Nintendo 64 Black Console
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- Processor: 93.75 MHz
- Platform: Nintendo 64
- Console Type: Home Console
- Gaming Type: Multiplayer Gaming
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Why my son got one of these things...
Pros
A system for kids as evidenced by format, licenses and etc.
Cons
Adults will likely get bored; lack of support when compared with PS1
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Great for kids, but adults looking for a cheap system will likely be happier with a Playtation 1 or Dreamcast.
I've hated the Nintendo 64 ever since it came out. I hated the kid-friendly games, the cartridge format used for the system and the controllers. Oddly, the very things I hate about the system makes it great for my five-year-old son.
Let me explain. My kid has been hounding me for one of these for some time. I've told the little nipper "no" every time until a couple of months ago.
"Daddy," he said. "I want an Xbox."
That did it. As a parent, I'm obligated to teach my son a few things. He needs to learn of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. He needs to understand I'll kill him should he go through puberty and get a girl pregnant while he's living under my roof. And, of course, he must learn that Bill Gates and his nasty, snake-oil-peddling Microsoft are directly from the devil. Xbox, indeed!
What about a Game Cube? I considered it, but opted for the Nintendo 64 for my young 'un for a number of reasons.
First of all, it's cheap. You can pick up a bare system and a couple of games for less than $100. That's not bad. While I went ahead and got him an extra controller, a memory card, ram expansion and a jump pack for a little extra cash, I still stayed under $100 for the system. And, better yet, the games are cheap -- we have a Game Xchange (hell, we've got the firm's national headquarters) in town, so I can get the little nipper about any title he wants for around $20. That's not bad.
Second, I do believe the cartridge format is on it's way out, but it's great for a kid. My son turns six-year-old next month. Do you have any idea how rough small children are on compact discs? I'll give you one example -- the lad stomped gum into a KISS CD of mine just a couple of years ago. Here's another example -- my nine-year-old nephew managed to scratch the hell out of my Spider-Man disc for my Dreamcast. Cartridges are hard to break. They're great for children.
Third, Mario, Pokemon and the like are so damn -- cute. I don't like "cute" in video games. However, my son is a different matter. And, you have some darn cute games available for the Nintendo 64. How about some kart racers such as Diddy Kong Racing and one featuring Walt-Disney characters (I can't think of the name of it right now -- but I've played it and my son wants it)? How about characters such as Zelda (a decent RPG, by the way) and those from the exclusive Rare and Mario lines? The Nintendo 64 does "cute" very well, and that's a good thing when it comes to challenging, non-threatening games for my young son. Sure, I'll take my Playstation or Dreamcast for good ol' blood and gore, but the Nintendo 64 is geared for my lad.
Now, there are some downsides to the system. First of all, the support is terrible when you stack the system up against the beloved Sony Playstation 1. It's sad, but true. The PS1 even has it's share of cutesy titles and licenses (Crash Bandicoot is a fine example of a license, while titles like Sheep are good and cutesy). The controller, too, is a major area of concern -- manipulating that little analog stick in the middle of the controller is downright uncomfortable. Also, the graphics sometimes border on "fuzzy."
However, when it's all said and done, this is a machine that's ideal for kids these days. It's cheap, games are inexpensive, cartridges are hard to break and there are plenty of exclusive titles that kids will love. I'm not a fan of this system, but my son seems to like it. That's good enough for me.
Let me explain. My kid has been hounding me for one of these for some time. I've told the little nipper "no" every time until a couple of months ago.
"Daddy," he said. "I want an Xbox."
That did it. As a parent, I'm obligated to teach my son a few things. He needs to learn of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. He needs to understand I'll kill him should he go through puberty and get a girl pregnant while he's living under my roof. And, of course, he must learn that Bill Gates and his nasty, snake-oil-peddling Microsoft are directly from the devil. Xbox, indeed!
What about a Game Cube? I considered it, but opted for the Nintendo 64 for my young 'un for a number of reasons.
First of all, it's cheap. You can pick up a bare system and a couple of games for less than $100. That's not bad. While I went ahead and got him an extra controller, a memory card, ram expansion and a jump pack for a little extra cash, I still stayed under $100 for the system. And, better yet, the games are cheap -- we have a Game Xchange (hell, we've got the firm's national headquarters) in town, so I can get the little nipper about any title he wants for around $20. That's not bad.
Second, I do believe the cartridge format is on it's way out, but it's great for a kid. My son turns six-year-old next month. Do you have any idea how rough small children are on compact discs? I'll give you one example -- the lad stomped gum into a KISS CD of mine just a couple of years ago. Here's another example -- my nine-year-old nephew managed to scratch the hell out of my Spider-Man disc for my Dreamcast. Cartridges are hard to break. They're great for children.
Third, Mario, Pokemon and the like are so damn -- cute. I don't like "cute" in video games. However, my son is a different matter. And, you have some darn cute games available for the Nintendo 64. How about some kart racers such as Diddy Kong Racing and one featuring Walt-Disney characters (I can't think of the name of it right now -- but I've played it and my son wants it)? How about characters such as Zelda (a decent RPG, by the way) and those from the exclusive Rare and Mario lines? The Nintendo 64 does "cute" very well, and that's a good thing when it comes to challenging, non-threatening games for my young son. Sure, I'll take my Playstation or Dreamcast for good ol' blood and gore, but the Nintendo 64 is geared for my lad.
Now, there are some downsides to the system. First of all, the support is terrible when you stack the system up against the beloved Sony Playstation 1. It's sad, but true. The PS1 even has it's share of cutesy titles and licenses (Crash Bandicoot is a fine example of a license, while titles like Sheep are good and cutesy). The controller, too, is a major area of concern -- manipulating that little analog stick in the middle of the controller is downright uncomfortable. Also, the graphics sometimes border on "fuzzy."
However, when it's all said and done, this is a machine that's ideal for kids these days. It's cheap, games are inexpensive, cartridges are hard to break and there are plenty of exclusive titles that kids will love. I'm not a fan of this system, but my son seems to like it. That's good enough for me.
