Nintendo 64

The **Nintendo 64** (commonly abbreviated ***N64***) is a home video game console released by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in June 1996 and was meant to compete against the Sony PlayStation and the Sega Saturn. It was named after its 64-bit CPU, one of the first in a consumer product. The Nintendo 64 was Nintendo's first console made for 3D graphics. It uses plastic cartridges instead of CDs or disks, making load times faster. Because of this, the games costed more to make than games for other systems during that time. The controller for the Nintendo 64 was shaped like an "M" and had 10 buttons and a joystick. Out of the box, the Nintendo 64 had 4 MB of RAM, and it could be upgraded to 8 MB with the expansion pak.

## History

Nintendo released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (also known as the SNES) in Japan in 1990, and in North America in 1991. It was a 16-bit console. Most games it played were 2D, and any 3D games it played were not true 3D. Two years later, in 1993, Atari released a system called the Jaguar. It was a 64-bit console, and its marketing made the systems from Nintendo and Sega look outdated. To make matters worse, Sony was working on a new 3D video game system to launch in 1994 that would be known as the PlayStation. By the mid 1990s, Nintendo knew it was time to move on and create their own 64-bit system. Its name in development was called _Project Reality_. The Nintendo 64 released in Japan in June 1996, in North America in September 1996, and in Europe in March 1997.

Because making games for the Nintendo 64 was more expensive than making games for the PlayStation, many video game companies chose to develop only for the PlayStation. Nintendo also did not like games that had a lot of blood or violence in them. Most companies who made these kinds of games made them for the PlayStation instead. Nintendo ended up losing their first place spot in the video game market and Sony beat them because of these two things. Additionally, Sony was inspired by the N64 joystick design to make their DualShock PlayStation controller. The production of the Nintendo 64 ended in Japan in 2002 and in 2003 worldwide, as Nintendo began to move their focus to the GameCube system.

## Reception

In 2015, IGN named the Nintendo 64 the ninth-greatest video game console of all time. Many great games were released on the system, with many video game series first appearing on the N64. These series included _Super Smash Bros._, _Paper Mario_, and _Mario Party_. It also had the first mario game in 3D, which was _Super Mario 64_.

### Sales

5.54 million Nintendo 64 units were sold in Japan, 20.63 million in the Americas, and 6.75 million in other regions, a total of 32.93 million units.

## Notable games

- _1080° Snowboarding_
- _Banjo-Kazooie_
- _Banjo-Tooie_
- _Cruis'n USA_
- _Diddy Kong Racing_
- _Donkey Kong 64_
- _Excitebike 64_
- _F-1 World Grand Prix_
- _F-Zero X_
- _GoldenEye 007_
- _Hey You, Pikachu!_
- _Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards_
- _Mario Golf_
- _Mario Kart 64_
- _Mario Party_
- _Mario Party 2_
- _Mario Party 3_
- _Mario Tennis_
- _Paper Mario_
- _Perfect Dark_
- _Pokémon Snap_
- _Pokémon Stadium_
- _Pokémon Stadium 2_
- _Star Fox 64_
- _Star Wars Episode I: Racer_
- _Star Wars: Rogue Squadron_
- _Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire_
- _Super Mario 64_
- _Super Smash Bros._
- _The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- _The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_
- _The New Tetris_
- _Tony Hawk's Pro Skater_
- _Turok: Dinosaur Hunter_
- _Wave Race 64_
- _WCW/nWo Revenge_
- _Yoshi's Story''

## Infobox (information appliance)

- **logo**: Nintendo 64 wordmark.svg
- **name**: Nintendo 64
- **aka**: N64 (abbreviation)
 Project Reality (code name)
 Ultra 64 (planned product name)
- **image**: Nintendo 64.jpg
- **caption**: Console with _Harvest Moon 64_
- **developer**: Nintendo Integrated Research & Development, Nintendo IRD
- **manufacturer**: Nintendo
- **type**: Home video game console
- **generation**: History of video game consoles (fifth generation), Fifth generation
- **lifespan**: –
- **unitssold**: **Worldwide:** 31.93 million
**Japan:** 5.54 million
**Americas:** 19.63 million
**Europe & Australia:** 6.75 million
- **media**: Nintendo 64 Game Pak
Magnetic disk (64DD)
- **power**: Switching power supply, 12V and 3.3V DC
- **cpu**: 64-bit NEC R4300i, VR4300 @ 93.75 Hertz, MHz
- **memory**: 4 MB Rambus RDRAM (8 MB with Expansion Pak)
- **storage**: 64 MB Nintendo 64 Game Pak, Game Pak
- **memory card**: 256 Kbit (32 KB) Controller Pak
- **graphics**: Silicon Graphics, SGI Reality Coprocessor, RCP @ 62.5 MHz
- **sound**: 16-bit, 48 or 44.1 kHz stereo
- **controllers**: Nintendo 64 controller
- **service**: Randnet (Japan only)
SharkWire Online (third-party)
- **topgame**: _Super Mario 64_, 11.62 million (as of May 21, 2003)
- **compatibility**: No Compatibility
- **predecessor**: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- **successor**: Nintendo GameCube
- **related**: Nintendo 64 technical specifications, 64DD, Nintendo 64 Game Pak, Game Pak, Nintendo 64 Rumble Pak, Rumble Pak, Nintendo 64 games, games, Nintendo 64 accessories, accessories, Nintendo 64 color variants, color variants, Nintendo 64 programming characteristics, programming characteristics