While the Super Nintendo excelled at fun 2-dimensional games, Nintendo knew that gamers in the mid-1990’s were craving more sophisticated experiences.

Released in 1996, the Nintendo 64 was a massive leap forward in raw graphical horsepower. Built around a complex 64-bit design, the N64 could generate incredibly detailed 3-dimensional worlds with smooth animation and rich sounds. The N64’s controllers reflected this shift towards more complex 3D games, with more buttons (including a new “Z” trigger button), a three-handle design, and an analog joystick to more accurately control characters in 3D environments. The graphics chip and system architecture of the N64 was developed via a partnership between Nintendo and Silicon Graphics Inc. (“SGI,”), and thus many N64 games were created on SGI workstations like the purple SGI Indigo2 workstation which is also part of the Retro Roadshow collection

While not quite as successful as the NES or SNES in total sales (the N64 ‘only’ sold 33,000,000 units), the N64 was an important pioneer of home 3D gaming, and boasts a library of incredibly innovative games which are just as fun today as they were in the 1990’s:

• Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2

• Mario Kart 64

• F-Zero X

• GoldenEye 007

• Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber

• Super Smash Bros.

• Paper Mario

• Star Fox 64

• The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

• Super Mario 64