[ Retro Scan of the Week ] Nintendo 64 Launch
September 28th, 2009 by Benj Edwards
Only if you want the best!! !! — !!
Thirteen years ago this Tuesday, Nintendo launched the Nintendo 64 video game console in North America. That’s right: it was on the 29th, despite the “September 30th” that this ad boldly proclaims. After this ad was published, Nintendo moved the launch date a day back from a Monday to a Sunday (supposedly to prevent people from skipping work or school to buy the system, although I haven’t confirmed that).
It seems more likely to me that Nintendo realized a larger number of people would actually be able queue up for a system (or simply just go to the store and buy it) on their day off. Stronger opening day sales numbers were (and still are) important to console makers because they meant not only more press coverage, but also more license for ecstatic gloating and self-aggrandizement from the company’s PR department. If you hadn’t noticed already, hyperbolic show and bluster were dominating themes in 1990s American video game marketing.
Either way, dinosaurs did fly, and an enormous Stay-Puft Mario carelessly wiped western Europe off the map with his spinning boot heel. Fun was had by all.
Discussion topic of the week: What’s your favorite Nintendo 64 game of all time?
September 28th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
No Mercy 64. Every year I hope for an update to the wrestling classic. Every year I am disappointed.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
My favorite n64 game is “smash it with a hammer 64(times)”. I have no use for that machine, its blurry graphics, or its alien controller.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
God, it’s so hard to pick, I had so much fun with so many N64 games. I think I might go out on a limb and call Waverace my favorite, though. It’s still fun to this day!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Well, i only every owned five games for the system, but of them, I’m going to have to be boring and say Ocarina of Time.
September 28th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Uhhh…I’d have to say the original Super Smash Bros and Super Mario 64
September 28th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
It’s a toss-up between The New Tetris (I’m a tetris addict, even to this day), and Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (Even though I was hoping it would be similar to the X-Wing series, it was still rather fun). Runner-up would be Perfect Dark. I spent hours playing deathmatch with 2 friends of mine.
September 29th, 2009 at 8:23 am
It’s a toss-up between Goldeneye 64 and BattleTanx: Global Assault…
September 29th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Ocarina of Time and Mario 64. I don’t care if it’s obvious. =)
September 29th, 2009 at 8:48 am
I played Super Mario 64 until I got all 120 coins so that one was pretty fun, but my favorite was Goldeneye. My freshman year of college consisted of playing that game every night with my dormmates.
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September 29th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Goldeneye.
It was played for hours every night. The N64 was basically bathed in beer and gin, yet continued to run without fail.
It is difficult to explain to those who didn’t experience college life in the late 90’s. “Bond” was THE GAME at every kegger, every Frat part and every dorm room. Sure, Mario Cart and Smash Bros was played, but Bond was hands down the most popular game of the time.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
All I can claim as a favorite is Super Mario 64, it’s one of two games I actually completed on N64. The other being Doom 64. Turned out Final Fantasy was going Sony, so did I.
October 1st, 2009 at 6:42 am
Command & Conquer on N64 was, and still is my favorite. It was my first C&C game, and now I play most of the games in the series on a regular basis. A close second for my favorite is probably Rogue Squadron or Super Smash Brothers. Classic console.
October 1st, 2009 at 2:42 pm
1. Super Mario 64
2. Ocarina
3. Mario Kart 64.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Super Mario 64 was amazingly epic back then. I guess it still is!
September 29th, 2010 at 8:09 am
My top 3 for the N64…Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64/Goldeneye(tie)
February 17th, 2013 at 10:14 am
I’m going o be a bit obvious and choose Mario kart 64, ocarina of time, shadows of the empire, and goldeneye