Post any time you get ANYTHING retro 3.

[Leon Retro]

Even the main games had some issues bar 1 or 2. The Zelda games suffered from the low res display and washed out look, same went for Star Fox, Pilotwings N64 run at 22 fps and in low res mode and like Wave Race64 (which also never hit 30 fps) had to run in a borded display even on a NTSC system and while F- Zero run at 60 fps (like 2 other N64 games) that was at the cost of any sort of detail on the environment or fancy 3D polygon effects on the Background.

Yeah, there were severe problems with getting N64 games to use lots of textures and also have a high frame rate. There were benefits to the tech, but also severe issues that made development of PS1 sort of action games quite difficult.

Mario 64 was like the only game that never suffered any sort of issues of low res or blurry gfx and that's no doubt because it limited its textures.

I think the tech was designed to run something like Mario 64. So the hardware wasn't very good for detailed games using lots of textures.

But I have to say Nintendo In-House teams and RARE made one look over the issues, becasue the games were so amazing

Yeah, the people who knew how to get the most of the tech, created some really nice games. But there are only a few N64 games that I can still enjoy, most particularly Wave Race 64, F-Zero X, and Star Fox 64.

Ahh, the other 'modern retro' game I was talking about just arrived:

It looks a bit bland and basic, but the music is really nice. At least there's the choice to buy the Steam version for around £5.

I mini N64 is totally worth it as soon as you play a N64 game in emu, the issue of the washed out blurry mess of a display via the N64 is gone

It's strange, because when you make N64 games look really clean and sharp through emulation, the games don't look like you remember them looking, so people might not like the severe difference. I think Nintendo would have to really think about how they are going to present the games. There's something very strange about how N64 games can look when emulated and all the supposed bad points are stripped away.

3D games will always age more and faster.

Well, if anyone goes back to retro machines expecting modern visual quality, they will always be disappointed. You play retro to experience games that look completely different to what you get now. But some people can't find charm in old games, so they just see them all as ugly. I think they're the sort of people who only play high end cutting edge games, so they just want the latest flashiest experiences.

I can go back to something like Jumping Flash and not worry about how rough the game looks now. I sort of get in a retro mood and just appreciate the game's qualities. Some people can't help compare old games to the latest graphical wonders, so they will never be able to appreciate retro gaming.

Draw distance wasnt a N64 strong point really, the N64 had loads of games with heavy use of fogging.

I think it's clear that the tech was designed to run Mario 64. That's the only game that still looks easy on the eye. When developers tried to push beyond what Mario 64 was doing, you ended up making things look uglier and uglier.

This display of the system was pretty poor too and most N64 sounded worst than a Snes game, the lack of dedicated sound hardware was a step backwards.

I love the music in Wave Race, so that proves to me that decent audio could be produced.

[Leon Retro]

I bought one of these after reading lots of positive reviews. I'm happy to report that it does a great job: the image looks around 20% clearer than when using the official Component cable, and it doesn't introduce any noise etc.. to the image. The boost in clarity is very nice.

I tested it with a range of games - from Conker's Bad Fur Day, to PGR2 and DOA3. They all look really good, but don't expect the graphics to suddenly look like a 360 game.

I've read that it works best with the earlier black Xbox models, so be aware of that, as using it with a Crystal machine might result in a noisy image.

[Team Andromeda]

I love the music in Wave Race, so that proves to me that decent audio could be produced.

Golden Eye and Conkers was the best for me. But no sound chip and no CD meant you never got the brilliant music and sound one got from the Saturn and SNES. Hell even Zelda, Pilotwings, F-Zero, Star Fox sounded much better on the Snes imo

Yeah, there were severe problems with getting N64 games to use lots of textures and also have a high frame rate

Yep so many more Saturn and PS games run at a higher res and 60 fps. The N64 was pretty dreadful in those dept

Well, if anyone goes back to retro machines expecting modern visual quality, they will always be disappointed

Yep and 3D more so. Going back to play some of the 360 and PS3 games and they look horrible datded when compared to the current games more so when one is playing on the One X or Pro

I bought one of these after reading lots of positive reviews. I'm happy to report that it does a great job: the image looks around 20% clearer than when using the official Component cable, and it doesn't introduce any noise etc

Its ace and works perfectly and looks fab on the HDMI TV. Love my OG XBox

[Leon Retro]

Golden Eye and Conkers was the best for me. But no sound chip and no CD meant you never got the brilliant music and sound one got from the Saturn and SNES. Hell even Zelda, Pilotwings, F-Zero, Star Fox sounded much better on the Snes imo

Gotta love the SNES sound chip.

