nintendo 64
Latest
Hailrazer's Kamikaze 64 is the most polished portable N64 yet (video)
Money talks, and, in the world of custom hardware, occasionally yields some amazing results. Such is the case with Hailrazer's latest handheld console mod, the Kamikaze 64. It's a portable version of Nintendo's decidedly wired Nintendo 64 that someone commissioned him to build, probably after seeing his impressive NCube portable GameCube. This one is equally comprehensive, and while it doesn't compete against either of the supposed world's smallest portable N64s, it does offer the full suite of controls, plus input for a second controller, video output, and even includes the controller's I/O port on the back. (That means it's Controller Pak compatible, and its future owner can take his or her all-time greatest Mario Kart 64 ghost replays on the road.) No word on how much the mystery commissioner paid for this one, but we're thinking they got a good deal. [Thanks, Jonathan]
Neo Myth flash cart for N64 puts your ROMS where they belong (video)
N64 emulators are equal parts fun and frustrating: it's great having access to all those ROMs, but wouldn't you rather play 'em on the actual console? The Neo N64 Myth is a flash cart for your Nintendo 64 that lets you transfer games from your PC to a cart via USB. This bad boy features support for ROMs up to 512MB, all save types (it will even let you back up the saves on your PC), up to two games at the same time, and more. Sure, at $200 some might say that you're probably better off just buying the carts you want off eBay -- but they're either not as hardcore as you or as well-heeled as you. Hit the source link to see for yourself, but not before checking out the review posted to the DCEmu.uk forums: they put the thing through its paces, and they find that it holds up pretty, pretty well. Video after the break.
Somewhat playable N64 emulator released for jailbroken iPhones
Mobile emulation expert ZodTTD's newest project, a Nintendo 64 emulator for jailbroken iPhones, has been released -- and just in time for the holidays, too, allowing you to recreate that one video with those screaming, flailing children. With a miniscule $2.50 price tag and bluetooth support, which allows you to control the emulator with a Wii remote, it would be a pretty great deal. If, you know, it didn't run at a handful of frames per second. Check out the video after the jump to see the emulator in action, and to decide whether the double-thick molasses-slow gameplay is still worth the price of admission. [Via Gizmodo]
Near-final Pandora handheld gets user reviewed, shown playing Super Mario 64
The long (long!) awaited Pandora gaming handheld is inching closer and closer to reality, with all but a few i's and t's left to dot and cross (respectively). It's so close to ready, in fact, that personnel from the device's production team invited a mere mortal (also known as a forum member) to their homes in order to test out and tinker with a pre-production model. Naturally, his hands-on experience was nothing short of glowing -- but really, we wouldn't expect anything less from a devout forum member who clearly digs even the idea of having a Pandora to hold and snuggle with. There's no denying the awesomeness that awaits you in the video past the break, though, and if the unit really does handle everything as smoothly as it does Super Mario 64, we're all in for a treat.
GameStop lets you be the N64 Xmas kid
While the above headline is true, you'll probably have to squint your eyes a bit to see it. You see, someone at GameStop had the particularly brilliant idea of making an application that can plaster your face directly over the famous (infamous?) Nintendo 64 kid. What kid, you ask? You know the one. Yeah, that one. Or, if you're like us, you can always use a picture of a cat. Apart from the video being holiday themed, we're not sure how the application will help GameStop sell games. But, then again, we don't really care. We just put a cat face on N64 Kid's face. What more could you want? [Via GoNintendo]
The question of emulators
Gizmodo recently posted this video, which is beautiful to any PSX-era gamers: it's Final Fantasy VII running right on the iPhone, like buttah thanks to the 3GS hardware. How is this possible? Through the magic of emulation -- ever since computers got powerful enough to pretend to be other computers, people have resurrected old consoles and hardware by writing code that makes old games and software think its right at home in the computer it belongs in (an old NES system, a Genesis, or even a Playstation or Nintendo 64). As a result, by loading up ROMs into an emulator program, you can play old games you can't find (at least working) in the store any more.But the problem, as it usually does, lies in the legality. Even though those games are hard to find, companies still often own the copyrights on them (Square, for example, just released FFVII in an official emulator on the PSP, and they wouldn't be very happy with someone else releasing it on the iPhone). So while it's very easy for someone to write software that pretends to be an old NES (and there are lots of jailbroken apps around that will do just that), it's not easy to get all the rights and legal sign-offs to make it legit. Legit enough for Apple to keep it in the App Store, anyway. And while the video Gizmodo shows is awesome, and is possible on a jailbroken phone, it's not likely we'll ever see that app make it through Apple's approval. Not to mention that even when people jump through the legal hoops, Apple isn't happy with running other systems' code on their hardware anyway. Lame.That doesn't mean that the old games are gone forever -- there are certainly emulators of open-sourced or expired hardware on the App Store (here's one for Chip-8), and obviously there's a commercial reason for companies who do own the copyrights on popular games to bring them into the App Store officially. But as great as it would be to have a GBA emulator that automatically played any GBA game ROMs you loaded into it, that kind of stuff will have to stay in the jailbreak underground for now.
