The Nintendo 64 (N64) is a home video game console created and sold by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on June 23, 1996, in North America on September 29, 1996, and in Europe and Australia on March 1, 1997. It was Nintendo’s third major home console, following the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and it competed with Sony’s PlayStation and the Sega Saturn during the fifth generation of consoles.
Nintendo started working on the N64 in 1993 with help from Silicon Graphics. The name “Nintendo 64” comes from its 64-bit CPU, which is a type of computer chip. The console includes a coprocessor that handles graphics and sound separately, enabling 3D visuals. The N64 controller was the first to include a thumbstick as a standard feature, and the console has four controller ports for multiplayer games. Additional accessories include the Expansion Pak, which increases system memory from 4 to 8 MB; the Rumble Pak, which provides vibration feedback; and the Controller Pak, a memory card. In Japan, Nintendo released the 64DD, a device that added internet connectivity and used special magnetic disks for rewritable storage. However, the 64DD was not successful and was never sold outside Japan.
The N64 was praised for its hardware and technical advances. In 1996, the American news magazine Time named it “Machine of the Year.” Nintendo sold over 32.93 million N64 consoles. While it was very popular in North America, it sold fewer units in Japan and Europe. Nintendo chose to use ROM cartridges instead of optical discs to reduce loading times and prevent software piracy. However, this decision made it harder for third-party developers to create games for the N64 due to cost and storage limits. Many developers focused on the PlayStation instead, leading to a smaller collection of 388 games. To fill this gap, Nintendo relied on its own major franchises, such as Mario and The Legend of Zelda, as well as games from second-party developers like Rare.
The N64 sold more units than the Sega Saturn but far fewer than the PlayStation. Nintendo stopped producing the N64 in 2002 after launching its successor, the GameCube. Looking back, video game journalists consider the N64 one of the most important consoles in history. Several N64 games, including Super Mario 64 (1996), GoldenEye 007 (1997), and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), are widely regarded as some of the greatest and most influential video games ever made. Nintendo later released many N64 games on its later consoles through the Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics services. The N64 was the last major home console to use cartridges until the Nintendo Switch was released in 2017.
History
After the video game crash of 1983, Nintendo helped revive the industry by introducing its second home console, the Family Computer (Famicom), in Japan in 1983. It was later sold internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985. The NES and its later version, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), launched in Japan in 1990 and internationally in 1991, became very popular. However, SNES sales dropped during Japan’s economic recession. At the same time, competition grew with the release of the Sega Saturn, a 32-bit console that outperformed the older 16-bit SNES. This showed Nintendo needed to improve its hardware to stay competitive. Other competitors included Atari’s Jaguar system and the 3DO system.
To keep the SNES relevant, Nintendo worked with companies like Philips and Sony to create a CD-ROM add-on. However, these partnerships failed, and no games were released. Philips used its rights to make Mario and Zelda games for its CD-i device, while Sony used its research to develop the PlayStation. During this time, third-party game developers also became frustrated with Nintendo’s strict rules for making games.
Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI), a company known for powerful computers, wanted to use its technology in the video game market. It redesigned its MIPS R4000 CPU to use less power and lower costs. SGI created a video game chipset prototype and sought a partner. SGI’s founder, Jim Clark, first talked to Sega’s leader, Tom Kalinske, who was interested. However, Sega’s engineers later rejected the design due to technical problems, which SGI fixed. Nintendo disagreed, saying SGI preferred Nintendo because Sega wanted exclusive rights to the technology, while Nintendo was open to sharing it.
In early 1993, Clark met with Nintendo’s president, Hiroshi Yamauchi. By August 23, during Nintendo’s annual Shoshinkai trade show, the companies announced a partnership called “Project Reality.” They planned to release the console in arcades by 1994 and for home use by late 1995, with a price under $250. Michael Slater, a writer, said the partnership was important because Nintendo could sell many units, which would help SGI’s technology reach more people.
