme-G: Many years ago I got ahold of an NP with a review for this game. I finally got a copy of this game this year from one of our forumers...ClubNinja, I'm pretty sure. It was NOTHING like the review or even the screenshots had led me to believe it would be. Can you believe they scored it an 8.3 in the graphics department, while Mischief Makers recieved a 7.9? No, just...that's wrong on so many levels. It isn't really making my eyes bleed, but it's not pleasant to look at either. It's decent enough racing action, but certainly no X-G 2.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire - very good at the time; it's become very much dated since its release and the debug menu isn't quite as big a feature as it used to be. I got many months of play time out of this cartridge, though. I will say that the sewer level looked much more impressive on my no-red monitor, and the intro spiral just looks like crap now. I loved the ability to actually do some ADVENTURING in this game...it really paid off. The game was even entertaining away from the N64, as I recall looking at the cool renders of weapon boxes and such in the manual during one vacation (man, that makes me feel young!)

Goldeneye: One of the games I've spent the most time with ever...probably my record in fact. Certainly blows away my 90 hour Phantasy Star Online character many times over. I must've played it regularly for a few YEARS - I mean this game pretty got me through the first few years of high school. There's not a whole heck of a lot to say about this one, except that it's amazing how much got packed into this cart - and folks are still finding secrets, even hidden levels in this cart! While the walls have started to close in over time, the final Egyptian level was awe inspiring when I first witnessed it - much more so than any level in any other FPS I've played since. Getting the "all weapons" cheat similarly was a very happy moment for me. Most diabolical were the proximity and remote mines in the Archives - oh yes :)

StarFox 64: A very good looking game indeed, but I never was really able to get into this one. I also recall having not much fun in one of the free roaming multiplayer levels...hmm.

Blast Corps: I never really did appreciate it at the time for what it was. Thankfully, it'll be easy enough to pick this one up on the 'Bay one of these days :)

Sarge's Heroes: I've played through the whole thing. Many of the levels were just sad, but multiplayer was halfway decent, and it's obvious that a decent amount of effort went into the Green Army guys - even ingame they all are pretty easily distinguished. Seems to me that production values weren't that evenly distributed, but levels are a pain to get right on time for release anyway. Not nearly enough action in this cart overall, and I felt hampered by wimpy weapons without enough ammo for the most part (could've just been my usual "conserve ammo!" playing style, though). The last level was rather surreal, with rescued Green Army comrades running out towards the exit in a pinball machine with BattleTanx posters on the walls. The zombie-plastic-soldier-infested graveyard level was my favorite by far (go figure)...but this sure as hell isn't any MediEvil.

Super Mario 64: I've never been wholly comfortable platforming in 3D, but this one holds up very nicely!

Super Mario Kart 64: Another game I spent tons of time with. Definitely lots of fun; I never did manage to see what would happen when I got one character over 99 wins in battle mode on the skyscraper though!

Aerofighters Assault: Hey, it's a more or less serious flight sim taking off from Video System's pretty grungy vertical shooter series! I rented this one...heh. I honestly don't recall that much of it; it looked pleasant but who am I kidding...it really didn't leave much of an impression. Another game that Nintendo Power hyped up rather convincingly, though.

Mace: The Dark Ages - It is seriously scaring me, looking through Issue 101 of Nintendo Power (the one I got back in the day, remember) and seeing how many of these games I or my brother eventually picked up. This game looked very decent and compared to such modern marvels of fighting as Tao Taido and the thankfully unreleased Vicious Circle from Atari - and Rival Schools by Capcom for that matter - the gameplay seems like a gift from heaven (I have no experience to speak of with the system's Mortal Kombat, though). The characters ARE unbalanced, though - for unskilled button mashers like myself, the big red armor wearing dude Lord Deimos is a pretty safe bet, but chances are you'll be picking up...er, playing as...the female characters Koyasha or Taria, and Takeshi and Xiao Long are rather cool characters as well. Al-Rashid's whirlwind is hillarious and yet awesome...not as hillarious as Mordus Kull's air-tossing attack-whatever. Takeshi's brother was...odd, and Hellknight really is an interesting bonus character, as is the wooden mech piloted by a dwarf (these last three characters require a code to be input). Apparently there's some goofy bonus stages, such as a miniature golf course. I'm dismayed that this game got a lower ranking for graphics than the bland and ugly Xtreme-G...the polygon mapping is excellent and there's no technical problems to speak of here. What the hell was WRONG with Nintendo Power? Oh, and the green version of Lord Deimos is the worst thing to happen to video gaming, ever, while the white/red Hellknight is awesome. I've definitely run this one into the ground.

