N64 and how it holds up today

[BogusMeatFactory]

And I find all three poor and problematic. Starcraft and C&C I prefer on PC. I dislike the controls for each of these and absolutely despise split-screen multiplayer in a genre like this.

Of all the genres, RTS is probably the worst for split-screen and that is coming from someone who finds splitscreen to be the best thing ever in almost every way shape and form.

[SNESdrunk]

Do you feel this way about early 3D in general, or specifically N64 games?

N64 is my main frame of reference for early 3D because that's what I owned and played. For PS I had access to stuff like FF Tactics and Chrono Cross, and for Saturn it was Nights and Panzer Dragoon (all of which IMO destroyed anything on the N64, and I'm a bigtime Nintendo fanboy)

And in terms of these ideas, the N64 stands out for what was an innovative but unusual controller design that has been built upon but left in the dust.

And the N64 controller is really strange, to say the least.

This is a big hangup for me now that you mention it. I think the controller is a big part of the clunkyness I keep mentioning, especially in the FPS games I've played. It's not that I insist on trying to play them like they're modern, it's that the controller is just... ugh. I have trouble with platforming games with the N64 controller as well, so it might be more of a me problem than an N64 problem. shrug

Now, based on what you are saying, your criticism seems leveled at the sparse design of the worlds that were created. Here are a few things to keep in mind from a genre perspective: <snip>

Ack, thanks as always for such a detailed post, you always bring the heat. This will keep me busy for a while

Sin & Punishment

I did not know this was on N64, I'll have to check it out



I appreciate the responses, I was curious what the opinion was here for N64 because I hardly found any topics in a forum search

[SNESdrunk]

StarCraft 64

I appreciate the effort and ambition from Nintendo to try and port this but... yeah, there's no universe where I'd rather play this on N64 than on PC

[Ack]

Now, based on what you are saying, your criticism seems leveled at the sparse design of the worlds that were created. Here are a few things to keep in mind from a genre perspective: <snip>

Ack, thanks as always for such a detailed post, you always bring the heat. This will keep me busy for a while

Hey, from one SNES fan to another, it's my pleasure.

Also, if the controller is the biggest issue, might I suggest looking into the Hori mini pad?

[fastbilly1]

If you like Panzer Dragoon, give Sin and Punishment a go. Even though I have a softspot for PD1, I think Sin and Punishment is a nigh perfect game and is easily in the top 3 for best rail shooter ever created.

Like others said, the issue with the N64 is that alot of games are difficult to play because of the graphics or controls (since both have evolved so much since then). Several games have amazing concepts in them, but sadly time has taken away from them. Prime examples would be Body Harvest and Space Station Silicon Valley. Both were made by DMA designs, but Body Harvest was pretty much Timesplitters and Grand Theft Auto 3 merged together, three years before the other two games were released. Space Station Silicon Valley is a 3d platformer where you take over a variety of creatures with different abilities to solve puzzles. Both are fairly complex for games that came out in 1998, but the blockly graphics and somewhat spotty controls cause them to be a tricky subject.

Truth be told even though I own about eighty titles, my N64 gets used for five games 99% of the time:
1. Mario Kart 64
2. Goldeneye
3. Battletanx Global Assault
4. Mario Tennis
5. Road Rash 64
And all of those are usually played in four player.

Also as an owner of six Hori minipads and a dozen Nintendo controllers, I suggest the minipads for everything that is not a FPS.

[bryan_65]

I can only play FPS games on the N64. If some one hands me a dual stick analog controller, I can not use it and just get frustrated and want to quite immediately. I did grow up with GoldenEye , Turok, and Perfect Dark though. I really hate the dual stick controllers of now days. I was just playing some Dirt Bike game on a friends PS3 and had to use the right stick to lean . Can I plug a 64 controller into a PS3, lol.

[CavZee]

I've ever been too big on the N64 myself since I was a massive PS1-2 fanboy. That being said there's still quite a few games that are still fantastic to play today. I played through Paper Mario, F-Zero X, and Majora's Mask for the first time last year and felt they were all pretty great. I've still got plenty of games I want to play through on the system so I guess we'll see how well they all stand up.

Now about the controller, I always disliked it when I was younger but using again recently and I've got to see it's pretty dang comfortable. Sure it's kind of awkward looking, but it gets the job done. My main controller I have now is one with a new gamecube style analog stick replacement and that's really nice too. I do also have one of the Hori Mini controllers but it's a bit small for my taste and the analog is quite loose. Dunno if I'll ever buy another one or not.

[CRTGAMER]

Really the only N64 games I'm even halfway interested in playing today are Conker's Bad Fur Day and Mario Kart 64. I'd love to have my mind changed on this though. Am I missing out?

There is a banjo pickin bear and crazed cuckoo bird that would like to squawk sense into the OP.

[MyNameIsVince]

I can agree with what you said about the 3-D graphics not quite aging as well (but that's true for all the systems of that era, not just N64), but I don't agree with the sentiment that it has aged horribly to the point where there's hardly anything worth playing. The N64 is probably my 2nd favorite all time game system, behind the SNES. Some of my all time favorite games are on that system. It has my favorite Mario Kart game, my 3rd favorite Mario platforming game (Super Mario 64), and one of the two games I consider my favorite of all-time (Ocarina of Time). It also has the best Star Fox game (one that is miles ahead of the SNES Star Fox in terms of playability), a pretty damn good F-Zero game, and possibly the most underrated Rareware game ever (Jet Force Gemini). I'll also echo some of the other choices people have made in recommending games, like Wave Race 64, Diddy Kong Racing and Body Harvest. Oh and it has Dr. Mario 64. Who doesn't love 4 player Dr. Mario? Terrorists, that's who.

Also, not sure if anyone's mentioned this, but check out the Rush games if you enjoy racing games on the N64 that aren't kart racers like Mario Kart 64.

As for the controller.....yeah it's hit or miss to people, but I enjoy the hell out of it. The z button is one of the greatest things ever. Too bad it became borderline unusable on the Gamecube controller (seriously, that's why I like playing the original Smash Bros on the n64 more than Melee, because the z button on melee is an utter joke). I even played Ocarina of Time on the Gamecube via the Collector's Edition disc and while it was awesome, I didn't like playing it on the Gamecube controller as much, and just wished I had an N64 controller to play it instead. Also it's comfortable for me. I couldn't say the same for some controllers, like the Model 2 Sega Saturn controller. I know, blasphemy, but that controller is not comfortable in my hands AT ALL.

[BogusMeatFactory]

I didn't like playing it on the Gamecube controller as much, and just wished I had an N64 controller to play it instead. Also it's comfortable for me. I couldn't say the same for some controllers, like the Model 2 Sega Saturn controller. I know, blasphemy, but that controller is not comfortable in my hands AT ALL.

I can understand, but I still love the saturn controller..but who am I to talk..the most comfortable controller in my opinion is the giant xbox hamburger pads. I get huge cramps and discomfort on my thumbs for the 3DS XL's thumbstick cause it is too small.