It is a common misconception that not only is there nothing to play on the Nintendo 64, there is literally nothing to play. And if I argue with the first half of the thesis later, I’ll start with the second half right now.

With Sony as a major competitor, Big N sought to create a product that was not only superior to the PlayStation, but also cut from a fundamentally different mold. Thus, thanks to the efforts of Silicon Graphics Inc. and Nintendo, the only 64-bit console of the 5th generation was designed and successfully implemented.

Completely silent and ultra-fast by doing away with CD-ROMs, the extremely powerful Nintendo 64 tickled the ego of not only Hiroshi Yamauchi, the president of Nintendo, but also of its future customer long before the official start of sales.

In addition to its finely tuned exterior, the console received a controller designed precisely for its 3D gaming needs. The gamepad’s avant-garde design, which in no way echoed any of the existing ones at that time, instantly attracted the attention of both game critics and gamers around the world. Since then, opinion on it has been divided: some love it, others hate it. And there’s a good reason for that.

The original controller will make a mess of archaeological research in the distant future

Trident’s strength was its expansion port, allowing you to connect either memory cards or a vibro pack. And the analog stick and four-position “C” button, which predetermined Sony’s quick response in the form of Dual analog [1], were simply indispensable in most games. As for the rest, there were a lot of complaints about the controller: its lack of ergonomics due to the three handles, the non-responsive stick and its short lifespan.

Of course, a gamer’s heart will get used to anything, but not his hands…

Still a crazy idea, this time “turbocharged”.

Unfortunately, there were no official modifications or other models from Nintendo itself, but the company licensed the production of these to third-party manufacturers of electronics and accessories. So first the “turbocharged” Trident Hori Commander N64 appeared, and then the Hori Mini pad N64, which has already become an eternal classic. Reduced in 1.5 times gamepad was designed with two handles, cross wheel gave way to an analog stick, obviously borrowed from GameCube controller. The ergonomics of this “baby” transformed the gaming experience so much that gameplay was no longer imaginable without it.

Setting the standard for brevity and quality, Hori’s design is copied in one way or another by all retro accessory manufacturers to this day. For example, Retro-bit’s Tribute64 is almost exactly the same as the Hori Mini pad N64 with the only difference being the larger, and thus more comfortable, L, R triggers and the double Z button.

American company Retro Fighters went their own way and transformed the exterior of the gamepad, taking it to a whole new level. Brawler64 controller, which grew in size compared to Hori Mini pad N64, was designed with a glance at the gamepads of the current generation: soft and very comfortable buttons, delightful analog stick, nice crossbar. The Brawler64 also has a “turbo” feature and a 10-foot connection cable, which is very appropriate for retro gameplay, don’t you think?

But the Americans at Hyperkin have jumped even higher, recently releasing the “Admiral” Premium BT wireless controller. Styled as a Wii controller, the Admiral Premium BT not only works via Bluetooth, but also allows you to save games to an SD card. Unfortunately, this device has two small disadvantages – the complete absence of vibration and unpresentable connection unit to the console. Otherwise, a great replacement for the regular controller. Once and for all…

The wireless reincarnation of ideas from Hori

As you can see, everyone can find a controller to their liking. So unpack your 64 from the closet and let’s play in a new way!