Komodo's Retro Adapter brings your dusty old gamepads to your dusty new Wii
While we hear Punch Out!! is quite good, it's safe to say the Wii hasn't exactly been flooded with great titles lately. The most enjoyable part of the system still comes from the Virtual Console and all the classic titles that populate it, and soon you'll be able to pair those games with the classic controllers they were written for thanks to Komodo's Retro Adapter. Sure, we've seen some rather... unsophisticated ways of making N64 controllers work in the past, and Nintendo itself hopped on the retro bandwagon with a first-party Wii SNES gamepad, but Komodo's adapter has no exposed solders, looks like a wee N64, and even lets you use your creaky old NES pad. No official word on availability, but expect a $20 price sometime in June. We'll be bringing you more from E3.
VC Tuesday: Japan celebrates Super Smash Bros. Day
The day is finally here! Well, not here here. But there are people in the world playing vintage Super Smash Bros. on their Wiis right now, and we declare that to be boss. They're paying 1,200 Wii Points for the privilege, but Japanese Wii owners have probably forgotten how much Nintendo 64 games are supposed to cost on the Virtual Console anyway.Poor Champion Wrestler is doomed. This just isn't the week for another 4-player competitive fighting game starring at least one vintage game character (Rastan Saga's title character, in the Ultimate Warrior-esque guise of "Miracle Rastan"). Nintendo All-Star! Dairantou Smash Bros. (Nintendo 64, 1-4 players, 1,200 Wii Points) Champion Wrestler (PC Engine, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) There's no competition between the VC and WiiWare this week. Here's Japan's WiiWare lineup: Nothing (Just Play Smash Bros., Seriously)
Nintendo Sixtyfree Lite-R elegantly crams N64 into a luscious handheld
Ben Heck's apprentices are showing their true colors again, with modder SifuF churning out a real winner over the holidays. The Nintendo Sixtyfree Lite-R just might be the most elegant portable N64 that we've seen to date, with a clean, low-key design, beautifully integrated buttons and a cartridge slot that's about as non-cumbersome as possible. Of note, there are no internal batteries to speak of, thus it's forced to rely on an InfoLithium (or any 7.2v supply) clipped on the rear. Tap the read link for a pictorial look at the build and final product.[Thanks, Adam]
Video: How-to guide for making your Nintendo 64 portable
Revision3's own Daniel just couldn't sit idly by watching portable N64 after portable N64 pass him by while doing nothing, so he decided to gut his own console and shove it into a battery-powered unit that can be taken practically anywhere. Sure, it's one thing to read through a step-by-step guide that you barely understand, but it's another to see the whole process broken down for you on video. Check the read link for the perfect holiday project, and yes, you can actually play the re-gift card here and not got scorned.
Modder haphazardly shoves an N64 into a Wii shell
We'll be frank -- there's nothing particularly elegant about the Wii64, but it is unique, so we just have to pay attention. Without any rhyme or reason, this here modder decided it best to gut the internals of his Wii and replace them with the innards of an N64. Of course, he could've just referenced someone else's work for getting an N64 controller to play nice with Nintendo's latest, but we suspect that just wasn't the itch he was trying to scratch. The current bid is just $49.99, so those intrigued enough to actually have it shipped to their house can bid away.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Some guy put a Nintendo 64 in his Wii
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Presenting_the_Wii_64'; Why? NOBODY KNOWS. Maybe he desperately misses the days of blowing in slots. Whatever reasons he had, this is now up on eBay, with bidding starting at $49.99. The auction notes that the mod is "100% working!" (uh ... good?) and that the Wii's blue lights still illuminate when it's switched on, which we have to admit is kind of neat. Also, the seller calls it a "Wii64." Hmm. See more of this peculiar beast past the break, and more illustrious Wii mods here.%Gallery-31020%
Mario Golf, Shining Force II swing their armaments on Virtual Console
What's better than playing golf with your favorite Nintendo characters in the comfort of your own imagination? Wielding a sword and playing a character named "Bowie," of course! Mario Golf (Nintendo 64, 1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points): Arguably the best in the Mario Golf series and certainly one of the cheapest. It just makes us wonder why Nintendo hasn't slapped together its cast of characters into a Wii golf game yet. Shining Force II (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): You've got a sword in a fantasy medieval setting that rewards you for swinging said blade at others. Also, did we mention your main character is named Bowie? To jog your memory, we've embedded videos of each title after the break.
