History of the Nintendo 64: Was it a SUPER COMPUTER?!

The Nintendo 64 has a fascinating history. It was a partnership with Silicon Graphics (SGI), a long-time leader in graphics visualisation and supercomputing. But how much of the initial promises were kept, and how close was the N64 to expensive SGI workstations?

Sources in this video:

Archive footage from Bad Influence/ITV, used under Fair Use.

#retrogaming #nintendo64 #nostalgia #90s #SGI

[justinthematrix]

There was nothing more satisfying to me than seeing 4 controllers plugged into the n64. All different colors, friends sitting in front of the TV.

[MrMladen]

This brings back memories that aren’t even mine.

[madfinntech]

I remember when I first time saw Super Mario 64 running I was blown away like never before and never since. It was truly amazing at the time.

[mastershredder]

I was in my teens when the N64 dropped, it was the standard party console. Some of the best times in my life were spent with friends sitting around this console.

[wiggy]

“Nintendo needed to have a decent range of games available when the console went on sale.”

Launched with just Mario 64 and Pilotwings.

[punkybob]

I remember at my local 'Toys R Us' here in Australia they had two n64s setup, one with 1080 snowboarding and one with Ocarina of time.

Sometimes you were lucky and got there when there wasn't a line so you could play.. I managed to get quite far once in OOT before I had to go home.

In 1998 and after I did enough chores I managed to save up my pocket money (I prob had like $10 but parents are awesome) and buy a second hand n64 for $50 from a rich kid who got one for his birthday.

I was 12 at the time.

Still have my n64.

[chrisv]

The SNES, N64, and Gamecube were powerhouses in their respective eras. It wasn't until the Wii that they dropped out of the graphics race.

[davidb]

The system wasn’t ready so they didn’t release it yet





Damn I miss those days

[peterdwyer]

Jesus I miss the 90s and everything gaming from that decade.

[alexanderhoke]

The day I got my n64 for xmas was one of the best, thanks mom and dad. This was a great video with some even greater visuals. You guys across the pond had some awesome looking tv programming and "shedgeuling" back in the day!

[TheCyndicate]

*Terminator 2 was made on an Alias Workstation, just like "The Abyss" was. I know this because I was involved with that very workstation.*

[darkwinter]

FWIW, those SGI boxes were workstations, not supercomputers. Very powerful, yes, but not of the same scale as a machine like a Cray.

[chemergency]

The N64 was still very impressive for 1996. The only consumer level tech that could compete with it at the time was 3DFX's Voodoo video card, and the only thing that could surpass it was Sega's new arcade board they were using for Virtua Fighter 3.

[heretwoexpose]

I just bought a N64 last week and 2 classics games...
1: Perfect Dark
2: Mario Kart 64
👍

[leoscustombuilds]

Mario Kart64, Goldeneye, and Super Smash bros. Changed the game forever. 4 controllers, rumble packs, Goldeneye, Pizza and your closest buddies....Who would of thought? That was literally the best that life could ever get...

[shiva_MMIV]

Today Nintendo probably would be sued for saying that Killer Instinct and Cruisin' Usa were running on Ultra64 hardware when in fact they are custom systems that had nothing to do with the real N64 hardware.

[CommodoreFan]

Awesome video, and while not having an N64 of my own growing up, and having to go a friend's house to play it, it's for sure become one of my favorite retro consoles in my collection.

[Bubblegummonsters]

Great video and so much information. I still remember reading in one of the magazines of the time how it was going to be able to produce the same 3D quality as that seen in Jurassic Park. I couldn't wait to be able to play a Jurassic Park game that looked like the film. So you can imagine, I was a little disappointed with the final result.

[forza]

05:25 love that brief chat with the Rare team talking about the Silicon Graphics machines

[funkmonkeyfun]

I remember cutting grass all summer and saving up $200 to buy the 64 when it launched. Good days