SGI named the console’s core parts “Reality Immersion Technology,” including a MIPS R4300i CPU and a Reality Coprocessor for graphics and memory. NEC, Toshiba, and Sharp helped manufacture the parts. SGI and Nintendo also worked with Rambus to design a data transfer system using RDRAM, which Rambus hoped would be used in computers.
To help developers create games before the hardware was ready, SGI provided a supercomputer called Onyx to simulate the console’s performance. Later, a cheaper version was added to a SGI Indy workstation. Early tests showed the system worked well, with LucasArts creating a Star Wars game prototype quickly.
At the 1994 Consumer Electronics Show, Nintendo announced the console would be called “Ultra 64.” The design was shown, but the controller was not revealed. Nintendo chose to use ROM cartridges instead of CD-ROMs, even though it had previously worked on a CD-based SNES. Nintendo said cartridges were faster. The Ultra 64 was called the first 64-bit console, though Atari’s Jaguar had claimed to be 64-bit earlier but used weaker hardware.
Later in 1994, Nintendo partnered with Williams to create arcade games for the Ultra 64, like Killer Instinct and Cruis’n USA. These machines used different hardware than the home console, including hard drives instead of cartridges. This allowed games to include 3D graphics and video backgrounds.
In April 1995, Nintendo introduced its “Dream Team” of developers, providing tools from companies like Alias Research and Software Creations. Studios like Acclaim, Rare, and Midway made important games, but others failed to deliver.
Nintendo planned to name the console “Ultra Famicom” in Japan and “Nintendo Ultra 64” elsewhere. It later changed the name to “Nintendo 64,” a suggestion from game creator Shigesato Itoi. The original name remained in the console’s model number, “NUS-,” which many believe stands for “Nintendo Ultra Sixty-four.”
The Nintendo 64 was shown publicly in playable form on November 24, 1995, at the Shoshinkai trade show. Many Japanese students waited outside excitedly. Photos of the event were shared by Game Zero magazine, and Nintendo later covered it in its Nintendo Power website and magazine.
The console was originally planned for a 1995 Christmas release but was delayed to April 21, 1996. Nintendo said more time was needed for games to be ready. Some engineers from SGI believed hardware problems caused the delay.
Hardware
The Nintendo 64 uses a system called the Reality Coprocessor (RCP) to handle graphics, audio, and memory tasks. It works with the VR4300, a 64-bit CPU made by NEC that runs at 93.75 MHz and processes 125 million instructions per second. This CPU was compared to Pentium desktop computers of the same time. Even though the VR4300 used a 32-bit system bus, it still had the power of the 64-bit MIPS R4300i it was based on. However, most games used 32-bit operations instead of 64-bit ones because they were faster and used less memory.
The RCP runs at 62.5 MHz and has two parts: the Signal Processor, which handles sound and graphics, and the Display Processor, which draws pixels on the screen. The RCP sends visual data to a graphics frame buffer and uses direct memory access (DMA) to move video and audio data to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for output.
A major benefit of the Nintendo 64’s design is that the CPU and RCP work at the same time, splitting tasks for better performance. The VR4300 handles game logic, while the RCP manages graphics and sound separately. This allowed for 3D graphics and complex audio effects but required careful coordination to avoid slowdowns.
The Nintendo 64 was one of the first consoles to use a unified memory system, which combined memory for the CPU, audio, and video into one shared space. It had 4 MB of RDRAM (Rambus DRAM), which could be expanded to 8 MB with an add-on called the Expansion Pak. RDRAM was a new technology that offered high data transfer speeds at a lower cost.
Audio was handled by both the CPU and RCP and sent through a DAC with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz and 16-bit depth, matching the quality of CDs. However, most games used stereo sound instead of this higher quality because it required more processing power and storage space. Some games supported Dolby Pro Logic surround sound.
For video, the Nintendo 64 supported composite and S-Video outputs using cables similar to the Super NES and GameCube. It could display up to 16.8 million colors and resolutions from 256×224 to 640×480 pixels. Most games used 320×240 resolution, but some used higher resolutions with the Expansion Pak. The console also supported widescreen formats, such as anamorphic 16:9 or letterboxed displays.
