Nintendo 64DD
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Nintendo 64DD | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Type | Video game console add-on |
| Generation | Fifth generation (32-bit/64-bit era) |
| First available | JP December 1, 1999 |
| Media | Magnetic disks (64 MB) |
| System storage | Cartridge battery, Controller Pak |
| Online service | RANDnetDD (Japan only) |
| Predecessor | N64 |
| Successor | Nintendo GameCube |
The Nintendo 64DD is an expansion system for the Nintendo 64. It was named the "Dynamic Drive" at the start of its development, and plugs into the N64 through the EXTension Port of the Nintendo 64's bottom side. It was a commercial failure, and was never released outside of Japan.
Contents |
[edit] History
The 64DD was announced at 1995's Nintendo Shoshinkai game show event (now called SpaceWorld). One of the games that was featured for use with the 64DD was Creator, a music and animation program by Software Creations, the same people that made Sound Tool for the Nintendo Ultra 64 development kit. The game advertised that it could be implemented into other games, being able to replace textures and possibly create new levels and characters. Unfortunately, there was no playable version of Creator available at Shoshinkai 1995.
However, the 64DD was delayed until its release in Japan on December 1, 1999. Nintendo, anticipating that their long planned out disc drive peripheral would become a commercial failure, sold the system through a subscription service called RANDnet, rather than selling the system directly to consumers or to retail outlets only in Japan. As a result, the 64DD was only supported by Nintendo for a short period of time and only nine games were released for it. Most unreleased 64DD games were either cancelled or released as normal Nintendo 64 games (such as Banjo Tooie).
[edit] Hardware
The N64DD has a 32-bit coprocessor to help it read magnetic disks, and to transfer data to the main console. It was intended to be Nintendo's answer to the Compact Disc that was used for Sony's PlayStation, which was cheaper to produce. Sony's CD storage could hold approximately 650 megabytes of information compared to Nintendo 64's 32 to 512 megabit (4 to 64 megabyte) cartridge.
The new media for the N64DD was rewritable and allowed for a storage capacity of 64MB (megabytes). The games on normal N64 cartridges could also hook up with DD expansions, for extra levels, minigames, even saving personal data.
The drive works similarly to a Zip drive, and has an enhanced audio library for the games to use. The main N64 deck uses its RCP and MIPS4300i to process data from the top cartridge slot and the I/O devices. To hook up with the 64DD, it needed an extra 4 MB of RAM for a total of 8 MB. Unlike the N64, the 64DD can boot up on its own, without the need of a cartridge on the top deck, because it has a standard OS. This would later be carried over to the Nintendo GameCube,Wii and the Nintendo DS.
The 64DD had its own development kit that worked in conjunction with the N64 development kit.
[edit] Accessories
The released version of 64DD included a modem for connecting to the network RANDnet, an audio-video (female RCA jack, and line in) adapter called the Capture Cassette to plug into the main cartridge slot, and a mouse and keyboard that plugged into the controller inputs.
[edit] RANDnet
RandnetDD, similar to the Super Famicom's Satellaview, was an online subscription based service for the Nintendo 64DD. It allowed players to chat, read and write email, and was a gateway to play multiplayer games for the N64DD over the Internet. Customers who bought the unit through the Internet got a subscription to RANDnet and two games every two months shipped to their postal address with some extra magazines and newsletters related to the 64DD, its games, and accessories. RANDnet stands for Recruit and Nintendo entertainment and was a subsidiary company set up specifically for the release of the 64DD project to finally release the add-on and its games.
[edit] Legacy
Due to the small number of 64DDs sold, the device can fetch high prices on eBay, upwards to USD $500. The 64DD may be seen as the Nintendo 64 equivalent of the Famicom Disk System, the aborted PlayStation CD-ROM add-on and the Satellaview for the Super Famicom.
[edit] Software
- RandnetDD Disk
[edit] Games
- F-Zero X Expansion Kit
- Japan Pro Golf Tour 64
- Kyojin no Doshin 1
- Kyojin no Doshin: Kaihou Sensen Chibikko Chikko Daishuugou
- Mario Artist: Communication Kit
- Mario Artist: Paint Studio
- Mario Artist: Polygon Studio
- Mario Artist: Talent Studio
- SimCity 64
[edit] Proposed Games
The Nintendo 64DD had several games announced for it that ended up either cancelled or being released on cartridge format only, the following is a list of those games.
- 7th Legion
- Banjo-Kazooie 2 (released in cartridge as Banjo-Tooie)
- Cabbage
- Creator
- DD Sequencer
- Desert Island: No Man's Island
- Dezaemon DD
- Digital Horse Racing Newspaper
- Donkey Kong World
- Doubutsu Banchou (Animal Leader, released on GameCube as Cubivore)
- DT
- Fire Emblem 64
- Gendai Dai-Senryaku: Ultimate War
- Hybrid Heaven (released in cartridge)
- Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba the White Lion)
- Kirby 64 (released in cartridge)
- Lamborghini 64 Add-On
- Mario Artist: Game Maker
- Mario Artist: Graphical Message Maker
- Mario Artist: Sound Maker
- Mario Artist: Video Jockey Maker
- Mission: Impossible (released in cartridge)
- Mission: Impossible 64DD
- Morita Shogi 64 (released in cartridge)
- Mother 3 (EarthBound 64) (cancelled, it became Game Boy Advance title of the same name)
- Mother 3.5 (EarthBound 64 Add-On)
- Ogre Battle Saga
- Pocket Monsters 64 (also "Pocket Monsters RPG")
- Pocket Monsters Stadium (moved to Nintendo 64)
- Pocket Monsters Stadium Expansion Disk
- Pokémon Stadium 2 (released in North America, Europe and Australia as Pokémon Stadium)
- Project Cairo
- Quest 64 Add-On
- Rev Limit
- Sim Copter 64
- SnowSpeeder
- Super Mario 64 2
- Super Mario RPG 2 (released in cartridge as Paper Mario)
- Suu
- Unreal (developed by DMA Design)
- Tank
- Teo
- Tonic Trouble Add-On
- Toukon Road: Brave Spirits Add-On
- Wall Street
- Ultra Donkey Kong
- Ura Zelda (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest), the expansion disk to Ocarina of Time (released on GameCube in 2003)
- Yosuke Ide's Mahjong Juku
- Zelda 64 (released in cartridge as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
- Zelda Gaiden (later released in cartridge as The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask)
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Defunct Games: Nintendo 64DD Review Archive
- 64DD.net - Biggest 64DD site on the net
- Nintendo.com - Official Nintendo site of America
- Nintendo.co.jp - Official Nintendo site of Japan
- Seb Angulo's Lair - Pictures of the 11 released 64DD games
- Seb Angulo's Lair Multimedia - Homemade hi-res in-game videos of 64DD games
|
Console: Color TV Game • NES • Super NES • Nintendo 64 • GameCube • Wii |
