"A dream of hope that never made it"

THE DREAM
It had a powerful 64-bit processor that could blow away the 32-bit PlayStation. Its 3D-accelerated graphics were the PS2 graphics of that time. It landmarked the introduction of analog control and had the first controller with both digital and analog controls. it had instant 4-player power. It had hopes of a Disk Drive. So how could the N64 suffer so miserably?

GRAPHICS CAPABILITIES 8/10
The power of the N64 can be seen in its beautifully rendered 3D graphics. Looking at Mario Kart 64, you can see how well-rounded the characters are and how smooth the graphics flow. Clearly, you'd figure that whatever the PlayStation or Saturn can do, the N64 can do better, and apparently, it can. Polygons are smoothed out with little problems. The only real problem was that the system couldn't handle polygons that got too close to the screen at times but that was pretty standard at the time. They're terrible graphics by today's standards but they were gorgeous back in those days.

A major, problem, however is the 2D capabilities of the system and the PS seems to suffer from the same problem. Both the PS and N64 are 3D-based processors that aren't designed to handle the large amount of RAM in order to handle 2D games. Ever wondered why Mortal Kombat Trilogy had slowdowns? That's why. It also explains why X-Men vs. Street Fighter was a sloppy mess on the PS while its Saturn version was flawless (the Saturn has the VRAM designed to handle 2D). While the whole 2D problem doesn't see like much of problem, it severely limits the options available to developers, which was one the reasons why some developers don't make games for N64.

SOUND CAPABILITIES 8/10
The sounds were decent at the time considering that the N64 had no CD-quality audio. Some sound effects from games were very impressive, especially the gunshots from Doom 64 and the funky voices from Mario Kart 64. Not bad.

CONTROL CAPABILITIES 7/10
The controller is very impressive as it allows both analog and digital control. There are three different ways to hold the control. One position is the basic one in which one hand grips the left side and controls the D-pad and L button while the other one grips the right side and controls the 6 main buttons and the R button. The most common position is one in which the left hand grips the center and controls the analog stick and Z-trigger while the other hand grips the right side and controls its buttons. Finally, the least common one is one where the left hand grips the left side while the right hand grips the center. Either one of the three ways, the controller feels comfortable but I've heard that Americans' hands are larger than Asian hands so they're less comfortable for some American players.

The controller's digital D-pad is fairly responsive and works well but the main method of control used by most games is the analog stick, which allows for precision control when playing in a 3D plane. It's very efficient and when playing Doom 64, I preferred using the stick over the D-pad for more control. The buttons themselves are also very responsive so no problem there.

The main problem with the controller is the lack of durability. As you put the wear and tear on the analog stick, you'll notice a white powder appearing often. It looks like talcum powder but it's actually the stick wearing away. My first controller has aged quite a bit and now the stick has worn down to the point where James Bond's walking seems sluggish when playing with that controller. The stick looks the same but very loose.

Another problem is the agonizing hassle of using the C buttons, which are divided into four different buttons. Many games often use these buttons for certain tricks and it sometimes becomes a hassle when you have to write down combinations that use them.

GAME CAPABILITIES 7/10
The N64 is a really bad system when it comes to developing games. Developers will often find that they're extremely limited when it comes to data space, thus eliminating a lot of voice acting and movie clips, which take up a considerably large amount of space. That is why games with great movie clips often lose them whenever they make a move to the N64. Take a look at Resident Evil 2 and StarCraft 64. I'm not sure whether they have movies or not but I'm certain that they most likely don't.

Another problem is the 2D problem that I mentioned above. 2D games are extremely difficult to develop for the N64, which is why games such as Marvel vs. Capcom and Strider Hiryu don't make it to the system. Certainly, Capcom has its ties with Nintendo but the N64 is just too limiting, and even if the games do work well with the system, there may be a lack of space on a cartridge to hold all of the heavy data that a 2D can offer.

OVERALL CAPABILITIES 7/10
The N64 was planned to be Nintendo's attempt to get back on top of Sony and Sega but was wiped out in the end by expensive hardware and accessories, limiting game space, and lack of a strong 2D processor. If Nintendo had considered using CDs instead of cartridges, a more compact controller, and more VRAM, then the system would've been a much stronger competitor in the market.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS
There's a shining ray of hope for Nintendo called the GameCube. Looking at its preview shots, its graphics are a strong match to the beautiful graphics of the PS2 and when you consider that Nintendo has altered its controller and the data storage systems, it looks like Nintendo's going to be a strong competitor in the future.

Or if you've become sick of Nintendo, the PS2 is still a strong system with DVD capabilities but with the complaints that are coming from both players and developers, you may want to settle for a normal console system and a separate DVD player on the side.

For all N64 owners, if you're looking to get the most out of your N64 before it's gone, I suggest the following games. There's more but these are some of the best that the system has to offer:

Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask
James Bond: GoldenEye, The World is Not Enough
Conker's Bad Fur Day
DOOM 64
Wipeout 64
StarCraft 64
Waverace 64
Mario Kart 64
Diddy Kong Racing
Mission Impossible
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/01, Updated 07/09/01