more
November 2, 2009 by The News Team
Filed Under: Nintendo in general
A portion of an Iwata Asks feature which includes the following people...
Satoru Iwata – President of Nintendo
Shingo Matsushita – Software Planning & Development Team
Yurie Hattori – Software Planning & Development Team
Hitoshi Yamagami – Software Planning & Development Team
Masato Maegawa – CEO of Treasure Corporation
Atsutomo Nakagawa – Director of Treasure Corporation
Yasushi Suzuki – Art Director
Nakagawa: …Yes. That’s why we thought we could work on the Nintendo 64 too. But, the Nintendo 64 … sure was something (bitter laughter).
Iwata: (laughs) It was a machine that was hard to create things for and didn’t work at all.
Nakagawa: Y-Yes. It didn’t work at all…
Iwata: Because the Silicon Graphics Co. architecture was just dropped into play. The Nintendo 64 had all sorts of limitations, but in the end, it was a 3D machine to the core. It’s just that, even if it was one to the core, there were those limitations, so it was hard to use and turned out to be a machine that didn’t work at all.
Story Feedback
I love it when Iwata smack-talks his own company.
@ bszelda
Programmers probably have a different perspective on the N64 than us gamers do.
@ bszelda
Programmers probably have a different perspective on the N64 than us gamers do.
Oh come on guys, they are just talking about how horrible it was to program for not saying it was a bad system.
@famousringo is right.
@famousringo is right.
N64 has great games
Donkey Kong 64
F-Zero X
Super Mario 64
Zelda Ocarina of Time
Kirby 64
Pokemon Snap
Starfox 64
Mario Kart 64
All of these games I listed got critical acclaim. So yeah I guess the N64 didn't work. Super Mario 64 and Ocarina are still two of the best games made. Starfox 64 is the best starfox game. Kirby was one of the best 2d platformers on the N64. A lot of people place Mario Kart 64 as the best of the series. DK64 is an excellent platformer that got great reviews but people don't want to play it because you have to do a little work to complete it. I beat it in like a week when I played it 2 and half hours a day.
Donkey Kong 64
F-Zero X
Super Mario 64
Zelda Ocarina of Time
Kirby 64
Pokemon Snap
Starfox 64
Mario Kart 64
All of these games I listed got critical acclaim. So yeah I guess the N64 didn't work. Super Mario 64 and Ocarina are still two of the best games made. Starfox 64 is the best starfox game. Kirby was one of the best 2d platformers on the N64. A lot of people place Mario Kart 64 as the best of the series. DK64 is an excellent platformer that got great reviews but people don't want to play it because you have to do a little work to complete it. I beat it in like a week when I played it 2 and half hours a day.
@mbh911
@mariomaniac45213
Guys, the fellow was talking about the programming architecture being a horrible thing to have to fight to make your game ideas a reality. Not saying it was an awful pointless platform for games.
They were saying that developing for it royally sucked. As in the process of it, the planning that was involved to get the design, programming, and playability all in line.
@mariomaniac45213
Guys, the fellow was talking about the programming architecture being a horrible thing to have to fight to make your game ideas a reality. Not saying it was an awful pointless platform for games.
They were saying that developing for it royally sucked. As in the process of it, the planning that was involved to get the design, programming, and playability all in line.
@WiiLikeSportz
Thanks Wiilikesportz you once again showed me my wrong and now I get it and also I wrote that mainly for the DK64 awareness. Yeah it was off topic but I couldn't help it I am still mad at that guy yesterday we had an arguement over DK lol
Thanks Wiilikesportz you once again showed me my wrong and now I get it and also I wrote that mainly for the DK64 awareness. Yeah it was off topic but I couldn't help it I am still mad at that guy yesterday we had an arguement over DK lol
Treasure are hardly technology pushers though are they (S&P2 looks decent and that's all really), and the most advanced game Iwata programmed was the original (pretty damn basic even then) Smash Bros...
All the while other teams were pumping out awesome stuff like Turok 2, Jet Force Gemini (and pretty much everything by Rare...), Rogue Squadron and even Nintendo themselves did amazing things with Zelda.
So if the N64 was so difficult yet so clearly kicked the crap out of the competition, why on earth is the (straightforward) Wii so underwhelming in terms of what we have seen in general, even games from 1998 like Turok 2 have better technology than most Wii titles which just shouldn't happen. Thank god for HVS I say.
