General Details

Launched: 1996

Discontinued: 2007(2010 in Japan)

Units sold: 66 million

Controller: Similar to the Wii Classic Controller Pro but in Gray and with Colored Buttons

Media: DVD-ROM,CD-ROM

Storage: 6GB/8GB/10GB Hard disk Drive

Connectivity: Wired megabit Ethernet Port, AV Output(Composite,S-Video,Component-Added in 2002), 4 Controller Ports

Online Service: Nintendo Network

Notable Games: Super Mario 64(1996,Content completed in 2001), The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time(1998,Majora's Mask expansion pack released in 2000), Sonic Adventure(1999), Goldeneye 007(1997), Dead or Alive 2(1999), Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike(1999), Quake 3 Arena(2001), Ikaruga(2003)

History

Development

Effect on competition(1996-1998)

The N64's cutting edge hardware specs shocked the video game industry and 1 week after the console's launch, both Tom Kalinse and Trip Hawkins announced seperate deals with Microsoft, with Bill Gates confirming both announcements 5 few hours later. While Sega and The 3DO Company made deals with Microsoft from fear of losing to Nintendo, Sony still lead the Market since developing game for the PlayStation was much cheaper and profitable than developing games for the Nintendo 64. So between 1996-1998 in America and Europe thing are only a llitle different from our reality, but in Japan the Saturn flops as well and the Nintendo 64 is more successful.

Effect on competition(1999-2003)

Even though Microsoft's deal with Sega went well it din't led to any Result, since Sega backed from the deal and later announced going 3rd party. however Microsoft's deal with The 3DO Company led to the acquisition of The 3DO Company by Microsoft in 1998 and the release of the Xbox in 2001.

In 1999 sales of the N64 started to boost and the system almost outsold the PS1 in some territories.

Effect on competition(2004-2010)