Banjo-Kazooie XBLA remake dated for Nov 26, sequel in 2009 [update]
Microsoft today released -- and promptly pulled -- a press release via Gamerscore blog (original link; via TeamXbox) announcing that the Banjo-Kazooie Nintendo 64 remake is coming "exclusively" (i.e. we're guessing no Virtual Console release) to Xbox Live Arcade on November 26 for 1200 ($15). Additionally, Microsoft announced a Banjo-Tooie remake is coming in early 2009. Those who pre-order Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts will get it about two weeks early (the game launches just under two weeks prior on November 14). Achievements in Banjo-Kazooie will unlock content in Nuts and Bolts via the "Stop n Swop" mode. We don't know why Microsoft pulled the press release, but we'll let you know when it's back up. Update: It's back up.
Darth 64 mega-mod results in portable N64 that breathes funny
We wouldn't go so far as to say that the apprentice has become the teacher, but over three years after modder extraordinaire Benjamin Heckendorn crafted his very own portable Nintendo 64, along comes one of his dedicated followers with another take on things. The Darth 64 is easily one of the most convoluted console hacks we've ever seen, utilizing bits and pieces from an N64, PSOne, GameCube and a Lazer Doodle. Somehow or another, hailrazer was able to actually make those seemingly unrelated components work together to form a "handheld" N64 console -- one that's battery powered, no less. Tap the read link for lots more construction pics, and don't forget to bow down upon entering.[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]
Discovered: 64-bit blood on the tracks
It's a shame to see someone ditching their Nintendo 64 on the railroad tracks next to broken dreams and two empty Sprite bottles, especially when there's 17 versions of Rock Band 2 to look forward to.[Thanks, Mike]
Amazon's 17 separate Rock Band 2 listings ... for Nintendo 64
While not as funny as Circuit City's "$10,000" Madden PSP bundle, Amazon has listed every Rock Band 2 game, bundle, peripheral and the Rock Band Track Pack as coming to Nintendo 64. While we were quick to assume this meant an overindulgent revival of the best Nintendo console ever, we quickly came back to reality after we noticed the box shots were showing the correct consoles (Xbox 360, PS3, etc.). Revival averted.%Gallery-29753% [Thanks, Justin!]
Red tape preventing GoldenEye revival
Microsoft wants it. Nintendo wants it. Rare has no control over it. Such is the situation with GoldenEye 007, fondly remembered and much-loved N64 shooter of yesteryear.Speaking to Videogamer.com, Rare senior software engineer Nick Burton said that the bid to bring the eleven-year-old game to either the Virtual Console or Xbox Live Arcade was "locked in this no man's land," and that it was up to the separate license holders to play nice before the greatest Bond game of all time could be made available for download on any service. "The ball's not in anybody at Rare's court really," sighed Burton. "It's squarely in the license holders' courts. It's a shame. There's nothing on LIVE Arcade, there's nothing on Wii."It's not solely about Microsoft or Nintendo reaching an agreement, either -- the revival of GoldenEye also hinges on those who own the license to the game rights now, the parties that have the licence to Bond as an IP, and "umpteen licensees." Man, looks like eBay is still your best bet if you yearn for some RCP-90 action.
Take the 64DD's software line-up into double figures
The 64DD, much like the Neo Geo or the entire Game & Watch range, will probably always have a sort of magical allure to people like us; indeed, we were seconds away from selling our grandmothers when a complete 64DD collection recently appeared on eBay. Now, the above item has been listed on the auction site: a development kit for Nintendo's obsolete N64 add-on.Although we know that the original system sold 15,000 units, we have no idea how many of these were produced, but considering only nine 64DD games were ever released, it can't be that many! Heck, if we had any idea whatsoever how to use this, we could buy it and make the tenth 64DD title! Imagine the possibilities![Update 1: Corrected source][Via GameSniped]
VC Friday: Become a Pokemon Puzzle Master!
Despite their ubiquity, the majority of Pokémon games manage to maintain a high standard, even when they abandon the more traditional Pokémans formula. Pokémon Puzzle League, for example, is one of the best examples of a Pokémon game that isn't a Pokémon game, and is comfortably worth its 1000 Wii Point price tag.A pair of Eikichi Kawasaki-designed Neo Geo titles round off the week in Europe and Australia -- Samurai Shodown is one of the Neo Geo's best fighting games, while Burning Fight is another addition to the already oversubscribed (on the VC, at least) dude-smashing genre. Pokémon Puzzle League -- Nintendo 64 -- 1000 Wii Points Samurai Shodown -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points Burning Fight -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points Footage of all three follows the break!
