N64 extra cartridge slot

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RCBH928
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N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by RCBH928 »

So I am cleaning my N64 and there is an extra cartridge slot like place at the bottom. I believe this is used for something called like DD where you get to play over the Satellite with other players or something like that.

I am not sure if that expansion ever came out and if it came out I think it was Japanese only and never picked up. Was Nintendo so sure they are going make the succeed that they installed it in EVERY N64 machine making them lose money on each unit for extra parts?

Also , if it was used as a system link, these things should be sold as accessories. How many people you know connect 2 consoles and play together? I bet by percentage it does not reach 1% of all sales. Manufacturers should stop selling this system link thing within the consoles to save money.

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8bit
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by 8bit »

Nintendo has done this since the beginning... not just on the N64. The Wii was the first Nintendo console not to feature proprietary expansion ports of some kind.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/27664
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by theclaw »

Nintendo wanted to use the same N64 boards for US and Japan whenever feasible. It was cheaper to just have a slot dust protector and bottom decals separate NTSC consoles.

N64 US/JP modding really is as easy as most people say.

Even with Gamecube about the only meaningful difference to average users was a board jumper. All NTSC boards contain both BIOS files.
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by shmuk »

They should have released the N64 with the DD. However this would have delayed the poor thing even further =(
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by sevin0seven »

shmuk wrote:They should have released the N64 with the DD. However this would have delayed the poor thing even further =(
that might had brought as Earthbound 64 along the way....then again, another wishful thinking. (Zelda Ocarina of Time Master Quest would had been released too for the 64DD as an add-on pak).
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by AppleQueso »

sevin0seven wrote:
shmuk wrote:They should have released the N64 with the DD. However this would have delayed the poor thing even further =(
that might had brought as Earthbound 64 along the way....then again, another wishful thinking. (Zelda Ocarina of Time Master Quest would had been released too for the 64DD as an add-on pak).
(It would've been a LOT more than what we got as Master Quest too.)
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RCBH928
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by RCBH928 »

theclaw wrote:Nintendo wanted to use the same N64 boards for US and Japan whenever feasible. It was cheaper to just have a slot dust protector and bottom decals separate NTSC consoles.

N64 US/JP modding really is as easy as most people say.

Even with Gamecube about the only meaningful difference to average users was a board jumper. All NTSC boards contain both BIOS files.
Ok sure, but I heard the DD hardly sold even in Japan?
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Damm64
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by Damm64 »

kingmohd84 wrote:
theclaw wrote:Nintendo wanted to use the same N64 boards for US and Japan whenever feasible. It was cheaper to just have a slot dust protector and bottom decals separate NTSC consoles.

N64 US/JP modding really is as easy as most people say.

Even with Gamecube about the only meaningful difference to average users was a board jumper. All NTSC boards contain both BIOS files.
Ok sure, but I heard the DD hardly sold even in Japan?
According to wikipedia sold about 15.000 units. The thing has like 12 games only :?
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by bryan_65 »

8bit wrote:Nintendo has done this since the beginning... not just on the N64.
Yes the NES has the same thing on the bottom.
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RCBH928
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Re: N64 extra cartridge slot

Post by RCBH928 »

After reading the article, I find it confusing that Nintendo had an expansion port in each console yet each one of them over 2 decades was hardly been used. Its nice to see they finally learned and did not add it to the Wii or Wii U, none the less I still do not know why they added 2 USB ports and an SD card slot. Well...the SD card slot is very useful for homebrew :p Thanx Nintendo!


The other thing I never understood about manufacturers is why do they have different ports for each device? Why is electricity port is different form the joystick's , and that is different from the cartridge, and that cartridge is different from the cartridge pins from a previous generation. Why couldnt they agree on a single port like USB is today?

Gamecube has 3 differently sized expansion ports!
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