N64 deserves more credit than it gets...

[Rii]

Diddy Kong Racing got great reviews, but we just couldn't get into it after Mario Kart.

MK64 had vastly superior racing and weapons models, DKR's claims to fame were its Mario 64-esque adventure mode and overworld, and the ability to fly. I'd love to see at least the former make its way into Mario Kart, although that'd probably require some actual work on Nintendo's part.

 

[Bishbot]

Who cares about using both at the same time? How do you even control a game with a D-Pad and an analog stick?

I can't think of a game I own that doesn't use the d-pad for something, even if it's not the primary way of moving the character on-screen. Usually menus, weapon and ability selection, camera, things like that.

On other consoles, sure, but the N64 farms a lot of that stuff out to the C-Buttons, which are in a good place for it anyway.

 

[darthraidr]

It might be true, but it's remarkably short-sighted on their part. I reiterate: they put all these buttons all over the controller, but then they put an ergonomic limitation on the way you could access those buttons, and then basically told developers to "deal with it" and program every game to control like either 007, Mario64 or Cruisin' USA. It's not a model other companies clamoured to follow, and it's no wonder people think that the N64 was all about giving 3rd party developers the big shaft.

how is it short-sighted? compare where they were then, with where they are now and things seem to have turned out fine for Nintendo.

and there is the key, "for Nintendo." They make choices for their system to make money for them... they don't really care about appeasing third party devs.

 

[FordSVT]

Just because a company is successful, it doesn't mean that everything they've ever done is great.

Virtual Boy anyone?

I'm well aware of Nintendo's profit strategy, it seems to work nicely for them.

 

[darthraidr]

i certainly dont think everything nintendo's done has been great... far from it. but i do know that nintendo does what is best for them. sometimes it works (the wii) sometimes it doesnt (virtual boy). so my comment was simply refuting the "short-sighted" comment, since things have turned out fine for them.

the controller did help usher in some neat ideas... the rumble effect is now standard in all controllers

 

[crouteru]

Nintendo tends to pioneer new ideas, and then everyone else copies them.

 

[darthraidr]

true, nintendo does pioneer a lot of ideas, some stick, some don't... but they don't always refine the idea... in the end, i dont care who did what first, i care about who did what better.

so it's not all bashing, a couple things i like about the n64: 4 controller ports was awesome, z-trigger was awesome

 

[darthraidr]

true, nintendo does pioneer a lot of ideas, some stick, some don't... but they don't always refine the idea... in the end, i dont care who did what first, i care about who did what better.

so it's not all bashing, a couple things i like about the n64: 4 controller ports was awesome, z-trigger was awesome