Yep so many more Saturn and PS games run at a higher res and 60 fps. The N64 was pretty dreadful in those dept

But those machines couldn't run Mario 64. I really think the N64 was designed for that game - and then clever people managed to get the system to do games in other genres quite well, such GoldenEye and Diddy Kong Racing. But you just didn't get convincing arcade-style games on the machine.

Going back to play some of the 360 and PS3 games and they look horrible datded when compared to the current games more so when one is playing on the One X or Pro

I know to avoid games that went for a very realistic look/style. Games that are very grounded in reality are always being improved with every generation. 3D games that have a more artistic or abstract style tend to stand the test of time better. You can enjoy the charm in a lot of them. There's not much charm in many old games that aimed for realism and now look lo-res and gloomy.

Its ace and works perfectly and looks fab on the HDMI TV. Love my OG XBox

It's easily one of my favourite consoles, so having the image look the best it can through HDMI makes me want to play it even more. I'll be exploring the Xbox library again over the next few months.

[Team Andromeda]

Gotta love the SNES sound chip.

Yep was and still is amazing. Such a shame Nintendo didn't use a dedicated sound chip in the N64.

But those machines couldn't run Mario 64. I really think the N64 was designed for that game - and then clever people managed to get the system to do games in other genres quite well, such GoldenEye and Diddy Kong Racing

The N64 was great from FPS (quite ironic really give most NCL fans love to slag FPS off) but I'll take the Saturn and PS line up myself over Mario 64. But even Nintendo and RARE games had issues. Conkers run at 292x214, games like Jet Force, Zelda OOT, suffered from the blurry display so did Pilotwings, Wave Race while running in low res with a bad frame rate and in a boxed window even on an NTSC system.

I'm willing to bet that NCL were that happy with the final SGI chipset, given the promise and cost of the deal

It's easily one of my favourite consoles, so having the image look the best it can through HDMI

After the Saturn and Mega CD, its my fav system and console. Still love using the system, it sad that it was cut short in its life span

[Leon Retro]

Wave Race while running in low res with a bad frame rate and in a boxed window even on an NTSC system.

As much as Wave Race 64 could be far better with a HD remake at 60fps, I thought it looked really nice back in the day. The feel of the game - with the amazing wave physics to battle against - made it seem really advanced. I also think the overall design is really nice, with a clean arcade style look that I still think looks attractive. So as much as it is lo-res, has a less than ideal frame rate, and has borders, it's still an impressive game overall.

I'd love Nintendo to create a remake that does it justice.

I'm willing to bet that NCL were that happy with the final SGI chipset, given the promise and cost of the deal

Mario 64 stunned the world, so Nintendo must have been over the moon. As much as we can pick holes in even the best N64 games, a few of them really were something special back in the day. There were games that showed off the good points of the N64 tech, even if technically certain features were quite lacking.

After the Saturn and Mega CD, its my fav system and console. Still love using the system, it sad that it was cut short in its life span

Well, it's definitely in my Top 6 consoles. I have loads of great memories of enjoying all sorts of Xbox games back in the day. Xbox Live seemed truly amazing when it first appeared in 2002; I used to love online gaming back then.

[Team Andromeda]

As much as Wave Race 64 could be far better with a HD remake at 60fps,.

I think you sort of miss the point of what I'm trying to make. Usually, when a new consoles came out (in those days) the screen res was improved as was the sound hardware. With the N64 and after all the hype off SGI we actually saw screen go backwards (along with FPS) and also in many ways sound too.

Mario 64 stunned the world, so Nintendo must have been over the moon. As much as we can pick holes in even the best N64 games, a few of them really were something special back in the day

Picking holes in Hardware, not the software . Mario impressed the hell out of me, but almost every game afterwards had the N64 trademark Blur and N64 hardware meant a end to shooters and Arcade style games that I grew up with and loved on the Snes, even the sound was a bit of step backwards for the SNES.

But like I said NCL and RARE made the system worth owning and made into a amazing system.