All the while other teams were pumping out awesome stuff like Turok 2, Jet Force Gemini (and pretty much everything by Rare...), Rogue Squadron and even Nintendo themselves did amazing things with Zelda.
So if the N64 was so difficult yet so clearly kicked the crap out of the competition, why on earth is the (straightforward) Wii so underwhelming in terms of what we have seen in general, even games from 1998 like Turok 2 have better technology than most Wii titles which just shouldn't happen. Thank god for HVS I say.
Eh. I'm afraid I have to take this with a grain of salt, since this is Iwata saying this, and he wasn't President of Nintendo at the time of the N64. Although this could explain why the number of N64 games on VC is so incredibly, disappointing low.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
@WesFX
But he did develop for the N64 when it was out (he was the president of HAL Labs from 1993 until his promotion to president of Nintendo in 2002), so obviously he'd know quite a bit about what it was like to program games for it.
Also, what @famousringo and @WiiLikeSportz said. He's saying the system was hard to program for, he wasn't saying the system itself sucked. The programing, dev costs, and use of carts were three of the reasons why some third parties abandoned Nintendo in the N64 days (like Square, who wanted to use multiple discs in order to make their games bigger).
But he did develop for the N64 when it was out (he was the president of HAL Labs from 1993 until his promotion to president of Nintendo in 2002), so obviously he'd know quite a bit about what it was like to program games for it.
Also, what @famousringo and @WiiLikeSportz said. He's saying the system was hard to program for, he wasn't saying the system itself sucked. The programing, dev costs, and use of carts were three of the reasons why some third parties abandoned Nintendo in the N64 days (like Square, who wanted to use multiple discs in order to make their games bigger).
@mariomaniac45213
LOL I'm sorry to be a party pooper.
Yes, I think the N64 had some amazing games!
I only felt bad because I didn't want people to think they were saying 'THE GAMEZ WERE TEH CRAPZORS!' lol
LOL I'm sorry to be a party pooper.
Yes, I think the N64 had some amazing games!
I only felt bad because I didn't want people to think they were saying 'THE GAMEZ WERE TEH CRAPZORS!' lol
No wonder why the N64 lost so much support from third parties.
Iwata is really great at these types of interviews. Having experience as a developer as well as the CEO of a third party on top of his current position certainly must help him relate.
Iwata is really great at these types of interviews. Having experience as a developer as well as the CEO of a third party on top of his current position certainly must help him relate.
If you talk to anyone who has written an N64 emulator, they'll say that the N64 is the most frustrating console ever.
And yet it had a load of great games.
Maybe being a challenge to use simply spurred the ambitious on [and hence the aforementioned]. Like most people, give them the beefiest specs [or like-minded whatever], and game devs will generally just stick with what's come before, adding a new shine to it.
In short: being easy to program for does inspire design laziness as much as a challenging system to program for can spur on certain folk into making game gems.
Maybe being a challenge to use simply spurred the ambitious on [and hence the aforementioned]. Like most people, give them the beefiest specs [or like-minded whatever], and game devs will generally just stick with what's come before, adding a new shine to it.
In short: being easy to program for does inspire design laziness as much as a challenging system to program for can spur on certain folk into making game gems.
I'm actually surprised by this level of honesty from Nintendo, or any console maker. It's the closest we'll ever get to an apology from Nintendo in regards to dropping the SNES-CD and Ultra64 I'd assume. 
Oh, and I wouldn't say that the N64 had "loads" of great games." I'm at a loss to even think of a dozen. I don't have that issue with the NES/SNES.
Oh, and I wouldn't say that the N64 had "loads" of great games." I'm at a loss to even think of a dozen. I don't have that issue with the NES/SNES.
@Chosenoneknuckles
DING DING DING DING DIIIINNNGGG!
We have a winner!!!!!
This is exactly how I feel at this point in this generation. Apparently, it seems that, since the 64 was hard to develop for, devs didn't want to feel like they have quit work because it was "too hard" to develop for. However, for the easier to develop for consoles, instead of feeling as though they can take full advantage of the hardware, they feel like it's so easy they need more of a challenge to make their jobs feel more justified or something.
Thus, PS3 and 360 are getting more games because of their complex development cycles and processes, while Wii (although selling the most) is being left behind in the gem category according to most people.
This may have always been the case since day one. Sure, the most powerful console doesn't always "win" a console war, but the gems on those consoles really are "gems". That's not to say that there aren't gems on the easier to develop for platforms .