Xtreme-G 2: Judging from the responses the original X-G recieved in Issue 101, I fully expect somebody's head exploded when they first saw this game. I actually HOPE that happened; that or the people responsible for the 8.1 score in graphics were fired for their gross incompetence. Anyhow. This game looks awesome, with the exception of the scary looking woman in the trunk of the car...oh wait, that's the cockpit. Nevermind. Courses are great fun, and there's some decent use of full rotation and vertical climbs to change one's perspective drastically. The multiplayer levels are pretty fun (and have hillarious names to boot), and the tank stage is great. Well, whatever. You really do feel the speed in this one. Arcade mode is a decent enough time waster, but not really worth going after as it can drag on for far too long...easily hours.

Turok 2: Some of it looked great, and some of it looked incredibly bad. The dino-tank you get in the stone maze was hillariously overbudgeted for polygons, while the rest of the map reminded one of badly textured levels from a DOOM mod. The swamp level was pretty cool, but the boss fights were pretty much garbage. Most weapons were very sweet, with tons of bang and lots of noise, especially the shotgun...too bad they showed up in this game instead of System Shock 2. Well, a few were useless or dumb (I wasn't really impressed by the omg blood! machine, the brain eating device, though the Predator disc was useful), but not that many all things considered. The gun switching method was rather interesting but imprecise. Custom texture sets and passwords for cheat codes - BEWAREOBLIVIONISATHAND - were obnoxious. The baby was cute though. I really do need to play through this game again sometime!

Duke Nukem 64: I recall this game's first level looking pretty neat, but they took out the cool crashing spaceship in exchange for being able to see some rooftops. Eh, whatever. I've played very little of this game, but I do recall the castle-style multiplayer level being dumb and poorly designed feeling - stylistically, at least.

Foresaken - I remember seeing this in stores but never tried it out, as it would've cost me a bunch of money.

I also have committed myself to buying DOOM 64, but as I'm currently playing through III *and* I already know I don't like DOOM 64's music, I'm fearful that once again I'll be underwhelmed...but it's good to have low expectations, y'hear?

Last Legion UX. Again from Issue 101. Did this one come out? No, apparently. It's not even in the guide. For shame! It looked damned cool in issue 101.

[DaBargainHunta]

I thought the N64 was ultimately a HUGE disappointment. I'm sorry, but it was. :)

I'll answer the questions anyway though. ;)

When did you get your N64?

Launch day w/ Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64.

What was the first game you played?

Super Mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction?

Super Mario 64. My reaction was one of amazement. I had never seen anything like it before. With that said, even though I had fun with this game, I never fell in love with it like most people have. It's a good game, but truth be told, I much prefer the old-school Mario games.

Which game left the biggest impression on you?

WCW vs. NWO. I had the most fun with this game in college. Goldeneye is a close second.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share?

Just years of trashing talking between friends during various wrestling games.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have?

Not sure how many I have, but I still pick up any good N64 games I see for cheap. I recently got Blast Corps and Perfect Dark.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library?

N64 was king when it came to wrestling games, but the overall library just couldn't compete with PSX in terms of quantity (and to be honest, graphics aside, quality too IMO).

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime?

Some are still fun, but the graphics really have aged badly for the most part. In a lot of cases, the PSX's games have held up better in the graphics dept.

[Jibbajaba]

When did you get your N64
I just got mine about a year ago from a friend who didn't want his anymore.

What was the first game you played
Mario 64. A friend of mine bought an N64 right when they came out, and he had Mario 64 and Star Wars.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
They first game I bought was probably Yoshi's Story, and I thought it was really good. That game has really neat graphics.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Probably Star Wars: Shadow of the Empire. That game sucks by today's standards, but I thought it was really good back then.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Not really.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
Absolutely. If I find good deals on N64 games in the wild, I grab them. I only have about 10 games right now though.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Not enough 2D games, in my opinion. Mario 64 was cool, but a new 2D mario game would ave been cool. At least there was Yoshi's Story.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Depends on the game. I don;t think that Goldeneye has aged well, and Castlevania 64 sucks. But the really good games, like Mario Tennis and Mario Kart, are just as playable now as they were then.

