had my first taste of n64

[danny_galaga]

on an emulator anyway. hard to figure out the controls without using an n64 controller. so im thinking maybe buying one would be better anyway. im really getting a taste for older consoles and handhelds, particularly things with no moving parts (was looking at a dreamcast thread before which reminded how much i like solid state things  ).

so any pitfalls in buying? looks like ocarina of time is a must have (and definitely with instructions!). any other games anyone would recommend? mario kart 64? i looked at one called lode runner 3d too. but as with zelda, i couldnt even get past the start in the emulator.

im a real virgin when it comes to consoles as ive nevere actually owned one! i think this could be a good first choice. i might also look into the snes and sega genesis (comix zone freakin rocks on my gp2x!)

[danny_galaga]

ok, having a bit of a root around ebay to get an idea. do i need an expansion pack thingo to play the most common games? theres a dude selling a console and an expansion pack in two different auctions. the pack is higher than the console at the moment! console is at 21 bucks and pack is at 25 with just under a day to go.

what would be a reasonable price to pay for a console in good condition?


i can see im gonna buy one and NEVER finish my pilots licence :/

[stephenp1983]

Some of the later game use the expansion pack but its not a ton of them.  You can get one on amazon still if you want:
http://www.amazon.com/Innovations-N64-EXPANSION-PACK/dp/B00005B4Q7.

Anyway n64 is probably one of my favorite systems, even though it does get alot of hate.  I never had a ps1, but loved my n64.  I remember getting it for christmas one year and being amazed at the 3d graphics which was a big jump from my super nes.  First game I had was star wars shadows of the empire.  Id check it out.

[danny_galaga]

ok, i found another ebay auction for one in the original box with an expansion pack- $60. sounds good to me (",)

now to find some games...

[ChadTower]

The N64 is a great system.  Tons of great games.  The expansion pak isn' truly necessary but there are a couple of the higher end games that require it.  Majora's Mask may require it, I don't remember, and if so that makes it a must have.  Not too long ago the N64 was the cheap spot for gaming - you could get a system and games for $25 easily and games were blowing out of used game stores at a couple bucks each.  Yard sales were full of them.  You just missed that phase, at least here, but you can still build a really good N64 game library on the cheap.

BTW, Ocarina of Time and Super Mario 64 are absolute must complete games.  Two of the very best ever made of any genre.  SMB64 may be the actual best ever made.

[danny_galaga]

well, this all adds to my excitement! ill definitely get ocarina. ive just bought lylat wars so ive got something to play with when i get the console. the others il try and get them as cheaply as possible and from one place where possible. some games ill take care to get instructions although i notice some people are selling instructions on their own. things like wave race and mario kart im sure i can get by without instructions (",)

this will be my first console- about ten years after it first came out! but i view it like good music. i sometimes buy albums about ten years after i first hear it- theres no need to rush because if its good itll still be around later and most likely cheaper...

[shardian]

N64's are selling for $60??? Think I may need to sell mine.

The main game that requires the expansion pack is Perfect Dark. Very good game IMO, and the multiplayer modes are very good. You can't even do the multiplayer stuff w/o the expansion pack. Back then, I think I paid $1 each for the game and the strategy guide. I may have paid $10 for the expansion pack at a gaming store used.

As to great games you should get:
Super Mario 64
Mario Kart 64 (4 player is very fun)
Star Fox 64
NFL Blitz (The controller is perfect for this game, and best of all is no load times - oh and 4 player is awesome )

[Kangum]

i see n64 systems at flea markets all the time. along with ps 1s. really cheap. n64 games were about 6 bucks each.

(hollis flea)

[shardian]

i see n64 systems at flea markets all the time. along with ps 1s. really cheap. n64 games were about 6 bucks each.

(hollis flea)

He's in Aussie Land though.

[danny_galaga]

yeah i could buy the carts from the UK (they are PAL as well) but once you add in freight its best to buy local. 60 bucks aussie is about 50 mercan. this got me the console in its box plus the expansion doo dad. having the box is worth something to me because its going to be chucked under my bed when not in use...

just looking at the prices in the US. yep you guys have got it good!

but im pretty happy. you cant actually buy one new game for that money (",)

[ChadTower]

Just verified, Majora's Mask does require the expansion pak.

Some other games that pop immediately to mind as must plays are Paper Mario, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Mario Party (all or any), Super Smash Bros, Goldeneye 007, Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie... but really, if you never play anything other than Ocarina of Time and SMB64 you'll have gotten more than your money's worth.

You can find the contents of most game manuals online, so unless you actually want the manuals, don't go out of your way to get them.

[Hoagie_one]

On a side note, if you have a wii, you can download SMB64, Ocarina of time and play it on your wii.

[hypernova]

I'll second these games:

Mario 64
Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask.  Only a few dungeons, but they're EXCELLENT dungeons.
Star Fox 64 (Or is that the same as Lylat Wars in another country?)
Goldeneye
Perfect Dark
Smash Brothers

I'll second Mario Kart as well, especially since you haven't played Double Dash on the GC yet.  It's a hard step back once you have.  It does have much better multiplayer arenas on the 64, though.