The Nintendo 64 controller had a unique "M"-shaped design with a "control stick" for movement, making it the first console to include a thumbstick as a standard feature. The control stick worked like a digital button, similar to a ball mouse. The controller also had a D-pad, ten buttons (including A, B, Start, and four C-buttons), two shoulder buttons (L and R), and a Z trigger on the back. A port on the bottom of the controller allowed users to connect accessories like the Controller Pak, Rumble Pak, and Transfer Pak.
The Nintendo 64 had four controller ports, allowing four players to play split-screen games without slowdown. According to Shigeru Miyamoto, this was possible because the console was powerful enough to handle such games.
After trying to create a CD-based add-on for the Super NES, many expected Nintendo to use CDs for its next console. However, the Nintendo 64 used ROM cartridges instead. These cartridges ranged from 4 to 64 MB and often included built-in save features.
Nintendo’s choice of cartridges was controversial. While cartridges offered fast load times and durability, they had drawbacks like higher production costs, lower storage capacity, and longer manufacturing times. These issues made it harder for developers to create games, especially as games became more complex.
Cartridges also helped protect against piracy because they were harder to copy than CDs. However, third-party developers faced challenges because Nintendo controlled cartridge production, allowing it to sell its own games at lower prices.
Storage limits were another problem. Nintendo 64 cartridges could only hold up to 64 MB, while CDs could store 650 MB. This forced developers to use compressed textures, shorter music, and fewer cutscenes. Many games had to be scaled down for the N64, and some companies, like Square and Enix, moved to the PlayStation instead.
Despite these challenges, the Nintendo 64 remained competitive with strong first-party games like GoldenEye 007 and popular franchises like Mario and Zelda. Deals with second-party developers like Rare also helped expand its game library. Programming for the Nintendo 64 was difficult due to its unique hardware requirements.
Games
A total of 388 Nintendo 64 games were officially released, with 85 of them sold only in Japan. For comparison, the PlayStation had 4,105 games, the Saturn had over 1,000, the SNES had 1,755, and the NES had 716 games released in Western countries plus more than 1,000 in Japan. The Nintendo 64 had a much smaller number of games, which some people say was caused by Nintendo’s choice not to use CD-ROM technology and the difficulty of programming its complex system. This was also part of a plan by Nintendo’s leader, Hiroshi Yamauchi, who said in 1995 that Nintendo would limit the number of games to help developers create better-quality games instead of focusing on quantity. A newspaper called The Los Angeles Times noted that Nintendo often required developers to improve games before releasing them, showing a focus on quality over quantity.
Although fewer third-party companies made games for the Nintendo 64 compared to other consoles, Nintendo’s own games, like Mario, were very popular. Companies that worked closely with Nintendo, such as Rare, created many important and well-received games. As a result, the Nintendo 64 had many games that were highly praised and sold well. In December 1996, three of the top five best-selling games in the United States were Nintendo 64 games (the other two were Super NES games). Super Mario 64 sold 11 million copies, more than Gran Turismo for the PlayStation (10.85 million) and Final Fantasy VII (9.72 million). It was also praised by critics for introducing new ways to control characters in 3D games. GoldenEye 007 helped shape the first-person shooter genre and is considered one of the best games in that category. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time became a standard for 3D action-adventure games and is often called one of the greatest games ever made.
Some of the most graphically advanced Nintendo 64 games used large 32 or 64 MB cartridges, which allowed for more detailed and complex visuals compared to other systems of the time. Developers used special programming techniques to make the most of the console’s hardware, leading to better lighting, animation, and movement in games. Conker’s Bad Fur Day is an example of a game that used advanced features like real-time shadows and detailed character animations. The Nintendo 64 was the first home console to use a feature called trilinear filtering, which made textures appear smoother. This was different from the Saturn and PlayStation, which used less advanced methods that made textures look more pixelated. However, the results of using cartridges varied, with some games having better visuals than others.
