The Launch of the N64

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

I was reviewing at the time and Nintendo sent me it just before launch.

I remember putting it on in my flat and sitting stunned at Mario and Goldeneye.

Free and amazing. One of the best days of my life!

GoldenEye wasn't a launch-title, was it?

[pulsemyne]

Hehe unlike most people my first experience of the N64 was through a jap version of pilotwings. It was the same day as a job interview and I knew that a local import store was setting up a demo pod of a Jap n64 and mario 64/pilotwings. After the interview I went to the store and was slightly disappointed that pilotwings was on, but I got a chance to play it and loved it. 650 quid for a jap one was a bit much and so I decided to wait for the PAL version. Anyway about one week for the PAL launch I decided I could afford one with mario 64. I just about managed to get hold of a PAL n64 for launch day. I got up at 9 in the morning to go and get it and felt like cheese walking through town with an N64 under my arm. A few hours of mario 64 passed by and everything was truely right with the world. I became truely hardcore.

The best bargain I ever got was getting hold of a US copy of goldeneye in mint condition for 40 quid about a week after it came out. Some twat traded it in. Superb stuff and it nearly destroyed my entire student life.

[The happiest girl in the world]

I was reviewing at the time and Nintendo sent me it just before launch.

I remember putting it on in my flat and sitting stunned at Mario and Goldeneye.

Free and amazing. One of the best days of my life!

GoldenEye wasn't a launch-title, was it?

No. I smell a rat.

[nohsa]

I was too busy with my PSX. But I had to buy it later.

[DarhkFox]

I got mine on April 12th 1997. A couple of weeks after it had launched. I think i paid about £220 for it including Mario 64. I loved the game, but was a bit annoyed when 1 month later the price dropped to £150. Nintendo started giving copies of Mario Kart away to the people who bought the console at launch, but they run out and gave me a controller instead. Ah well better than nothing.

I dont think I got many games that year. I remember getting diddy kong racing and falling in love with it. Best kart game ever =)

[Hitcher]

I was lucky enough to know someone who worked at Nintendo in Eastleigh - not only did she get me it cheaper I also had it way before launch.

[Landshead]

I dont think I got many games that year. I remember getting diddy kong racing and falling in love with it. Best kart game ever =)

Diddy kong racing is one of my fave games ever. I was playing the snow levels last night....So christmassy

[amc]

Yes I paid 90.00(95.00 actually) for Turok from Torc software and 89.00 for Pilotwings 64. Although I'd never pay such a silly amount for a game again I think the value for money factor I got from those early N64 imports where worth every penny. It was the start os some truely amazing 3d coupled with fabulous gameplay and to me the N64 at its launch and its later deliveries were magic.

Funny fact after the 10/10 in Edge I still wasnt tempted by an import N64 and mario but watching a challenge on Gamesmaster using Mario64 and hearing the guy playing saying it was the best 600.00 he ever spent I reached for the old visa and eagerly got myself into 9 months of debt.

Oh how I laughed when I saw Mario64 running all squashed and slower on a UK machine nearly a year after I imported.It nearly vindicated my absolutley rediculous spending on my import N64.

I still love games but they were heady days.

[stellar12]

I was reviewing at the time and Nintendo sent me it just before launch.

I remember putting it on in my flat and sitting stunned at Mario and Goldeneye.

Free and amazing. One of the best days of my life!

GoldenEye wasn't a launch-title, was it?

Nope. Didn't come out for a while after the N64 launched.

[Jim Miles]

I was reviewing at the time and Nintendo sent me it just before launch.

I remember putting it on in my flat and sitting stunned at Mario and Goldeneye.

Free and amazing. One of the best days of my life!

GoldenEye wasn't a launch-title, was it?

Nope. Didn't come out for a while after the N64 launched.

That's what I was thinking. Maybe he had a preview copy or is misremembering.

[JPickford (retired mod)]

I was lucky enough to be at the actual N64 launch in Tokyo - Shoshinkai Show Nov '95.

Mario 64 was a TOTAL surprise. There was no advanced PR about it, nobody especially even expected a Mario game. My company were working on a game for Nintendo at the time (what eventually became Mario Paint for the DD drive).

Apparently several Sony execs were claiming that Mario wasn't running on the N64 but on some high-end workstations hidden away.

