The Nintendo 64, considered one of the most relevant consoles in the trajectory of games, celebrated three decades in Brazil last Tuesday, September 29th. This video game holds a special place in the hearts of many Brazilians, being the setting for memories linked to classics such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario Kart 64, and GoldenEye 007.
Nostalgic habits, such as blowing on the tape or gathering friends to play split-screen, are intrinsically linked to this console. Furthermore, the Nintendo 64 was notable for its striking 90s design, including a transparent edition that exposed its internal circuitry, similar to the iMacs of the time.
If the reader identifies as a current gamer, it is likely that the Nintendo 64 contributed to this identity. The console was initially released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and arrived in Brazil on September 29 of the same year.
In 1996, the Nintendo 64 represented a fusion of technological advancements and traditional elements, all wrapped in a unique design. Its hardware was conceived for three-dimensional environments, incorporating features such as perspective correction, anti-aliasing (to mitigate the jagged effect), and texture mapping.
A crucial difference was the inclusion of the analog controller in the box, allowing for gradual and 360-degree movements. Although the controller might have seemed complex initially compared to the joysticks of the time, the immersive visual achieved by rotating 360 degrees in Mario 64 impressed users.
However, Nintendo opted to maintain cartridges, an unusual choice when competitors like PlayStation and Sega Saturn were already adopting CD-ROM. The Big N's physical media allowed for near-instant loading of games and permitted data recording on the Game Pak, although it offered lower storage capacity and increased production costs.
After the success of the NES (known as Nintendinho) and Super Nintendo, the N64 entered an already established market with the PlayStation 1 and Sega Saturn, both featuring CD games and 3D graphics. However, the initial performance was not as expected: in Japan, the console lagged behind its two rivals, registering sales of 5.5 million units.
According to the Den of Geek website, the lack of RPG games was cited as one of the factors contributing to what was classified as a 'failure'. Despite this, the N64 performed well in other markets, especially in the United States, accumulating over 33 million units sold until its discontinuation in 2002.
The Nintendo console featured one of the most peculiar controllers in gaming history: a biosensor integrated into Tetris 64. This accessory required the user to connect it to their ear to monitor their heart rate. When connected, the player had to remain calm to form the pieces ideally; if the sensor detected rapid breathing, the pieces presented configurations that made fitting them difficult. Although some claim the sensor also controlled the speed of the pieces, this functionality was not in the manual.
A particularly rare version of the Nintendo 64 is the Hyundai Comboy 64. This model emerged from a strategic collaboration between Nintendo and the automaker Hyundai to facilitate the introduction of the console in South Korea, following the ban on N64 imports in the country. The project had a short duration, as sales were authorized shortly after the Comboy's manufacturing began. The Consolevariations website assigns this version a rarity score of 79/100.
The social aspect was also relevant, as the Nintendo 64 had four controller ports. At that time, before the rise of streaming, some video rental stores began renting the video game. Young people would gather on weekend afternoons, rent hours of gameplay, and share the console, generating new friendships (and some conflicts).
Games like Pokémon Stadium, designed for multiplayer, allowed for countless combinations for the four participants—or rather, Pokémon trainers—to compete on screen. Another example is the 007 title, which presented the linear narrative of the famous secret agent with missions to complete. However, the main attraction lay in the multiplayer mode, where the screen was divided into quadrants to face rivals on 3D maps (although these were considered poorly elaborated). The image quality on television could be so confusing that it would affect the vision of parents watching their children.
The Nintendo 64 pioneered the worldwide implementation of 64-bit technology, as suggested by its name. In practice, this meant superior processing power and RAM speed compared to other consoles of the time, a fact recognized by the Guinness Book.
At that time, the technology was seen as revolutionary, and the N64 was internally nicknamed 'Project Reality' due to its ability to generate graphics 'close' to reality.
Due to the sentimental value the Nintendo 64 holds among fans, the company relaunched its controller to allow access to classic games available through the Nintendo Switch Online subscription. This service provides a catalog of titles in versions close to the originals, including Super Mario 64, Space Fox 64, GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64, and Ocarina of Time.
The games are accessible through an additional package to the Switch Online subscription. The relaunched controller can be purchased starting from R$ 1,133 in national e-commerce, featuring wireless Bluetooth connection, but functioning exclusively on Nintendo consoles.