23/07/07:Ok, so one night i suddenly got the urge to check out a Nintendo 64
emulator. I don't know why. Of course back when they were new, i was busy earning a
living (I'm more from the Atari 2600 generation although we never had that
either. Too poor!). Anyway, i looked at 'Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time' and
also 'Lode runner'. I couldn't play either of them on the PC though what with
the N64's particular style of controller. But the graphics! Yes, yes modern
consoles have much much better graphics but what got me with this is that the
N64 was a cartridge based system. In fact the last of the mainstream cartridge
consoles (excluding the utra pricey NEO GEO which was basically an arcade
machine in a console). If there's something i love it's solid state gear. I love
old stuff (yes, ten years is ancient in the gaming world). And if it doesn't
have any moving parts, all the better. Hence the N64 is far more interesting
to me than it's contemporary the Sony Playstation.

Anyway, I start looking around on Ebay. At the same time I ask a few quest-
ions on the arcade forums I frequent, knowing that many of the guys there
would have suggestions. I found out about the most popular games. Basic-
ally two of the games- 'Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time' and 'Super Mario 64' are
considered by many to be perhaps the BEST console games, not just of the
nintendo 64 but  of all time and if i only had those two it would be worth
having the console. (update: After trying quite a few N64 titles, my favourite
by far and away is now Goldeneye, with 1080 Snowboarding and Waverace 64).

Here is a list of the games that have built in memory, and the type
(battery back up, EEPROM etc) USA Boot/Save List



Here is the complete list of every game made for the N64.
Less than a third than was made for the Playstation, but apparently a lot  less
dross ;-) . Note that games with European region are the same format as
Australia. In fact a number of the carts i bought were from the UK.

To get an idea of what games might be good, check here
Obviously peoples opinions vary but you get an idea from there. I'd say if it's
a 7/10 or more and the genre you'd like, go for it!

I bought everything from Ebay. Afterwards i thought I'd check out a few second
hand shops but there wasn't much to be had. Found three carts on a road trip.

update 11/03/08: ok, so having played with it on and off for about 6 months,
what are my favs? Golden eye, wave racer and blast corp have gotten a lot of use
so far. Legend of Zelda, mario64 and conkers bad fur day look like they will be
great too. Those six would keep me happy for years, pity i had to buy so many
others to find that out! I'm not a very dedicated gamer, so it will take
me a year or so just to complete golden eye, and zelda when i finally get to it...


CONTROLLERS

The colour of the console i bought is grape (clear purple) and it came with a
yellow controller. Yellow and purple look really funky together (",) 
so i thought i might as well have four of 'em, one being almost 
brand new in the box! I was also advised by folk that the N64 controllers
have a poorly designed analog thumbstick. so while design overall is fine, the sticks
tend to wear out. It is getting really hard find original replacement sticks, new. I've
bought two spares. (update: left my first bad feedback on ebay ever. For this seller-
 gameznetwork  who sold me the spares, never received) And although people have
said there is no better controller than the original, i bought a Myiicco brand
from Game Traders . It was the only way I was going to learn that indeed, there is no better controler than the original! This one was crap!



Update 28/05/12: I had quite a spiel here about this controller, written as I was learning about it. But the upshot is this- Don't buy this controller! The thumbstick/joystick blows...


08/10/11: I couldn't find any intersting screenshots of Goldeneye 007 in four player mode. So here's one on my 68cm telly (",)  Trevalyan and Natalya face off at top right and bottom left while Bond looks on from top left.





as it has a great write-up on the N64. And a great write up on Pilot wings 64 -
a fantastic game for this console. Come to think of it, this magazine might be
why i decided one day to try a nintendo 64 emulator (project 64). It was months
after i read the mag but perhaps subconsciously it guided me. I suspect this
is how i came to buy a neo geo pocket as well. And why i have an urge to also
pick up a SNES, a sega mega drive and a wonderswan...

update: 22/05/20: Issue 87 of Retro Gamer has a great 'buyers guide' to the N64. Issue 90
celebrates the 25th anniversary of Legend of Zelda and features Ocarina of Time on the cover, which is gold. Issue 178's cover story is Goldeneye.


au.ign64.ign.com N64 site includes faqs, cheats, tips on modding etc

honestgamers.com Walk throughs of n64 games etc

ultimateconsoledatabase.com Name says it all. fairly new so still typos and
'valley girl' speak but i found this place looking for a console called a
'good boy'. ever heard of it? i didnt think so...

nintendo.com From the makers themselves. Sadly no N64 items available anymore that I can see

au.gamespot.com Archived reviews of N64 games

gamescanner.org Scans of original video game box art and covers. Also the
occasional manual.

replacementdocs.com A great selection of N64 manuals.

romnation.net try before you buy (",) . I recommend the project 64 emu.

archive64 Includes a library of N64 reviews, tributes to past N64 sites, and
miscellaneous Nintendo articles written by Scott McCall.

nintendo64forever For N64, I am most active here

neoseeker they have a N64 forum too

nintendonerds and here too. i've joined this and nintendo64. as danny galaga,
naturally...