[Phelan]

Doh!! No I got my pleasure time mixed up.

I just have that many memories of Goldeneye that I forgot it was later!!

No preview copy although I did get it before it was officially out.

Has it been that long??!

[Salsa Party Animal]

If no one news about Mario 64 in advance, I hope there will be loads of sursprise coming in new year for Gamecube as we doesn't know what Nintendo is planning to develop apart from Pimkin II

[The Liberal Elite]

I was reviewing at the time and Nintendo sent me it just before launch.

I remember putting it on in my flat and sitting stunned at Mario and Goldeneye.

Free and amazing. One of the best days of my life!

GoldenEye wasn't a launch-title, was it?

No. I smell a rat.

no - it was also delivered by the Queen.

[DJ Sack]

I was lucky enough to be at the actual N64 launch in Tokyo - Shoshinkai Show Nov '95.

Mario 64 was a TOTAL surprise. There was no advanced PR about it, nobody especially even expected a Mario game. My company were working on a game for Nintendo at the time (what eventually became Mario Paint for the DD drive).

Apparently several Sony execs were claiming that Mario wasn't running on the N64 but on some high-end workstations hidden away.

Did people just expect the n64 with the other launch games but no mario 64? As over here it was mentioned every second mario 64 was going to launch with the jap machine.

[JPickford (retired mod)]

I was lucky enough to be at the actual N64 launch in Tokyo - Shoshinkai Show Nov '95.

Mario 64 was a TOTAL surprise.  There was no advanced PR about it,  nobody especially even expected a Mario game.    My company were working on a game for Nintendo at the time (what eventually became Mario Paint for the DD drive).

Apparently several Sony execs were claiming that Mario wasn't running on the N64 but on some high-end workstations hidden away.

Did people just expect the n64 with the other launch games but no mario 64? As over here it was mentioned every second mario 64 was going to launch with the jap machine.

This was WAY before anyone mentioned Mario 64. Nobody had heard of it. Lots of other games had been announced but at that point there had been no mention of Mario. What you are talking about is the buzz AFTER Shoshinkai '95.

[NEG]

Hmm...lets see. I was still playing on my Mega Drive at the time. In fact...I think it was gunstar heroes. Being the mad sonic fan I am, this felt oh so great and alike in a way I never thught possible.

But er...thats a different story.

One day I while I was playing, mum took me to grans. There in front of the tv was a giant red and blue fat plumber staring at me at what seemed a huge tv. I just stood there and drooled at what the hell it is. Probably good to note I didn't read games mags back then, didn't get the saturn and thought the PS was some rip-off sony were trying to attempt.

My uncle, knowing I liked games gave me the controller. Like many I just tested things. Jumping around outside the castle. It was like playing video games for the first time all over again, and falling in love all over again.

My family being quite big, cousins came to visit my gran oh so more often suddenly. Each of us taking turns at getting stars, wondering where they are, which button does the long jump again. I in particuler tried to go every damn day.

The wing cap, bowser, the sub, the monster, the paintings, music, big clock, goombas. The way solving every new little star gave us a smile.

The final Bowser battle apparently took my uncles all night to do, dying and dying but never giving up. Dad slightly remarked when he saw it "Man...this looks better then sonic!".

Oh yes, he also did get turok and a memory card for god knows how much. But that was played at what seemed "the after hours". I liked the jungle music, plus the disco cheat on. Much fun. But nothing was near the mario experence.

Got my 64 shortly after. Begun collecting N64 Magazine from issue 1. And for quite a few months I only had mario. But shortly followed kart, and many more years of classic gaming.

Ah...now if only something like that can have the same shock as now.

Pokemon was quite shocking for what seemed at the time a limited and dying console. But not as close prehaps.

( NEG )

[Guybrush]

Having never had a console before (working my way through the home computers instead: Spectrum,C64,Amiga) I got the N64 with Mario 64 on Christmas - I'm presuming 1997.

And oh my. Turning on Mario 64 for the first time. The graphics were joyful. Everybody must have spent at least 10 minutes just running around outside Peach's Castle and the freedom the game gave you compared to what was the norm until that point.

An utterly captivating and amazing experience, and it pains me to think that the kind of enthusiasm shown for the first generation of "3d" consoles will never be seen again. We're all too used to games looking great now, that this is expected. (Although I must add that the cel shading cartoon style of Wind Waker makes me smile lots)

But as someone else said - Heady days. Heady days indeed.

