Nintendo 64 Classic Edition

[Trinity]

Is it on the way? I sure hope so!

 

More rumors,

 

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/63269/nintendo-64-classic-edition-way/index.html

 

https://hothardware.com/news/n64-classic-edition

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/looks-nintendo-could-release-miniature-173300011.html

 

Just think, Nintendo could announce it's launch anyday now!

 

If so, I'm definitely in!

 

Who else?

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

You know, I'd have scoffed at this not long ago BUT after seeing the recent announcement of the PlayStation Classic, a console that used disc based media I am not as skeptical that there may indeed be some merit to these Nintendo 64 Classic Edition rumors! Pretty sure the RARE titles will be tied up thanks to Microsoft but there could still be some nice titles included. Would love to see one personally ESPECIALLY if they managed to add a previously unreleased title like they did with the Snes classic Mini. N64 emulation is pretty good though I don't think quite up to the levels of Snes / Nes so if they do as as well with it as they did with the Snes / Nes versions that could be very well received.

Edited September 24, 2018 by OldSchoolRetroGamer

[AtariLeaf]

I've never been a big N64 collector. It's a system I tried to like and owned several times and sold several times. However this might be the happy medium for me. I would think it would have some of the best first party titles like Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, the Zelda Games, Starfox, etc. Probably crazy thinking but I'd love it to have Robotron 64. I don't know if the rumors are true but I'd have to think this will be a thing sooner or later.

[Video]

I'd love to get fzero again, I mean, I got it still, but the 64 was my favorite, and this would be a good opportunity for Nintendo to give us the 64dd tracks that I lusted over bitd.

 

Unfortunately, many of the best games in that system, are rare games, so they start with a lot of wind already knocked out of them.

[derFunkenstein]

For an N64 mini, I think you need to start with the list of Virtual Console games and add in anything released on Wii U. It wouldn't be the entire list of games, but 20 or so of those.

 

That's a pretty decent list of games for the system, honestly.

[Rick Dangerous]

I'll snap up a couple probably. Big N64 fan and collector.

 

I'd hope to hack it and have the best of the best on the system.

[Bubsy3000]

I'm actually curious what the game list could be.

 

With Midway dead, and NR having no interest in going back to old Cruis'n, that likely won't be on the list. In fact, it's likely none of the Midway games will be on the list.

 

Rare is likely out, as well as licensed games, THQ games, and software that used the Gameboy.

 

So that leaves us with:

 

1. SM64

2. OoT

3. F-Zero

4. Star Fox

5. Wave Race

6. RE2?

7. Smash

8. Turok

9. Mario Kart

10. Paper Mario

 

 

I know there's some guys that like games like Winback but since the classic machines are supposed to be nostalgic, are there actually ten more games that a lot of people would care about on the N64? That they would go "Wow I remember that, That was popular back in the day?"

 

Because without Gameboy compatible games, THQ games, Midway games, and Rare games, I'm not entirely sure how this list would play out. We also must keep in mind that the classic series are sold as family-friendly nostalgia devices as well so M rated games are not likely to make the cut. In fact, I likely made a mistake including Turok and RE2. I think Turok might be on the line.

 

Looking at the best sellers list, there's Kirby 64, Mario Golf, Pilot Wings, Yoshis Story, and Mario Party. But that wouldn't really make the list exceptional. If Nintendo could get the license for Star Wars they could get some more stuff, but otherwise I'm not sure how the list would turn out.

Edited September 26, 2018 by Bubsy3000

[Gamemoose]

Turok was done by Acclaim and based on the comic license so that might be up the crick as well.

 

Mario Party (whichever one) and Excitebike 64 would be welcome additions gor multiplayer. Could Nintendo get away with putting out DK 64 or Diddy Kong Racing (their characters but Rare developed the game)? Don't forget Majora's Mask as well.

[Bubsy3000]

Issue with Mario Party is that those were Hudson games and Konami brought Hudson, and then quickly killed it.

 

I think an N64 classic with 20 games will be hard without throwing in some lesser titles. A lot of the N64's biggest games are tied up and Rare being commonly said to be the second best developer, can't be on it. I'm sure when the complete list is up everyone will be asking where GoldenEye or Banjo is.

Edited September 26, 2018 by Bubsy3000

[derFunkenstein]

Issue with Mario Party is that those were Hudson games and Konami brought Hudson, and then quickly killed it.

 

Konami had Castlevania and Contra games on both the SNES and NES mini. I'm sure they'd license Hudson games if Nintendo wanted them. The fact that they haven't yet doesn't mean anything for the future, I don't believe.

 

I also don't believe this thing exists until it's announced. At that point I'll change my tune.

Edited September 26, 2018 by derFunkenstein

[digdugnate]

i was already in my 20s when i had an N64, so i only remember Mario 64, LoZ:OOT, LoZ:MM, and maybe one or two other games. I'm not sure personally if I would be interested or not.