I think it's pretty sad, though, that the easy one to develop for is the one that is the most looked over.
DING DING DING DING DIIIINNNGGG!
We have a winner!!!!!
This is exactly how I feel at this point in this generation. Apparently, it seems that, since the 64 was hard to develop for, devs didn't want to feel like they have quit work because it was "too hard" to develop for. However, for the easier to develop for consoles, instead of feeling as though they can take full advantage of the hardware, they feel like it's so easy they need more of a challenge to make their jobs feel more justified or something.
Thus, PS3 and 360 are getting more games because of their complex development cycles and processes, while Wii (although selling the most) is being left behind in the gem category according to most people.
This may have always been the case since day one. Sure, the most powerful console doesn't always "win" a console war, but the gems on those consoles really are "gems". That's not to say that there aren't gems on the easier to develop for platforms
.I think it's pretty sad, though, that the easy one to develop for is the one that is the most looked over.
I like how they're pointing out that while the N64 was supposed to be a console geared for 3D, the 3D hardware had a myriad of limitations, particularly when it came to texture memory and size (which causes the N64 trademark blurriness, small textures applied to large areas aren't a pretty sight). The fact that the console didn't have a dedicated sound processor didn't help either. It's indeed as if Nintendo was so obsessed with the technology they scored from Silicon Graphics they somehow forgot to make it developer-friendly.
@magicalsoundshower
That signature blurriness was something that happened automatically in the hardware. I wouldn't qualify it as a limitation, exactly.
It's why the VC N64 games look different than the originals.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
That signature blurriness was something that happened automatically in the hardware. I wouldn't qualify it as a limitation, exactly.
It's why the VC N64 games look different than the originals.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
Are you referring to the texture filtering which made it so that the textures weren't all pixellated? Well, that was indeed intentional and quite technically advanced too.
The problem was that the N64 had extremely little texture memory so the filtering looked nowhere as good as it should because it was extremely hard to implement detailed textures. As texturing is one of the most important basics of modern 3D graphics, the N64 was kind of flawed in its fundamentals.
The problem was that the N64 had extremely little texture memory so the filtering looked nowhere as good as it should because it was extremely hard to implement detailed textures. As texturing is one of the most important basics of modern 3D graphics, the N64 was kind of flawed in its fundamentals.
Sometimes limitations spark the imagination. Maybe that's why we had these few...
Goldeneye 007
Perfect Dark
Zelda 00T
Zelda: Majora's Mask
Super Mario 64
Jet Force Gemini
Wave Race
1080 Snowboarding
Mario Kart
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Donkey Kong 64
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
WWF No Mercy
Star Ware: Rogue Squadron
Star Fox 64
Super Smash Bros
Mischief Makers
Sin and Punishment
Conkers bad fur day
Goldeneye 007
Perfect Dark
Zelda 00T
Zelda: Majora's Mask
Super Mario 64
Jet Force Gemini
Wave Race
1080 Snowboarding
Mario Kart
Conker's Bad Fur Day
Donkey Kong 64
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
WWF No Mercy
Star Ware: Rogue Squadron
Star Fox 64
Super Smash Bros
Mischief Makers
Sin and Punishment
Conkers bad fur day
wii->ps2
x360->xbox
ps3->n64
wii is this generation ps2,many games but low average quality.
x360 failed in japan like xbox.
ps3 is hard to develope for but has more potential for innovative games.
the only difference is that nintendo are genius at making controllers.
only the old sega with dreamcast made a controller that can fight with nintendo controllers.
x360->xbox
ps3->n64
wii is this generation ps2,many games but low average quality.
x360 failed in japan like xbox.
ps3 is hard to develope for but has more potential for innovative games.
the only difference is that nintendo are genius at making controllers.
only the old sega with dreamcast made a controller that can fight with nintendo controllers.
@magicalsoundshower
I'm a bit confused about where you're coming from with this. I mean, it's direct competitor had half the RAM. Certainly I don't know a thing about the architecture of either system, but I can't imagine that the N64 didn't have more RAM dedicated to textures than the PS had.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
I'm a bit confused about where you're coming from with this. I mean, it's direct competitor had half the RAM. Certainly I don't know a thing about the architecture of either system, but I can't imagine that the N64 didn't have more RAM dedicated to textures than the PS had.