[Keyboard Koala]

Oh man, this thread almost brought tears to me eyes...

Ah well, tempus fugit, I guess.

[pulsemyne]

i think the biggest surprise for me was the total transformation of Waverace. Very radical change in the game. I wasn't that hyped for the game but I bought it and took it home, switched it on and fell in love. What a fucking great game. The waves still look great to this day (although the PAL version was a bit ropey). I think the N64 will be plugged back in later on, thats the mark of a truely great console.

[sandman]

Can't recall much about launch, except thinking it was way to pricey and didn't have many games. I do recall people saying Mario 64 would be one of the best/most important games of all time ages before it was even released in Japan.

I can recall deciding to get one while in the shower. I had a bit of dosh for my birthday and decided to trade in Time Crisis. I got the £100 pack with Goldeneye, paying around £70. And I never looked back, Nintendos finest hour IMO.

[JPickford (retired mod)]

Can't recall much about launch, except thinking it was way to pricey and didn't have many games. I do recall people saying Mario 64 would be one of the best/most important games of all time ages before it was even released in Japan.

I can recall deciding to get one while in the shower. I had a bit of dosh for my birthday and decided to trade in Time Crisis. I got the £100 pack with Goldeneye, paying around £70. And I never looked back, Nintendos finest hour IMO.

To clarify, I'm talking about Nov '95 WAAY before release in japan. The 'launch' was where it was shown to the industry\press\public for the first time. Before that there was NO talk of Mario 64 cos it hadn't been announced.

[Barnard]

I bought mne on the day of release, i had to get mine from Argos as all the other shops in the town centre had sold out.

I bought Mario and Pilotwings on that day also, Pilotwings though didn't get as much attention as it should have.

I think Mario had something to do with that.

A month later the price dropped by a hundred pounds, i wrote a strongly worded letter to Nintendo and suprisingly enough nothing came of it.

The only time Nintendo ever contacted me was to send me a box to send my power supply back to them for a replacement, i never bothered though.

Does anyone know what was wrong with N64s power supply? Will mine blow up someday?

[iloverage]

I've never ever touched a N64 pad.

[Pete]

the day i got it and played fecility is my second fav gaming day, just behind playing oot for the first time.

the N64 really was special. and who can forget the beginning to the fecility level? with the dude on the toilet. just like the film, genius. ah, memories.

[Beertiger]

Just remember folks Goldeneye was truely great, at the time that is. Playing through recently on 00 Agent reveals a different story.

[ryodi]

Just remember folks Goldeneye was truely great, at the time that is. Playing through recently on 00 Agent reveals a different story.

To be fair the FPS has seen a lot of evolution since Goldeneye was released. Whereas Mario 64 still stands up as the 3D platformer has only evolved as far as a boring collectathon in seemingly all recent examples.

[Muttnicks]

got mine when it was £60 quid with a game(around the time the DC came out that christmas i think) got mario 64, buck bumble and a football game, liked mario loved buck bumble and the football game was ok, but then about a month later i sold it to get a Dreamcast, never thought much about the n64 untill yesterday when i picked one up in gamestation with 9 games for around £26 , just need to get all the game i missed now, goldeneye, banjo, mario etc.

looking at it now the graphics arn't that good but( wrestle mania 2000 )

[CurryKitten]

Before the N64, I'd owned a Megadrive and a Snes but had got rid of them a few years before and was just playing on the PC, but I followed the hype surrounding the N64 with a friend at work gleaming tiny little bits of info comparing notes.

After the Japanese launch I heard a shop in town had an import machine so made a special trip in to have a look. I stood there 20 minutes transfixed - although I had seen still images of Mario 64, I just had no idea how breathtaking it would look.

I bought it about 2 weeks after launch - mainly because I was off getting married at the time, but paid my full whack of £250, then another £50 for Mario and another £50 again for pilot wings. During the months that followed £50 sounded quite cheap for a game, I regularly paid £59.99 for anything 3rd party.

It was a really fantastic time, after Mario and Pilotwings, Waverace came along which I still love. Many happy memories, my N64 is still sitting on my console shelf plugged in, and Mario Tennis is still heavily played at 4 player nights