Other suggestions:
Killer Instinct Gold
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
Those seem to be the last of the decent 2D fighters, IMO.
F-Zero X

Of course....you could just bypass all this trouble, find an adaptoid (a GENUINE adaptoid) and N64 controller on ebay, and load up project64 on your PC.  It looks like that'll run you anywhere between $70-$100, depending on shipping charges.  Most adaptoids are running around $50, and controllers are what, $5-10?   Maybe $15.

I have Perfect Dark (American version).  You want it?  It looks like you need the PAL stuff, though.  Anyway, pay shipping, and it's yours.  I think it's complete too.  (I had it boxed up, hoping its value went up.  It never did.)

Hit up gamefaqs.com for instructions.  Most games have at least a few FAQs that tediously list even the simple instructions found in the manuals, many times with more information about them.

[danny_galaga]

Of course....you could just bypass all this trouble, find an adaptoid (a GENUINE adaptoid) and N64 controller on ebay, and load up project64 on your PC.  It looks like that'll run you anywhere between $70-$100, depending on shipping charges.  Most adaptoids are running around $50, and controllers are what, $5-10?   Maybe $15.

  . i had thought about getting an adaptoid, but i guess i instinctively knew it would be pricey. besides, i thought itd be cool to play the real thing. after all, if we had the time, space and money many of us would rather play a real arcade machine than just play it on the pc (of course building a cab is another matter again, a different pleasure )

Hit up gamefaqs.com for instructions.  Most games have at least a few FAQs that tediously list even the simple instructions found in the manuals, many times with more information about them.

ill check that out. also from chads prompting i found this place which seems to be useful too:

http://public.planetmirror.com/   (edit: actually, this site blows!) THIS site has some manuals though- http://lutomes.com/scanation/index.php

got a couple of manuals from them already. now the waiting game commences for the actual console...


edit: the seller just got back to me. i ordered a cartridge tower off her at the same time. turns out the postage for the two is 2o bucks cheaper than i had paid for! she offered to throw in an n64 game for free. unfortunately the only one she had was lylat wars which i had just bought elsewhere. doh! so shes transferring the money back. if id have checked my email this morning it would have been posted already. oh well...

[ChadTower]

If you're going to be playing a lot of N64, pick up a few extra "new" controllers.  Those sticks don't last - and you can't fix them short of buying cannibalized parts.  One of the worst examples of material choice in console history.  Great controller layout, very innovative, but they built the analog stick out of papier mache it seems.

[shardian]

If you're going to be playing a lot of N64, pick up a few extra "new" controllers.  Those sticks don't last - and you can't fix them short of buying cannibalized parts.  One of the worst examples of material choice in console history.  Great controller layout, very innovative, but they built the analog stick out of papier mache it seems.

Hehe, reminds of playing blitz at a buddies house. We had to draw straws as to who used the busted stick that didn't have the thumb part of the analog stick - just the thin stick part. OUCH!!

[ChadTower]

Yeah, the real problem is that the rails that connect to the internal pots wear out - the more it wears, the looser and less accurate the stick gets.  Those rails are very thin and you can't rebuild them - I tried.  When you see the powder built up around the stick base you know the stick is on its last legs.

[shardian]

Yeah, the real problem is that the rails that connect to the internal pots wear out - the more it wears, the looser and less accurate the stick gets.  Those rails are very thin and you can't rebuild them - I tried.  When you see the powder built up around the stick base you know the stick is on its last legs.

Store demo ones were always like that.

[ChadTower]

Yep.  If you can find replacement sticks, they're easy to swap in, as the whole stick assembly is an enclosed component inside the controller.  For a while they were a big NOS ebay item.  Not anymore, though.

EDIT:  seems a few have made a comeback... it's worth picking some of these up.  If I can find a few cheap I'm going to do it.

[danny_galaga]

thanks for the tip. i might get a couple then.

oh, and the rumble pack. does that attach to the controller? am i missing out by not having it?

and what about aftermarket controllers? any good?

[ChadTower]

I have yet to find an aftermarket N64 controller that is as good as the originals.  I think it's the last of the consoles where there really weren't any that are as good or better.

I never use the rumble pack, it doesn't add much, many games don't even use it.  Plus it eats batteries.  Pick up extra memory packs, they fill fast.

[GlennM]

You want a Superpad 64 Plus, it had a steel pin instead of the crap plastic, those things never wore out.  They also have a bit more modern design, they merged the center stick with the left d-pad, so they were one piece.

They may be rather hard to find, but it would be worth it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/CONTROLLER-Nintendo-64-black-super-pad-plus_W0QQitemZ260133578060QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3580QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Later,
Glenn

[shardian]

I have yet to find an aftermarket N64 controller that is as good as the originals.  I think it's the last of the consoles where there really weren't any that are as good or better.

I never use the rumble pack, it doesn't add much, many games don't even use it.  Plus it eats batteries.  Pick up extra memory packs, they fill fast.

The rumble pack was initially released with Starfox 64, which used it VERY well. None of the other games I'v played with it really seemed to do much.
Oh and thought of another game for you that I absolutely loved:
Pokemon Snap.
Once you get past the fact it is pokemon, it is a very interesting and addictive and fun game.

