The History of the N64-Part 1-1995-1997

Released on June 23rd, 1996, the Nintendo 64 (N64) is considered by many to be the last truly great Nintendo home console. Coming off the heels of the immensely successful Super Famicom/Super Nintendo, hype and expectations were high. With the Sega Saturn and Playstation already in home arounds the world, Nintendo had a lot of catching up to do.

The story of the N64 begins with Nintendo's partnership with American company Silicon Graphics (SGI). In 1993, SGI successful marketed the hardware to Nintendo for what would soon become the N64. SGI also helped Nintendo and Rare develop the hardware needed for the arcade game "Killer Instinct" in 1994. Killer Instinct's arcade internals would later share quite a lot with the N64 itself. SGI would later go bankrupt, but certainly they had a fruitful relationship with Nintendo for many years.

The launch of a new Nintendo console usually brings excitement for a new Mario title. The N64 was no exception. With much fanfare, the N64 launched with Super Mario 64. Mario 64 refined 3D platforming in a way that had never been done before. Every button on the N64 controller had some use for controlling Mario. Graphics were easily the best seen on any console to date, and the music and level design were incredible. The game moved units and was an early smash for the N64. Now twenty years old, the game is still regarded and one of Nintendo's finest moments. The best-selling title on the N64, it would be hard to find a better 3D platforming game.

Throughout 1996, a fairly decent amount of titles would see release. Pilotwings 64 and Waverace 64 both sold quite well and proved that Nintendo games were still the best reason to own a Nintendo console. However, it would be Mario Kart 64 that would be the second true home-run on the N64. Released in December 1996 in Japan, Mario Kart 64 took the beloved SNES/SFC original and added polygons. Keep the same core gameplay as the original, the game was an instant hit and solidified the popularity of the series. 4-player action was legendary. Even today, it remains an N64 favorite.

With sales at a steady pace at home and abroad (not even close to PS1, however) through 1996 and 1997, the long wait for the next Zelda game began. Fans of sports games would have plenty to whet their appetites at this time. Countless sports games saw release through 1997-1998 on the N64. For the growing FPS genre, Goldeneye and Doom 64 would both see release in 1997. The latter is regarded as one of the finest games ever released, although reception to the game was not as strong in Japan as it was in the West. For the Japanese public, excitement was high for Starfox 64. Released in summer 1997, the game was an international hit. Regarded by many as the best entry in the series to date, it made extensive use of the rumble pak accessory in game-play. Despite its success, the N64's greatest triumph was to come in 1998......

-To be continued in Part 2