-----
Share your opinion on this and other subjects, on the GoNintendo Message Boards.
@Game_Locks
No, they're third party. They developed many games for Sega back in the 90s, and they've made games for the PS1, PS2, and they've got a shooter in the making for the 360.
No, they're third party. They developed many games for Sega back in the 90s, and they've made games for the PS1, PS2, and they've got a shooter in the making for the 360.
@Chosenoneknuckles
You have a great point, which is why when a system is easy to create for there needs to be a slightly higher artificial demanding from game creators.
If you look at the Saturn as well, it was actually an even bigger clusterfck than the N64. That console indeed, literally, almost didn't work at all. And yet it got some great gems. Innovative games with incedible graphics for what the system was capable of.
You have a great point, which is why when a system is easy to create for there needs to be a slightly higher artificial demanding from game creators.
If you look at the Saturn as well, it was actually an even bigger clusterfck than the N64. That console indeed, literally, almost didn't work at all. And yet it got some great gems. Innovative games with incedible graphics for what the system was capable of.
If I had to be locked in a room for a month, and was given a choice between the three current consoles and an N64, I'd take the N64.
I would imagine he meant to say that certain games/ideas "didn't work at all", not that the system as a whole was like that.
But regardless, the N64 was a fantastic system, and while it always trailed in system sails behind the PSX, every half a year or so it still produced one of the "MUST HAVE" top hits of the generation, regardless of what was on the Playstation.
Mario 64, Pilotwings, Blast Corps, Body Harvest, Turok 2, Goldeneye, Mario Kart, Ocarina, NBA Hangtime, Banjo-Kazooie, Star Fox, Paper Mario, Ogre Battle, Beetle Adventure Racing, Ridge Racer 64, Extreme G, Doom 64, Duke Nukem 64, Mischief Makers, I mean the list goes on and on really.
The 64 generally had better looking games than the competition, but it also had the first games that laid down the blueprint for TRUE 3D, as well as analog controls and 4-player gaming. It was what it was, which was the last great cartridge based console.
But regardless, the N64 was a fantastic system, and while it always trailed in system sails behind the PSX, every half a year or so it still produced one of the "MUST HAVE" top hits of the generation, regardless of what was on the Playstation.
Mario 64, Pilotwings, Blast Corps, Body Harvest, Turok 2, Goldeneye, Mario Kart, Ocarina, NBA Hangtime, Banjo-Kazooie, Star Fox, Paper Mario, Ogre Battle, Beetle Adventure Racing, Ridge Racer 64, Extreme G, Doom 64, Duke Nukem 64, Mischief Makers, I mean the list goes on and on really.
The 64 generally had better looking games than the competition, but it also had the first games that laid down the blueprint for TRUE 3D, as well as analog controls and 4-player gaming. It was what it was, which was the last great cartridge based console.
Even though it was difficult to make games, the nintendo 64 is still the best nintendo system ever, it had some of the best games.
@N64_RAMIO
Well now.......I wouldn't go THAT far.
N64 and Gamecube, even Wii, are all awesome in their own ways. But even with great games like Ocarina, Goldeneye, MK64, Star Fox 64, Twilight Princess, Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Metroid Prime, Smash Bros. Brawl, you name it....
The modern systems don't hold a candle to the NES and SNES. Those libraries are stuff of legend.
Well now.......I wouldn't go THAT far.
N64 and Gamecube, even Wii, are all awesome in their own ways. But even with great games like Ocarina, Goldeneye, MK64, Star Fox 64, Twilight Princess, Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Metroid Prime, Smash Bros. Brawl, you name it....
The modern systems don't hold a candle to the NES and SNES. Those libraries are stuff of legend.
funny, the best games came out for the N64, when nintendo tried to make it easier to create games on the newer systems, the games took a hit.
i say bring back the N64 and get back to work making games that don't suck.
@Devil_Rising
no, the system was a piece of trash (though i love it so). in F-Zero, the system couldn't even do backgrounds, so there weren't any. Zelda OOT almost never got made etc.
i say bring back the N64 and get back to work making games that don't suck.
@Devil_Rising
no, the system was a piece of trash (though i love it so). in F-Zero, the system couldn't even do backgrounds, so there weren't any. Zelda OOT almost never got made etc.
Please log in using your message board account to post feeback.
Don't have an account? Click here to register!
Don't have an account? Click here to register!
hmm...then why are some of my all-time favorite games on the N64?...