Has the N64 aged worse than the NES?

[Nintegageo | 582]

I adore the two consoles, and love their graphical-ness to this day. I think both have a charm to them. The N64's main issues that I can think are the controller (I know it was a pioneer though 2 analogue woulda helped this department)/camera whereas the NES' is the 2 buttons and the slowdown/sprites.

I think the NES may edge it. Which do you guys think has/shall age well compared to the other console? 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,012]

NES aged poorly? That's big news to me.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

YES

[Jeevan | 8,910]

6 minutes ago, DoctorEncore said:

YES

Rude!!!!

[Estil | 1,264]

Well you guys probably know how I feel about this whole "aged well" thing.  But that may just be generational bias (born 1980)...I'm just saying that the game is the same now as it was then right?  I mean it's kinda unfair to judge it by what came after the fact as you obviously can't predict the future.

[rdrunner | 422]

I've never been one to talk about "age", since that's more of a graphical evolution bias.

I can still get hooked on any good game. Isn't that all that matters?

[GPX | 1,369]

They’re 2 different machines with 2 different kind of charm. One is the godfather of 2D platformers and other genres, with 8-Bit pixels. The other is the godfather of 3D platformers and other 3D genres, with 64-Bit pixels. 

I think the NES is likely to have more quality titles, by the more simplified nature of 2D gaming (Mario trilogy, Metroid etc). The N64 had some indisputable classics such as Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and the Zelda games, but some shockers such as Superman 64. 

Comparing the 2 is like comparing your favorite food with your favorite drink.

[Estil | 1,264]

Just now, rdrunner said:

I've never been one to talk about "age", since that's more of a graphical evolution bias.

I can still get hooked on any good game. Isn't that all that matters?

Well every one of us has very different ideas as to what specifically constitutes a "good game".

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

1 hour ago, Nintegageo said:

I adore the two consoles, and love their graphical-ness to this day. I think both have a charm to them. The N64's main issues that I can think are the controller (I know it was a pioneer though 2 analogue woulda helped this department)/camera whereas the NES' is the 2 buttons and the slowdown/sprites.

I think the NES may edge it. Which do you guys think has/shall age well compared to the other console? 

Nothing wrong with only having 2 main buttons.  Much easier to get my kids interested in gaming with only 2 buttons to work with and a d-pad on a classic NES brick, versus getting a young kid to hold a gigantic ergonomic-in-an-adult's-hands modern controller.

The slowdown is probably the only thing on the NES that stands out as "aging poorly".

Pretty much everything else about the games and system are enthusiastically copied by dozens, possibly hundreds, of indie games per year.

[arch_8ngel | 1,597]

Just now, rdrunner said:

I've never been one to talk about "age", since that's more of a graphical evolution bias.

I can still get hooked on any good game. Isn't that all that matters?

Also some major play control school-of-thought elements.

The NES benefits from everything being forced into a single plane, and makes for much more timeless designs.

N64, going into 3D, suffers BADLY from the early era camera control, versus more modern expectations of how much better that can be done.

[DefaultGen | 5,401]

NES is a d-pad pioneer, still a gold standard of 2D input that others can only imitate

Since N64, humans have evolved to only have two hands and analog sticks hold up longer than 6 months. It has aged poorer.

[Estil | 1,264]

Just now, DefaultGen said:

NES is a d-pad pioneer, still a gold standard of 2D input that others can only imitate

Since N64, humans have evolved to only have two hands and analog sticks hold up longer than 6 months. It has aged poorer.

I don't know why people give such a hard time about that three pronged controller...it's meant to offer different hand/controller layouts...the usual center+right that most games used, the left+right that could be used for 2D kind of games...um, did any game use any of the other formats?  I figured left+center would be really weird but I wouldn't be surprised if at least one game tried it...

[avatar! | 1,811]

All the time there are new projects (homebrews) being developed for the NES! Not so much for the N64, so in that regards it certainly has aged worse. Also, there's no comparison regarding the sheer number and breadth of games. In fact, take a look at my favorite genre, RPGs - the N64 had to my knowledge a whopping four! Aidyn Chronicles, Quest 64, Paper Mario, and Ogre Battle 64. The last two were great, the first two completely forgettable. I do hope Nintendo releases an N64 Classic, although I'm worried Ogre Battle 64 will be left out...

[Estil | 1,264]

9 minutes ago, avatar! said:

All the time there are new projects (homebrews) being developed for the NES! Not so much for the N64, so in that regards it certainly has aged worse. Also, there's no comparison regarding the sheer number and breadth of games. In fact, take a look at my favorite genre, RPGs - the N64 had to my knowledge a whopping four! Aidyn Chronicles, Quest 64, Paper Mario, and Ogre Battle 64. The last two were great, the first two completely forgettable. I do hope Nintendo releases an N64 Classic, although I'm worried Ogre Battle 64 will be left out...

Well it's much harder to program 3D polygon sorts of games, isn't it?

Edited November 28, 2020 by Estil

[avatar! | 1,811]

1 minute ago, Estil said:

Well it's much harder to program 3D polygon sorts of games, isn't it?

Yes, but that doesn't change any of the statements I made earlier.

[cartman | 195]

Yes it has. Advanced technology in it's infancy looks worse than unadvanced one at it's prime because they play by different rules. NES is more like a cartoon but with N64 you immediately recognize what's polygoned the fuck out, choppy and doesn't look realistic. 

 

[JamesRobot | 5,800]

The Nintendo only gets better with time like a fine whiskey. 