[+GoldenWheels]

If they make an N64 mini, they could probably put Glover and Bubsy on it and sell one gajillion units. It's Nintendo.

[Eltigro]

I don't know about Rare games not being on there... I mean, Donkey Kong Country was on the SNES CE... It was developed by Rare but published by Nintendo, right?

 

Something I thought was interesting... On Wikipedia (I know it's not the most reliable of sources, but...) it has the developer as Rare. But on Nintendo's website, they list the developer as Nintendo. What gives? I know Rare belongs to Microsoft now, but Donkey Kong is a Nintendo character, so maybe that's how they got around it? Anyway, it might be something to look at...

[derFunkenstein]

I don't know about Rare games not being on there... I mean, Donkey Kong Country was on the SNES CE... It was developed by Rare but published by Nintendo, right?

 

Something I thought was interesting... On Wikipedia (I know it's not the most reliable of sources, but...) it has the developer as Rare. But on Nintendo's website, they list the developer as Nintendo. What gives? I know Rare belongs to Microsoft now, but Donkey Kong is a Nintendo character, so maybe that's how they got around it? Anyway, it might be something to look at...

Then they could publish DK64 and Diddy Kong Racing, but not GoldenEye. That's not a Nintendo property.

[Punisher5.0]

I don't know about Rare games not being on there... I mean, Donkey Kong Country was on the SNES CE... It was developed by Rare but published by Nintendo, right?

 

Something I thought was interesting... On Wikipedia (I know it's not the most reliable of sources, but...) it has the developer as Rare. But on Nintendo's website, they list the developer as Nintendo. What gives? I know Rare belongs to Microsoft now, but Donkey Kong is a Nintendo character, so maybe that's how they got around it? Anyway, it might be something to look at...

Rare definitely made the DKC series

[Bubsy3000]

Then they could publish DK64 and Diddy Kong Racing, but not GoldenEye. That's not a Nintendo property.

Knowing Nintendo we shouldn't expect more than 2-3 racing games. With MK and F-zero now sure they'll bother with DKR. Especially since if I recall one reason Nintendo had issues porting it was because Nintendo couldn't optimize the coding. Which is why the DS release was also developed by Rare.

 

Konami had Castlevania and Contra games on both the SNES and NES mini. I'm sure they'd license Hudson games if Nintendo wanted them. The fact that they haven't yet doesn't mean anything for the future, I don't believe. I also don't believe this thing exists until it's announced. At that point I'll change my tune.

Difference is Konami has ported those games many times, Bomber Man R on switch is like the first time they've used a Hudson property for anything since they brought them other than keeping the already publiched VC games up on the wii.

 

If they make an N64 mini, they could probably put Glover and Bubsy on it and sell one gajillion units. It's Nintendo.

I'm sure thats what they said when the N64 and Gamecube got clobbered, it's Nintendo. :)Also Bubsy wasn't on the N64. but Quest 64 would be a game of similar calibur. Unfortunately even that is a THQ game.

[+GoldenWheels]

 

I'm sure thats what they said when the N64 and Gamecube got clobbered, it's Nintendo. Also Bubsy wasn't on the N64. but Quest 64 would be a game of similar calibur. Unfortunately even that is a THQ game.

 

 

Yeah but those old systems don't run on nostalgia fuel, and these do, which Nintendo owns the derricks and refinery process for. Really a totally different situation.

 

True on Bubsy but I was just trying to think of crappy games....maybe I should have said Gex or something.

[+GoldenWheels]

Also, just for you-know-whats and giggles, this would be my list:

 

Mario 64
Mario Golf
Mario Tennis
Mario Kart
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Paper Mario
Super Smash Bros
Donkey Kong 64
Diddy Kong Racing
Yoshi’s Story
Wave Race 64
Star Fox 64
Excitebike 64
1080 Snowboarding
Pokemon Puzzle League
Pokemon Stadium
Pilotwings 64
F-Zero X
Dr. Mario 64

 

If they can't get DK due to Rares involvement, they could always throw Pokemon Snap and Stadium 2 on there. I don't think filling out a 20 game line up is so hard here....in fact I think it's more obvious on it's face than any plug and play so far, due to the shallowness of the library.

[Bubsy3000]

Also, just for you-know-whats and giggles, this would be my list:

 

Mario 64

Mario Golf

Mario Tennis

Mario Kart

Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Paper Mario

Super Smash Bros

Donkey Kong 64

Diddy Kong Racing

Yoshi’s Story

Wave Race 64

Star Fox 64

Excitebike 64

1080 Snowboarding

Pokemon Puzzle League

Pokemon Stadium

Pilotwings 64

F-Zero X

Dr. Mario 64

 

If they can't get DK due to Rares involvement, they could always throw Pokemon Snap and Stadium 2 on there. I don't think filling out a 20 game line up is so hard here....in fact I think it's more obvious on it's face than any plug and play so far, due to the shallowness of the library.