The smaller size of cartridges limited the amount of data they could store, which sometimes made it harder to include detailed textures in games. Games with smaller 8 or 12 MB cartridges often had to reuse textures across larger areas, leading to less realistic visuals. However, games with larger 32 or 64 MB cartridges, like Resident Evil 2, Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Earth, and Conker’s Bad Fur Day, avoided these issues and had more detailed graphics.
Many Nintendo 64 games were later released on the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console services, where they could be played with different controllers. These versions often had better resolution and smoother gameplay than the original Nintendo 64 versions. However, some features, like Rumble Pak support, were not included in the Wii versions. Some games had changes, such as the ability to send photos in Pokémon Snap or altered content in Wave Race 64 due to licensing issues. Games made by Rare, like Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark, were later released on Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade after Microsoft bought Rare in 2002. Donkey Kong 64 remained exclusive to Nintendo and was released on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015. Some Nintendo 64 games were also re-released on the Nintendo Switch through the Nintendo Classics service. With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2025, these games will include features like a CRT filter, rewind function, and button remapping.
Unofficial software called emulators allows people to play Nintendo 64 games on other devices, such as computers, Macs, and smartphones.
Accessories
Nintendo released an add-on device called 64DD, where "DD" stands for "Disk Drive." The 64DD connected to the expansion slot on the bottom of the Nintendo 64 console. This device changed the console into a tool that could access the internet, create and use multimedia, and play more types of games. The 64DD allowed players to play Nintendo 64 games stored on disks, record images from outside video sources, and connect to a Japanese online service called Randnet, which no longer exists. After a short time, the device was no longer sold. Only nine games were made for the 64DD, including four games in the Mario Artist series: Paint Studio, Talent Studio, Communication Kit, and Polygon Studio. Many other games that were planned for the 64DD were later released on cartridges or other consoles. The 64DD and Randnet were only available in Japan.
Lead designer Shigesato Itoi said the 64DD was important for Nintendo’s game development. He explained, "I had many ideas because of the 64DD. Many of these ideas would not have been possible without the 64DD." Shigeru Miyamoto added, "Most new N64 projects started with the 64DD. We would first create the game on a cartridge, then add the technology we developed to complete it as a full 64DD game."
iQue Player
The iQue Player was a handheld gaming device based on the Nintendo 64 system. It was only available in China and was released on November 17, 2003, after China banned video game consoles. During its time on the market, from 2003 to 2016, the following games were released for the iQue Player: Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, Wave Race 64, Star Fox 64, Yoshi's Story, Paper Mario, Super Smash Bros., F-Zero X, Dr. Mario 64, Excitebike 64, Sin and Punishment, Custom Robo, and Animal Crossing.
Reception
The Nintendo 64 received praise from critics. Reviewers liked the console's advanced 3D graphics and gameplay, but they also pointed out that there were not enough games available. On G4techTV's Filter, registered users voted the Nintendo 64 as their top choice.
In February 1996, Next Generation magazine called the Nintendo Ultra 64 the "best kept secret in videogames" and the "world's most powerful game machine." The magazine said the system's November 24, 1995, introduction at Shoshinkai was the most anticipated videogaming event of the 1990s, possibly of all time. Before its launch, Time magazine praised the realistic movement and gameplay of the Nintendo 64, which combined fast graphics processing, a pressure-sensitive controller, and the Super Mario 64 game. The review said the game action was the fastest and smoothest ever seen on a joystick, and the movement on the screen felt real. When asked whether consumers should buy the Nintendo 64 at launch, buy it later, or choose a competing system, six GamePro editors mostly agreed to buy it at launch. One editor said people who already owned a PlayStation and had limited budgets should wait, but others recommended buying it at launch.