The 64 aged like day old fries from McDonalds.  It was tasty when it was hot but now it's all nasty and soggy.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,012]

I'm still struggling to see how the NES aged poorly. Bc it has two buttons and some slow down? 

That's it, or what? What am I missing. 

[Brickman | 3,983]

33 minutes ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

I'm still struggling to see how the NES aged poorly. Bc it has two buttons and some slow down? 

That's it, or what? What am I missing. 

Agreed. Does not compute haha.
 

The NES/Famicom is amazing and the whole indie boom is based off the NES & SNES.

I can pickup and play the majority of games I loved on the NES and they still hold up. The 64 not so much.

[Strange | 1,700]

41 minutes ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

I'm still struggling to see how the NES aged poorly. Bc it has two buttons and some slow down? 

That's it, or what? What am I missing. 

You’d be surprised how many young people are out there these days that I want to beat up and steal their lunch money that say the NES is “too far back” to be enjoyable, basically how people our age talk about the 2600. They’re wrong of course, but they’re out there.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,521]

2 hours ago, Estil said:

I don't know why people give such a hard time about that three pronged controller...it's meant to offer different hand/controller layouts...the usual center+right that most games used, the left+right that could be used for 2D kind of games...um, did any game use any of the other formats?  I figured left+center would be really weird but I wouldn't be surprised if at least one game tried it...

I tried for years to beat War! On the hardest difficulty in Perfect Dark with that damned controller.

Then I played it on 360 with that perfect controller, and got it in one try.  One.  Try.

[Foochie776 | 1,051]

Most n64 games look like hot trash these days 

[ThePhleo | 2,184]

I compare the N64 to the Atari 2600. Highly innovative for the time, but just not truly an enjoyable experience today for most people.

I would even argue to say that the platform wasn't truly great even back then, given the fact that the platform only holds a total of 296 games in the USA, and that literally half the library is sports and racing games.

There's also a complete lack of RPGs across the library even in Japan! Here's a list of every N64 RPG. I'll even be generous and be loose with the definition.

1. Aidyn Chronicals
2. Custom Robo (Japan Only)
3. Custom Robo 2 (Japan Only)
4. Hybrid Heaven
5. Ogre Battle 64
6. Paper Mario
7. Quest 64
8. Shiren the Wanderer 2: Demon Invasion! Shiren Castle (Japan Only)
9. Super Robot Wars 64 (Japan Only)
10. Ultraman Battle Collection 64 (Japan Only)
11. Zoor: Monster Master Story (Japan Only)

Now, the platform has some real awesome games, even outside of games published and/or developed by Nintendo or Rare.

But bashing aside, I still love the Nintendo 64 because of the following games:

Adventures

• Bomberman 64
• Mega Man 64
• Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
• Shadow Man
• Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
• Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Arcade

• Rampage 2: Universal Tour

Fighting

• Fighting Force 64
• Fighters Destiny
• Killer Instinct Gold
• Mortal Kombat 4
• Super Smash Bros.

Party

• Mario Party
• Mario Party 2
• Mario Party 3

Puzzles

• Bust-A-Move '99
• Bust-A-Move 2 Arcade Edition
• Tetrisphere

RPGs

• Hybrid Heaven
• Gauntlet Legends
• Paper Mario
• Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber

Rail Shooters

• Pokemon Snap
• Star Fox 64

First Person Shooters

• Doom 64
• Duke Nukem 64
• Goldeneye 007
• Perfect Dark
• Quake
• Turok (Series)

Third Person Shooters

• Body Harvest
• Buck Bumble
• Jet Force Gemini
• WinBack: Covert Operations

Strategy

• Blast Corps
• Pokémon Stadium
• Pokémon Stadium 2
• Worms Armageddon
• Starcraft 64

Survival Horror

• Nightmare Creatures
• Resident Evil 2

Racing

• Extreme G
• F-Zero X
• Mario Kart 64
• Diddy Kong Racing

Sports

• NBA Courtside
• NFL Blitz
• Mario Golf
• Mario Tennis
• Wave Race 64
• Snowboard Kids
• Snowboard Kids 2

and the Platformers

• Goemon's Great Adventure
• Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
• Michief Makers
• Yoshi's Story
• Banjo-Kazooie
• Banjoe Tooie
• Chameleon Twist
• Chameleon Twist 2
• Conker's Bad Fur Day
• Donkey Kong 64
• Gex 64: Enter the Gecko
• Glover
• Rayman 2: The Great Escape
• Rocket: Robot on Wheels
• Space Station Silicon Valley
• Super Mario 64
• Tonic Trouble
   

[GPX | 1,369]

1 hour ago, JamesRobot said:

The Nintendo only gets better with time like a fine whiskey. 

The 64 aged like day old fries from McDonalds.  It was tasty when it was hot but now it's all nasty and soggy.

Mario 64 still tastes like fine wine to me...umm..metaphorically speaking.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,012]

1 hour ago, The Strangest said:

You’d be surprised how many young people are out there these days that I want to beat up and steal their lunch money that say the NES is “too far back” to be enjoyable, basically how people our age talk about the 2600. They’re wrong of course, but they’re out there.

I've heard the younger crowd say that but I just don't believe it's bc they know what they're talking about. To me, if you play the most praised NES games, there is no way that claim holds water. It's just weird considering how easily they are to emulate too. 

The amount of timeless, playable games is stinkin long got the NES. I just can't take people who dismiss it without and substantial argument seriously.