Archive for the ‘N64’ Category
The Secrets of Donkey Kong 64
March 13th, 2008 by Sean R.
Ok, so you have your copy of Donkey Kong 64, the yellow collectors edition, complete with included expansion pak as seen below with my personal copy:
You have started to explore the vast levels, and you may have collected some strange items. What do those fairies do? What about the blueprints?
Spoiler Alert
If you don’t want to find out how to unlock some of Donkey Kong 64’s cool hidden modes and mini-games, stop reading now. Read the rest of this entry…
Nintendo 64: Diddy Kong Racing
March 9th, 2008 by Sean R.
Diddy Kong Racing takes the outstanding gameplay of Mario Kart and expands upon it in a number of ways. In addition to cars, you can also race planes and hovercraft!
The tracks feature tropical islands, snowy mountains, and even a prehistoric world. These scenic courses are well-designed and mercifully short, allowing for quick, action-packed races.
Diddy Kong’s graphics and frame-rate are gorgeously smooth, and the waterfalls and snow drifts look particularly appealing.
The airplanes handle surprisingly well, but I found the hovercrafts a bit sensitive when it comes to turning.
A single-player adventure mode lets you unlock tracks to use in the multiplayer modes, and it’s madly addictive but never frustrating.
Catchy tunes play throughout the races, including a few that sound like Christmas carols in the snow stages.
With exciting racing action that places fun over realism, Diddy Kong Racing is a top-notch title for the Nintendo 64.
Nintendo 64 Boxed - The Fun Machine
March 6th, 2008 by Sean R.
A couple weeks ago I posted about receiving a boxed Sega Genesis II system and two days ago I did another trade with a local gamer.
I traded two super clean SNES systems for… if you haven’t already figured it out by the post title, a Nintendo 64, in the box, complete with everything it came with brand new:
This whole boxed system is so nice. The box is almost mint, both controllers, the grey and the atomic purple look and work like brand new, the foam insert is even nice. The AV cables, power adapter, etc are also very clean.
Here’s the kicker… everything in the box still has the original bags around each item. Even the instruction manual has a Nintendo bag. I haven’t seen a boxed system like this since they came out in 1996.
I’m not completely sure what I’ll do with this system. I already have two personal Nintendo 64 machines (original grey and Jungle Green), so maybe I’ll bundle it with a bunch of N64 games and sell it as a package.
If you’ve got some suggestions, let me know. If you or a friend wants a super nice Nintendo 64 system, let me know. The trade value was $75.00 USD, so of course I wouldn’t take less then that for it.
Wave Race 64
March 5th, 2008 by Sean R.
With its simple gameplay, beautiful scenery, and superb water effects, Wave Race 64 is one of the most appealing titles available for the Nintendo 64.
Its eight distinctive courses include a sunny beach, a serene lake, and an industrial port. There’s even a “sunset” course where you race on an ocean of orange Kool-Aid!
The choppiness of the water varies between courses, and hitting a large wave at the right angle can send you high in the air.
Wave Race’s foamy water and splashing sound effects are so realistic that you can almost smell of the salty water of the beach and the raw sewage of the port.
The controls are absolutely terrific, and I’m glad because serious skill is required to weave in and out of the colored buoys (miss too many and you’re disqualified).
It’s possible to perform tricks, but they seem a bit pointless really. The one-player championship mode is addictive as hell, and the two-player split screen also very nice.
The main problem with Wave Race 64 is its annoying announcer, who never has anything interesting to say, and will not shut up. Get used to hearing him shout the same words over and over: “Good!! Nice!! O-kay!! Okay!! Maximum Power!! Okay!!”
Despite having a full options menu, there’s no way to shut up that frickin’ idiot. Despite this unfortunate audio flaw, Wave Race is a fantastic water racer and a must-have for all serious Nintendo 64 fans.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
March 3rd, 2008 by Sean R.
Earlier this evening I took a 20 mile (40 miles round trip) adventure to pick up a collectors edition Nintendo 64 “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time”.
The box is in really nice shape. The picture below doesn’t show how shiny gold the box really is… but take my word for it, this thing is really nice:
Of course along with the box, it came with a mint instruction manual and also the collectors edition and rare gold cartridge… and there was much rejoicing… yay!