Chris

[Ed Oscuro]

@ Jibbajabba: Forgetting Paper Mario?

And again...I'm throwing that name out there.

Last Legion UX. Is the truth out there? LOL

[DigitalSpace]

When did you get your N64
Earlier this year from a friend of mine along with almost all of his games for $35 bucks. The only game of his I didn't get was one of the Duke Nukem games because he couldn't find it. The games I got were Goldeneye, Pokemon Stadium, Knockout Kings 2000, and a few wrestling titles. One of my younger brothers owned an N64 before that, so before I bought my own N64 I played his.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64, shortly after the N64 launch at a friend's house.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Mario Kart 64, and it became my favorite racing game of all time.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Mario Kart 64.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
One time I bought Pokemon Stadium over to a friend's house because I thought we'd get some fun out of the minigames. He wound up borrowing it and playing through the tournaments, which surprised me because I never would have guessed he was into the Pokemon games.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I buy games for the N64 whenever I see something I want on the cheap. I own 23 games at the moment. The last game I purchased was Harvest Moon 64 for $15. :D

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Great - A nice amount of good first-party titles and exclusive third-party titles.
Lacking - The N64 was a shmup dead zone, and that's really a shame.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
The classics? Yes, even if the graphics seem dated (then again, I could care less about graphics if the gameplay is good). The crap? No. Superman 64? Never was to begin with. LOL

[pixelsnpolygons]

When did you get your N64

Australian launch day (March... 1st 1997?). I preordered the system - Nintendo sent us all the retail tape that played in stores. It was really goofy, a lot of Ken Lobb talking about the N64 - my friends and I would constantly mimic his, "You want more?" line at the end of the tape right before they showed off Killer Instinct Gold. Actually we pretty much knew the tape line for line by the time the system came out. There was a crazy buzz in the game store, and although I got there early they only had a few left when I got there. I picked up the system I had preordered, the game I preordered with it - SM64 and Pilotwings 64.

What was the first game you played

Super Mario 64.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction

Super Mario 64. I thought it was awesome... then my friend wanted a turn, let him play for a while and then kicked his butt out the door.

Which game left the biggest impression on you

Without a doubt Blast Corps - one of my favorite games to date, and it also holds a personal significance for me as I had just finished it (for the 10th time) just an hour before my son was born - two months prematurely. His birthday is none other than November 18th, which is also the day the GameCube was released in North America.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share

Well, I had got wind of the N64's ability to play games from other regions by chipping out the blocks that stop foreign catridges from being inserted into an American N64 (which is what I have now). I had moved from Australia and all of my PAL games were worthless... but I brought them with me, because I didn't know that at the time. So, upon hearing that I couldn't play them - I purchased a converter... this thing sucked... I mean, sucked ass - ran games, but they were just plain butchered. A few months later I learned of this modification. I did it - it made my N64 look awful, and to cut a long painful story short - I didn't read the part where it said it only worked on Japanese imports, not PAL.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have

Yeah, I do - but I only have about 50. I collect for all of my systems all of the time - but I do it in waves. In a few months I might go crazy for N64 games, and that number might double. At the moment, I have all the games I actually want to play - plus a few I won't ever. Anything else will likely be simply for collection purposes.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library

To be honest? Almost everything. No great RPG's (I don't count Zelda), no great racing games, no great fighting games - not enough original franchises. Yeah, I'll take all that the N64 gave me - which was some awesome games - but the reason why the PSX creamed the N64 is pretty evident in the genres that it catered to and CREATED in that era of gaming. In fact, the N64's racing games are probably among the worst racing games ever created. I'm not talking about F-Zero or Mario Kart, I'm talking about the post Gran Turismo wannabe's.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime

Many - it depends on the game. Typically, if a game was fun because of the gameplay it will always be fun. If graphics had anything to do with why the game was so amazing, the replay value goes down. The same will happen this generation - all of the games that are popular with the eye-candy crowd are going to be forgotten in a few years because the eye-candy crowd has nothing to come back to after a couple of generations have passed. So most of my favorite N64 games are still playable, but I think the collection as a whole - probably the majority of the games on that system aren't worth playing - as there were a lot of really dull, boring games. In 1997 a game could be sold by the fact that it was in 3D - now, who cares?