At launch, the Los Angeles Times called the system "the fastest, most graceful game machine on the market." It described the console as small, light, and "built for heavy play by kids," unlike the "relatively fragile Sega Saturn." The review noted that the Nintendo 64's long delay was "worth the wait" because Nintendo focused on quality. The Times expressed concern about having only two launch games at retail and twelve expected by Christmas, but it said this was part of Nintendo's "penchant for perfection." It explained that Nintendo required game developers to improve their titles, unlike other platforms that offered many lower-quality games. The review noted that cartridge-based development encouraged developers to focus on substance over flash, avoiding issues like poor live-action sequences or weak musical themes found in CD-ROM games. It praised Nintendo's use of cartridges for their "nonexistent" load times and "continuous, fast-paced action" that CD-ROMs could not match. The review concluded that the Nintendo 64 delivered "blistering speed and tack-sharp graphics" that outperformed competing 32-bit, disc-based consoles.
Time magazine named the Nintendo 64 the 1996 Machine of the Year, saying it "had done to video-gaming what the 707 did to air travel." The magazine said the console achieved "the most realistic and compelling three-dimensional experience ever presented by a computer." Time credited the Nintendo 64 with revitalizing the video game market and "rescuing this industry from the dustbin of entertainment history." The magazine suggested the console would introduce children to digital technology in the final years of the 20th century and said it had already shown a future where powerful computing would be as common as televisions. The console also won the 1996 Spotlight Award for Best New Technology.
Popular Electronics complimented the system's hardware, calling its features "quite impressive." It said the controller was "comfortable to hold, and the controls to be accurate and responsive."
In a 1997 year-end review, five Electronic Gaming Monthly editors gave the Nintendo 64 scores of 8.0, 7.0, 7.5, 7.5, and 9.0. They praised the hardware's power and the quality of first-party games, especially those made by Rare and Nintendo's internal studios, but noted that third-party games were not as strong and that first-party games alone could not provide enough variety. Next Generation's 1997 review also expressed concerns about third-party support but said it was improving. It speculated that the Nintendo 64's late arrival in its generation might lead to early obsolescence when Sony and Sega released new consoles. However, it said Nintendo's high-quality software could outweigh these issues and gave the system 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Developer Factor 5, which created some of the system's most advanced games and audio tools, said, "[T]he N64 is really sexy because it combines the performance of an SGI machine with a cartridge. We're big arcade fans, and cartridges are still the best for arcade games or perhaps a really fast CD-ROM. But there's no such thing for consoles yet [as of 1998]."
The Nintendo 64 was very successful in North America but sold fewer units in Japan and Europe. Nintendo reported that sales of the system and its games ended by 2004, three years after the GameCube's launch. As of December 31, 2009, the Nintendo 64 had sold 5.54 million units in Japan, 20.63 million in the Americas, and 6.75 million in other regions, totaling 32.93 million units.
The Nintendo 64 was in high demand when it launched. Industry analyst David Cole said, "You have people fighting to get it from stores." Time magazine compared the purchasing interest to "that rare and glorious middle-class Cabbage Patch-doll frenzy." The magazine said celebrities like Matthew Perry, Steven Spielberg, and Chicago Bulls players called Nintendo to request special treatment to get the console. In North America and Europe, the console had only two launch games, with Super Mario 64 as its main attraction.
During its first three days on the market, retailers sold 350,000 of 500,000 available units. In its first four months, the console sold 500,000 units in North America. Nintendo outsold Sony and Sega early in 1997 in the United States, and by the end of its first full year, it had sold 3.6 million units in the U.S. BusinessWire reported that Nintendo's sales increased by 156% by 1997. Five Nintendo 64 games sold more than 1 million copies in 1997.
After a strong launch, the decision to use cartridges contributed to slower game releases and higher prices compared to competitors, making it harder for Nintendo to keep its lead in the U.S. The console continued to outsell the Sega Saturn but sold fewer units than the PlayStation.
Nintendo's efforts to dominate the 1997 holiday shopping season were hurt by delays in game releases. Five major games planned for Christmas 1997 (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Quest, Yoshi's Story, and Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.) were delayed until 1998, and Diddy Kong Racing was released last-minute to fill the gap. To reduce the cost of games, Nintendo lowered manufacturing costs for Nintendo 64 cartridges and announced a 15% price cut on both first-party and third-party games ahead of the 1997 holiday season.