The problem with Stadium 1 and 2 is that most of their key features involve using a Game Boy, so it wouldn't make much sense on an N64 classic imo.

 

Another thing to consider is that Nintendo wants to sell as many N64 classics as possible and that involves including several games that many people played and remember from the N64.

 

I think Nintendo should maybe allow some rated M games to get the N64 list up to snuff.

[+GoldenWheels]

The problem with Stadium 1 and 2 is that most of their key features involve using a Game Boy, so it wouldn't make much sense on an N64 classic imo.

 

Another thing to consider is that Nintendo wants to sell as many N64 classics as possible and that involves including several games that many people played and remember from the N64.

 

I think Nintendo should maybe allow some rated M games to get the N64 list up to snuff.

 

I think that's way less of an issue nowadays honestly...M back then (short maybe Conker with the language) seems practically quaint in comparison to M today. Hopefully even Big N would see that.

 

With Pokemon Stadium, sure, but replace Stadium with Snap, you're still at 20 games. To me it's pretty easy to see the lineup for this thing. Of course, without Goldeneye, I agree, the inevitable lament is...where's Goldeneye??? Funny thing to have a Nintendo system which seems almost defined by a NON Nintendo game. Probably can't say that about any other N-system.

[Bubsy3000]

 

I think that's way less of an issue nowadays honestly...M back then (short maybe Conker with the language) seems practically quaint in comparison to M today. Hopefully even Big N would see that.

 

With Pokemon Stadium, sure, but replace Stadium with Snap, you're still at 20 games. To me it's pretty easy to see the lineup for this thing. Of course, without Goldeneye, I agree, the inevitable lament is...where's Goldeneye??? Funny thing to have a Nintendo system which seems almost defined by a NON Nintendo game. Probably can't say that about any other N-system.

It's the game that saved the N64, without it, or the other Rare games not buy Nintendo, and Midway, N64 may have sold only a few million in NA and became Nintendos largest console flop.

 

I do understand the 20 game listing isn't hard, but it is when the point is to appeal to peoples nostalgia. Especially since the US market is the only one where the N64 was a great success. So they'll need to try and allow some M rated games like Turok and RE2 on their.

 

MK4 is another big one.

Edited September 27, 2018 by Bubsy3000

[+GoldenWheels]

It's the game that saved the N64, without it, or the other Rare games not buy Nintendo, and Midway, N64 may have sold only a few million in NA and became Nintendos largest console flop.

 

I do understand the 20 game listing isn't hard, but it is when the point is to appeal to peoples nostalgia. Especially since the US market is the only one where the N64 was a great success. So they'll need to try and allow some M rated games like Turok and RE2 on their.

 

MK4 is another big one.

 

I could see Turok, just because it was so big for the 64...but MK4? I could never bring myself to play fighting games on the 64 back in the day due to the controller. Maybe I missed out (god knows I can do pinpoint timing and moves with the THQ wrestling games using it) but it just seemed a bad fit. And why do Mk4 instead of Trilogy?

[Bubsy3000]

 

I could see Turok, just because it was so big for the 64...but MK4? I could never bring myself to play fighting games on the 64 back in the day due to the controller. Maybe I missed out (god knows I can do pinpoint timing and moves with the THQ wrestling games using it) but it just seemed a bad fit. And why do Mk4 instead of Trilogy?

I'm not talking about game controls on the N64, that was iffy, but MK4 was a big game, and visually it would look less violent than Trilogy due to the block graphics.

 

Another good reason to include it is because the new MKX is basically a retelling of Mk4.

Edited September 27, 2018 by Bubsy3000

[Gamemoose]

This just popped into mind: what about any Japanese games?

 

Animal Forest (with language pack)

Sin and Punishment (was on VC)

Virtual Pro Wrestling 64 (a pipe dream maybe I know names are changed, did this have some sort of licensing with Japanese wrestlers and were WCW wrestlers officially licensed?)

 

If Nintendo has some sort of ability to legally release Rare developed games that used Nintendo property, what about Killer Instinct?

Edited September 27, 2018 by Gamemoose

[carlsson]

The reference to games released on Virtual Console probably is relevant. As mentioned elsewhere, a Raspberry Pi 3+ is struggling to emulate Nintendo 64 in full. Some games work, some will be total headache. As the hardware in the NES/SNES mini has been using Cortex cores just like the Pi (slightly different hardware though), unless Nintendo finds some magic supplier of much more powerful boards, they would have to cherry pick games that runs on the hardware with the given emulation, like things previously on VC.

 

Indeed it is also said the N64 emulation on RPi is lacking and based on OpenGL routines the hardware can't properly handle so perhaps if Nintendo have their own emulation they can utilize the hardware better, but it seems even more here than for the previous systems (including the PS1 Classic just announced) that one can't expect everything to run on the N64 mini.