[ChadTower]

I don't see how that controller is merging the d pad and the stick... they're just a little closer.  The problem with the N64 stick isn't the shaft, it is the rails that are moved up/down right/left by the ball at the end of the shaft.  Those are what wear out and give the stick so much play, along with the little plastic cogs on the end of them.

[danny_galaga]

Oh and thought of another game for you that I absolutely loved:
Pokemon Snap.
Once you get past the fact it is pokemon, it is a very interesting and addictive and fun game.

riiiggghhhhhhtttt 

[hypernova]

If you're going to be playing a lot of N64, pick up a few extra "new" controllers.  Those sticks don't last -

Mine lasted for many years of frequent usage.    But the other opinion seems to be the consensus here.

The games I used rarely needed the memory pak.  Only Perfect Dark (profiles) and Mario Kart (ghosts) made use of it for me, thus one was sufficient.  The rest of the games used the N64's memory most, if not all the time.  What other games make use of that mempack?

[ChadTower]

The n64 has no memory.  Some games have memory on the cartridge.

[danny_galaga]

Yep.  If you can find replacement sticks, they're easy to swap in, as the whole stick assembly is an enclosed component inside the controller.  For a while they were a big NOS ebay item.  Not anymore, though.

EDIT:  seems a few have made a comeback... it's worth picking some of these up.  If I can find a few cheap I'm going to do it.

well, they were cheap enough for me. they have pairs of them going for under 10 bucks to i bought a pair (",)

[danny_galaga]

 

just got the console in the mail today   clear grape colour. much funkier than plain ol black.

of course, i dont have any actual games to try it out with yet. i feel a bit silly because one of the games i bought on ebay was also for sale by the console seller and i could have got that thrown in.

and now we wait...


oh, what is it with paper mario? it sounds interesting but its about the most expensive game around for the n64. is it that good a game? or is it because its also available on the wii and people are nostalgic at this very moment?

[ChadTower]

It's pretty good but I wouldn't pay much more than $15 for it now, and that's for a good copy.  I think there's a lot of novelty and prestige to the game.  You should definitely play through it but wait for a reasonable price.  At least it's one of those games that you can play with a crappy controller if necessary.

[Malacus]

I think i paid 20$ w/ expansion at an EB Games a few years back. (the guy actually searched through the ones they had, pretty rare for an EB employee)

if you're into wrestling at all, WCW Revenge, WWF Wrestlemania and WWF No Mercy are some of the best ever made.

I also find using an Xbox controller with PJ64 fairly easy, theyre really simple to hack a USB end to.

Paper Mario is excellent. Hands down one of the best n64 games, the first two are more RPG than the newest one.

Im recently playing The World is not Enough and Carmageddon64.

I agree that the controllers are rubbish after some hard gaming, but I just cant pay nearly 10 bucks a piece at EB for them...

-mal

[ChadTower]

I forgot to mention the wrestling games... here is the rule on N64 wrestling games:

Made by THQ:   

Made by anyone else:   

Made by Acclaim:   

[tommy]

There is nothing better than an old console in high res on your pc to make up for the lack of graphics it was made for.

[ChadTower]

The N64 has S video.  What it doesn't have is enough horsepower to put strong texturing on all of the 3d objects.  That is especially true on the earlier N64 games... things look worse than they play at times because the texturing and shading is primitive. 

On the other hand, like all Nintendo consoles, N64 games make great use of colors.

[tommy]

I never understood why Nintendo chose to go 3d with the N64 when they did, the technology was not there yet till the gamecube was made... they should have stuck with 2d till they had it down better.

[Malacus]

eh...

I think it was a good stepping stone, theres some great titles on the 64 (not alot, but some...)
Ocarina of Time is still considered the best of the series by many, and while Majora's Mask was in no way MY favorite, it was still a good 'easy on the eyes' game

Even the dated graphics of goldeneye were enough to keep us in tournaments on the projection screen. The opening sequence with the 'hummmmmmmm' still takes me years back to the days when it was top notch.

I did think Perfect Dark was utter rubbish though...

-mal

[tommy]

Perfect dark was great man....  better than GE. All those guns and their secondary function was state of the art for it's time. How can you beat a gun you can hold and shoot and then plant on a wall making it a self shooting sentry gun, you can't beat it.

[ChadTower]

The technology was ready.  The third party developers are what was not ready.  Mario 64 is an amazing game and was a launch title. 

The first party N64 games all made very strong use of the 3D concept.  The third party games, though, man those first round of third party N64 games were total crap.

[tommy]

I'm talking about the graphic power of the console. You can't say the  weak 3d blocky graphics were good enough even for that time. Sure, it's easy to say now after looking at all the new stuff going on but it was still obvious at that time that it just was not looking all that great and i would have been much more happy to see detailed 2d models over garbage 3d models.

[ChadTower]

Keep looking at Mario 64.  It fits the bill and was a launch title.  Mario Kart is another example, great use of the 3d and colors.  The N64 was great at what it was designed for... the third party developers tried to make it do gradients and textures and reflectivity, and no, it wasn't suited for that.  It wasn't designed for that.