[Ernster]

When did you get your N64

Australian launch day (March... 1st 1997?).?

Yep thats the correct date, the system was selling for $399 AUS.

[Oobgarm]

When did you get your N64
I believe it was the day before official launch at Toys R Us.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 on a demo kiosk at Blockbuster.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Super Mario 64. I was dumbfounded.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Goldeneye. Without it, I feel that I may have lost an interest in gaming. It was there to fill a gap when I really wasn't around the scene all that much. Plus, it gave me and my friends something to do for many a night.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Indeed I do: http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6910

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I don't actively collect, as in I'm not seeking game out or anything. But if I happen to come across something odd or something I haven't seen in a long time, I'll get it. I'm at 55 right now.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Platformers and FPS were great. Racing was lacking.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Depends on the game. Titles that strayed from the norm or were Nintendo products are most certainly playable, but those that have been expanded on with recent titles (like FPS, sports, etc) show their age. Still fun, but hard to go back to if you've adjusted yourself to what's standard now.

[YoshiM]

@ Jibbajabba: Forgetting Paper Mario?

And again...I'm throwing that name out there.

Last Legion UX. Is the truth out there? LOL

I believe it is as an import only. Buyrite seemed to have it (http://www.buyrite.net/n64/lastlegionx.html), but I don't see it for sale anymore.

There's an N64 Import guide on IGN Insider that mentions it (which states "A mech battle game for up to two players that was once scheduled for US release. The bland graphics ruin any feel of excitement.")

There's also a bunch of ROMs out there for it as well.

I didn't include it in the guide as I didn't know about it and at the time I couldn't find an overly reliable source for Japanese N64 releases (which I'm trying to remedy). I'll add that bad boy to the list of additions.

[atomicthumbs]

I believe it is as an import only. Buyrite seemed to have it (http://www.buyrite.net/n64/lastlegionx.html), but I don't see it for sale anymore.



Careful. Need anyone be reminded of Buy Rite Games?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/atomicthumbs/AssClowns.jpg

[Aussie2B]

@ Jibbajabba: Forgetting Paper Mario?

And again...I'm throwing that name out there.

Last Legion UX. Is the truth out there? LOL

I believe it is as an import only. Buyrite seemed to have it (http://www.buyrite.net/n64/lastlegionx.html), but I don't see it for sale anymore.

There's an N64 Import guide on IGN Insider that mentions it (which states "A mech battle game for up to two players that was once scheduled for US release. The bland graphics ruin any feel of excitement.")

There's also a bunch of ROMs out there for it as well.

I didn't include it in the guide as I didn't know about it and at the time I couldn't find an overly reliable source for Japanese N64 releases (which I'm trying to remedy). I'll add that bad boy to the list of additions.

For Last Legion UX (and any other Japanese Hudson N64 release), you can find all the info you'd need on Hudson's official Japanese site. It lists all the releases, the original yen prices, release dates, genres, shows box art, etc., and pretty much every game has its own site. Out of all the companies that produced N64 games, I wouldn't be surprised if Hudson made the most Japanese exclusives.

Here's the Last Legion UX site, if you're interested, Ed:

http://www.hudson.co.jp/gamenavi/gamedb/softinfo/legion/index.html

[Ed Oscuro]

Yup, that was good fun looking through :)

I'll have to pick that up for my import N64.

[Jibbajaba]

@ Jibbajabba: Forgetting Paper Mario?


Yes, actually I did forget about Paper Mario. LOL

Chris

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, no worries - I constantly keep forgetting games, even for systems I like. I'll say "There's nothing to play on the GameCube!" ...look up 10 games, and promptly forget about them. Well, repeat viewings are starting to get soem of this drilled in, but...heh :P

[Porkchop]

When did you get your N64
On launch day. I think it was a Sunday. I went to Wal-mart but they opened earlier than I thought and the last system was in someone's hands in the check out line. Next went to Kmart and they were not yet open. About 6 people were waiting for them to open to get a N64. Once they opened we had to wait in electronics while someone went to the back room to get the N64 stuff. Got the system, Mario 64 and an extra controler. Kmart was sold out of systems before I left the store.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64 bought on launch day.