I’ve wanted this for a while now and as of this evening, it’s all mine… muhahahahaha:
Here is my previous “later released” grey cartridge version. From what I can tell, it has the exact game play. If I’m missing something about that, let me know:
I’ve always enjoyed the Zelda series of games. The Nintendo 64 version is really fun and puts the N64 hardware to the test. I’ll have a full review of the game in the coming weeks.
For now, here’s a little teaser… The game begins with the series’ trademark silent protagonist, Link, in the land of Hyrule. Link sets out on a quest to stop Ganondorf, the Zelda franchise’s prime antagonist, from obtaining the Triforce. To stop Ganondorf, Link travels back and forth between a period of seven years using the titular Ocarina of Time.
For the complete storyline, check out the official Zelda Wiki.
Now off to play some Zelda before I hit the sheets.
Installing the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak
February 27th, 2008 by Recycled Gaming
Doing some research tonight on the Nintendo 64 Memory Expansion Pak, I found this handy tip on Nintendo’s official website.
I’ve archived it here on Recycled Gaming because over the past couple of years, Nintendo has removed a lot of useful classic Nintendo system service information and I want to help preserve it.
Step 1:
Make sure that the power switch on the Nintendo 64 Control Deck is in the OFF position and that the power cord is unplugged from the wall outlet.
Step 2:
Remove the Memory Expansion Cover located on the top of the Nintendo 64 Control Deck and remove the red label. It is okay to remove the existing Jumper Pak when you are replacing it with the Expansion Pak.
Step 3:
Insert the Jumper Pak Ejector Tool into the back of the Jumper Pak and push downward, ejecting the Jumper Pak out of the connector. If you do not have a Jumper Pak Ejector Tool, you may use a small spoon to remove the Jumper Pak. You will need to press firmly.
Step 4:
Insert the Expansion Pak into the Memory Expansion compartment, making sure that it is not loaded backwards. The text on the Expansion Pak should face towards the front of the control deck.
Step 5:
Replace the Memory Expansion Cover on the control deck.
Important Expansion Pak Notes:
Once the Expansion Pak is installed, it is normally not necessary to remove it from the control deck. If you do remove the Expansion Pak, you will need to re-insert the Jumper Pak for your system to operate.
To prevent dust, dirt or other foreign material from falling into the expansion pak compartment, be sure to replace the Memory Expansion Cover after installing the expansion pak.
The N64 Expansion Pak is designed to work with all Nintendo 64 Game Paks, even those which do not use the Expansion features.
The Expansion Pak will become hot while the control deck is on. This is normal. Do not touch any part of the Expansion Pak when the control deck is operating.
Wait one hour after turning the control deck off before touching or removing the Expansion Pak. Do not attach any label or sticker to the Expansion Pak which could block the cooling vents.
Source: Nintendo - Customer Service
Nintendo 64: Namco Museum 64
February 26th, 2008 by Sean R.
Can you really call yourself a ”gamer” if you haven’t played Pac-Man? What about Ms. Pac-Man or Galaga? Have you ever played Dig Dug or Pole Position? Galaxian?
If you haven’t played any of these then you’ve missed out on some of the milestones in gaming.
Namco Museum 64 represents some of the most successful arcade games of all time and anyone who dares to claim the title of a true gamer should have at least played these games.
If you haven’t played them yet, now is the perfect time. While this compilation is mainly geared towards the retro fanatic (like me), this cart has something for everyone. Read the rest of this entry…
Nintendo 64: Bust-A-Move 2 Arcade Edition
February 25th, 2008 by Sean R.
Look up “addictive” in a dictionary of gaming terminology, and you’ll likely find Taito’s Bust A Move 2 listed with other time-wasting puzzle greats such as Baku Baku, Lemmings, and Tetris.
Bust A Move 2 takes its cue from Tetris, replacing the familiar patterned blocks with colored bubbles and letting you make the shots this time.
In the game, the player shoots his or her bubbles up to a cluster of similarly colored bubbles, thereby eliminating that cluster.
Three other variables make this general rule more interesting: a) Anything singularly attached to a “popped” cluster falls into the abyss, and b) Bubbles can be shot from a wide variety of angles and rebounded off walls.
The fact that Bust A Move 2 requires not just strategic thinking, but also sharp aim, is what sets it apart and makes it addictive. Read the rest of this entry…
