Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Type	Video game console
Generation	Fifth generation
First available	June 23, 1996 September 29, 1996 March 1, 1997 March 1, 1997 July 19, 1997 December 10, 1997 November 18, 2003 (iQue Player)
Media	ROM cartridge
Controller input	Nintendo 64 controller
Predecessor	Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Successor	Nintendo GameCube
Article on Nintendo Wiki	Nintendo 64

The Nintendo 64 (ニンテンドー64, Nintendo 64), often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console for the international market.

Named for its 64-bit processor, it was first announced in 1994 as the Nintendo Ultra 64. Following delays, it released in Japan and North America throughout 1996, and in Europe and Australia the following year. The Nintendo 64 was the first Nintendo console to natively support 3D polygonal graphics, a concept they previously dabbled in with projects like the Super FX Chip. As a 5th generation console, the Nintendo 64 competed primarily with newcomer Sony's PlayStation and the Sega Saturn.

At 32.93 million units sold worldwide, the N64 sold significantly less than its predecessor, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and its primary competitor, the Sony PlayStation. It particularly declined in Japan, where it was outsold by the Sega Saturn. The N64 was the first Nintendo console to not be the market leader of its respective generation. This decline is credited to factors such as sticking to cartridge media, which was both costly and possessed severely limited storage and functionality compared to new digital storage devices like the CD-ROM. Third-party publishers were alienated by this and their strict licensing policies, many of them abandoning the console early on. This and frequent delays in Nintendo's software output resulted in a much smaller game library than its competitors. The declining trend in Nintendo's console sales would continue through the Nintendo GameCube, be momentarily reversed by the great fanfare and commercial success of the Wii, and decline again with the Wii U. Despite this, the N64 remains influential as the birthplace of many notable titles and franchises in Nintendo's history.

A plug-and-play variation of the Nintendo 64, called the iQue Player (神游機), was specifically designed for the Chinese market, modified to comply with the country's then-ban on home game consoles. It was released by iQue Ltd., a joint venture between Nintendo and engineer Wei Yen, on November 17, 2003. The original Super Smash Bros. was ported to the iQue Player on November 15, 2005. Production for the Nintendo 64 ended in Japan in 2002, and worldwide in 2003.

Emulated N64 games have been released via Virtual Console for Wii and Wii U, as well as the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

In the Super Smash Bros. series

The Nintendo 64 is the console of origin for the Super Smash Bros. series as a whole, with the original game releasing for the console worldwide in 1999. It became the system's #5 best-selling game, with over 5.5 million copies sold.

A Nintendo 64 can be seen in the trophy room in Super Smash Bros. Melee, with a copy of Super Smash Bros.

Throughout the years, many characters that debuted in games originally released for the Nintendo 64 became playable fighters in the Super Smash Bros. series:

• Sheik, Ganondorf and Young Link in Melee.
• Wolf in Brawl.
• Villager in Smash 4.
• Banjo & Kazooie in Ultimate.

Lucas's and Roy's respective home games, Mother 3 and Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade, were initially in development for the N64, but ultimately cancelled and revived on the Game Boy Advance.

In competitive play

Due to being the original hardware the game was designed for, the Nintendo 64 is the preferred system to play Smash 64, especially in tournaments. While there are other options like the iQue Player and emulators like Wii Virtual Console and Project 64, some have specific bugs and performance issues not present on official hardware, in addition to the Wii Virtual Console not being purchasable as of January 2019. However, the aging hardware that is becoming progressively less reliable have forced the competitive scene to consider and experiment with these alternatives before the game becomes unplayable, and have made great strides in making a nearly identical experience.

Just like how it is possible to dump N64 cartridge data onto other systems, some have found ways to make their own cartridges that work on original hardware and dump data from other systems onto them. This allows mods and fan-games to be played on original hardware, including those based on Smash 64 like Smash Remix.

Gallery

• 

  The Nintendo 64 controller.
• 

  The Nintendo 64 cartridge.
• 

  The Nintendo 64 Rumble Pak, which is compatible with Super Smash Bros.
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  The iQue Player.

External links

• iQue Player website, in Chinese.