I have loads of great memories of enjoying all sorts of Xbox games back in the day. Xbox Live seemed truly amazing when it first appeared in 2002; I used to love online gaming back then.

I completely agree, so many amazing games and also back then it was fun to play online. But now rankings and achievements have made sure that too many people take it far too seriously.

[Leon Retro]

With the N64 and after all the hype off SGI we actually saw screen go backwards (along with FPS) and also in many ways sound too.

It seems like Nintendo just wanted to make Mario 64, which looked good and ran well. Creating that game was their main goal, so the N64 hardware was perfect for that. Then when it came to making racing games etc... the bad points of the hardware became apparent. So we ended up with all games running way below 30fps. But there were still good elements to appreciate, such as the wave effects in Wave Race, and a general feeling of the game worlds feeling more open and expansive than in PS1 & Saturn games.

When you look at what the Saturn & PS1 were delivering with shoot 'em ups, racing games, beat 'em ups etc.. It's clear that the N64 hardware was designed for completely different purposes. Nintendo really did put all of its eggs in one basket, which meant that the machine was only really good at running games similar to Mario 64. The fact that Mario 64 is the only game for the system that still looks and feels fresh today, says a lot.

I completely agree, so many amazing games and also back then it was fun to play online. But now rankings and achievements have made sure that too many people take it far too seriously.

I did a bit of online gaming with the 360, but soon stopped when people kept going on about "achievements". There was something fun and chilled about the early days of Xbox Live between 2002-2005.

[Samuray]

13€ is pretty much the normal price for this, I think, but I'm really happy about it nonetheless....been looking for this for a long time and finally I found a copy.
I remember it rather fondly from the Amiga 500 but a friend saw this and said it sucks...well, I'll find out soon enough.

[Atticus]

More Cubism

[Team Andromeda]

More Cubism

Super Monkey Ball is one of the best games ever made as is Metroid

[speedlolita]

No Melee?!



Been thinking of trimming my lot of Cube stuff. Got 44 titles currently and I'm sure I've got a good chunk on other platforms/Steam... Wasting valuable space.

[Atticus]

Super Monkey Ball is one of the best games ever made as is Metroid

Funnily enough, they're the only two games I've been playing (in a strict effort not to flit around too many titles at once). If I make it through Metroid I'll play Sunshine, Resi or Pikmin next. Decisions decisions. Super Monkey Ball and the GameCube controller are so perfectly in tune it's unreal. Yeah, couple of corkers mate

No Melee?!

I've never been a fan of Smash Bros speedy. I dunno why. It just didn't take.

[BigDeadFreak]

It seems like Nintendo just wanted to make Mario 64, which looked good and ran well. Creating that game was their main goal, so the N64 hardware was perfect for that. Then when it came to making racing games etc... the bad points of the hardware became apparent. So we ended up with all games running way below 30fps. But there were still good elements to appreciate, such as the wave effects in Wave Race, and a general feeling of the game worlds feeling more open and expansive than in PS1 & Saturn games.

When you look at what the Saturn & PS1 were delivering with shoot 'em ups, racing games, beat 'em ups etc.. It's clear that the N64 hardware was designed for completely different purposes. Nintendo really did put all of its eggs in one basket, which meant that the machine was only really good at running games similar to Mario 64. The fact that Mario 64 is the only game for the system that still looks and feels fresh today, says a lot.

I thought the N64 handled FPSs really well. Golden Eye looked and played amazingly well and there was nothing else like it on the Saturn or PS1 throughout their entire lifespan. Exhumed was brilliant on the Saturn but there was something about the way Rare created such a believable and, as you say, open and expansive world that made it stand out.

Overall though, I agree that it feels as though the N64 was made for Mario 64 and nothing else. I'd never really thought about it before but it's a very strange decision on their part. I wonder what they thought other developers would do with the hardware?

[Team Andromeda]

Funnily enough, they're the only two games I've been playing (in a strict effort not to flit around too many titles at once). If I make it through Metroid I'll play Sunshine, Resi or Pikmin next. .

I just love Monkeyball. Everything about that game is perfect ... Controls, level design, gfx, sound (the soundtrack is fab) and physics, My mates used to love to play Monkey Golf and Pool before we would go on out in a Friday night, back in the day. The game was and is perfection