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Super Mario 64. It was sooo.. cool

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Super Mario 64 and the 3d graphics.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
Fun memory of picking a system up on launch day. It was the first and only time I have ever done that.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I just started collecting games and have about a dozen recent buys. I did buy Star Wars and Pikachu systems a few years back when TRU was closing them out.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
Not enough RPGs.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Yes, I still play games on my orginal launch is still working great after all of the years. Don't think you can say that about many PSXs of that age.

[Shawn Carr2o]

I bought the N64 system with Super Mario 64
which cost me about $300 at Toys R' Us in 1997. 8-)

I bought Mischief Makers after for $49.99 8-)

[boatofcar]

When did you get your N64
Christmas 1998

What was the first game you played
Either Goldeneye or Pilotwings 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
Zelda: OOT. I played it a lot when I got it, but I got stuck someplace and for some reason never finished it.

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Goldeneye. It wasn't until I played it that I realized how much fun multiplayer games could be. It is also the only FPS that doesn't make me sick.

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
I felt cheated by Nintendo and Square when they parted ways. After being a diehard Nintendo fanboy since the NES, Final Fantasy VII was the first game that made me want to buy a non-Nintendo system. The N64 was the last console I bought before I left the VG scene for a few years almost completely. I got back into it in 2001, with the release of FF9. I worked all summer to save enough for a PS2 (which was still $299) and FF9. I guess the N64 is a bittersweet system for me, because of all the disapointment due to its constant hyping in Nintendo Power.

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I only collect the games I want to play, which is....<counting on fingers>....4. Eventually I may get a few more, including Mario Kart 64, Pilotwings 64, Blast Corps, and Star Fox.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
The N64 is still the best 4 player game system, IMO. I still bust it out for Bond, Mario Party, and NFL Blitz whenever I go home and hang out with my high school friends. It was way lacking in 3rd party one player games and RPGs. A N64 sequel to Mario 64 would have been much appreciated.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
The games that I play, yes. The Mario Party games don't look too bad when you compare them to their GC versions, and although Blitz and Bond could certainly use a facelift, their gameplay is as tight as ever.

[Twinbee]

When did you get your N64
my birthday gift, in october of 1996... just a month after it's release.
I also get the PSX in the same week.

What was the first game you played
Super Mario 64

What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction
The only game that came after Super Mario 64: Pilotwings 64.
it was a nice game, I have good memories of me and my cousins shooting to the whale with the rockets in one stage :P (greenpeace would not like our attitude)

Which game left the biggest impression on you
Zelda Ocarina of Time

Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share
back in like 4 or 5 years ago, me and some friends used to do some nocturnal reunions on friday, saturday, or someone's birthday to play N64, we used to call them "Nintendo nights", I didn't saw any of those friends in years and some days ago one of them called me asking to do a good ol' nintendo night... hehe

Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have
I'm not seriously into collection yet... but I do have some games.

What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library
2D games, and I don't care about RPGs.

Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime
Yeah, why not? we're indeed organizing here for a Nintendo night again 8-)

[legov8]

1. About 1996
2. Mario Kart 64
3. Destruction Derby
4. Super Mario 64
5. Don't remember any right now
6. Of coarse I do. I have 17 games and I WANT MORE!!!!
7. There weren't enough RPG's
8. Yes, they're fun to play, even today.
The Nintendo 64 is my favorite system.

[rick weis]

When did you get your N64?
a couple years after it came out.



-What was the first game you played?
it was either mario 64 or pilot wings



-What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction?
it was either mario 64 or pilot wings and was very impressed with both.




-Which game left the biggest impression on you?
cruis'n USA i loved this game in the arcades and this game was good enough as in the arcades.




-Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have?
i just started getting back into this system and have 7 games for it.




-What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library?
i thing the driving games were Great. lacking?... maybe more Mario games.




-Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime?
i just got a new game (resident evil 2) that i have never played on the N64, and it was very fun to play. i think i could get into some of the games i already have played back in the day, but if there are games you still don't have for the system, i think you will have a great time playing them..so YES i would say so!!

[CreamSoda]

"When did you get your N64

I got mine in the Summer of 1997, with Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Kart 64. :)

What was the first game you played

Mario Kart 64, I think I just tryed the battle mode for a few minutes(with my Mom cause she bought me the system and helped me hook it up, since I was only about 8). We played that Lava Doughnut level(don't correct me, it's the Lava Doughnut, see the jelly in the middle?!). Anyway it was alot of fun and the graphics blew me away(I was used to playing my SNES/Genesis). Then later my best friend came over and we played Grand Prix mode for along time.

"What was the first game you bought and what was your reaction"

I got Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Kart 64.

"Which game left the biggest impression on you"

Super Mario 64, I remember I was just amazed by it and I spent atleast like an hour just running around outside. XD Then once I went in the castle I ended up going to the Bombs Land by mistake when I tryed to do a Jump. I was like, whoa you can go in the paintings!!! LOL Then It took me forever to climb to the top of the mountain, and I thought you had to throw the King Bomb off the cliff, so it took me awhile to realise you gotta throw him into the ground or he won't die. :hmm: Then after that when he said something like "you better ground be" or something I thought you had to get away before he blew up. HAHA.

Yeah I basicly played through the whole game like this, with my Mom, Dad, and Best Friend all having a file. And not reading any guides/hints. Somehow I managed to get all 120 Stars(I was happy and it took forever).

"Got any funny/sad/weird N64 related memories youd like to share"

Throwing out my N64(it was getting worn out, but still worked), yeah thats right WASTING IT!!! In favor of getting a PSX, and then at the store I ended up getting an Ice Blue Nintendo 64 again(yeah I was stupid), but my parents brought me to my senses saying "You have all those games for your Nintendo, it would be a shame to waste them". Very true. ;)

"Do you still collect N64 games if so how many do you have"

No, but I plan to start this Summer. I have about 35 games(most from back then). I just got my Nintendo 64 back out today and hooked it up actually.

"What do you feel was great and lacking in the N64 games library"

Nothing really, N64 rocked because in the day I loved Platformers and FPS games! And now I have Saturn for Fighting games/Imports and PSX for RPG's/all the 3rd party titles. So it's all good. :)

I would have really loved to see some Square calibur epics and more 3rd party support on the Mighty 64 though.

"Do you feel N64 games are as playable now as they were in their prime"

Well, they have lost some of there amazement(I mean every game does as it gets older, no matter what). I'm not a big graphics person, but I always loved trying out a new game for the first time and seeing how awesome it looked/just being amazed by it. Thats not here as much now, but most of the N64 games are still spot on awesome games and have aged fairly well.

Bottom Line, I LOVE THE NINTENDO 64, and I have more good memories then I could ever type all of here. I'm so glad I found the system and hookups again, now if you will all excuse me, it's time for some Goldeneye. :)

[DragonMaster Sam]

When did you get the N64: Well, my brother got his for $50 in the Fall of '99 from a friend. But I bought my own just this past winter at Gamestop for $20.

First game that I played: I really don't remember that one. Might've been Super Mario 64 at Toys 'R Us.

First game I bought: Super Mario 64 months ago, but I already knew it was a good game, therefore it had lasted an impression on me the first time I ever played it years ago.

Game that left the biggest impression: It had to be Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The game had a deep storyline, great characters, great soundtrack, and good graphics. It goes to show that Zelda can do well in 3-D.

N64 related memories: I do remember in the summer of '98, me, my brother, and two of our friends stayed up until 5:15 A.M. playing WCW/nWo World Tour.

Do I still collect N64 games, and how many do I have: I don't really collect, but if I see a game I like, I'll buy it. Only have 4 games for it: Super Mario 64, StarFox 64, Mario Kart 64, and Cruis'n USA.

What was great/lacking: Had a decent selection of wrestling games, and some good Nintendo-only titles. Could've used more RPG games, and possibly a Metroid game.

Are N64 games more playable now: Not all games are, just specific ones. Goldeneye 007, and the THQ-made wrestling games are good for a party. Ocarina of Time is good if you want a good playing experience.