What You Don't Like About The Nintendo 64

[oldgamerz]

  I love this console and give it lots of praise. But I noticed a lot of people do not like it. my favorite thing is how sturdy it's game cartridges are. So? what are some of the things you don't like about this 1997 generation 5 Nintendo console?

[kamikazekeeg]

The controller is pretty garbage, but I still love the system.  It's one of my favorite.  That's about all I don't like.

[soera]

#1 - The controller. Just plain garbage
#2 - Lack of variety. Over 50% of its library consists of sports games and racing games. Not 1 single real RPG.
#3 - Cartridge vs CD. The ability to make a huge game on cartridge at that time was limited. So that is why #2 exists.
#4 - Not a Playstation. Self explanatory. Playstation for life.

[azure]

I like the N64, my only real issue with it is how garbage the video quality from the console is. Yes I am aware of Hdmi mods and junk, but that is expensive and not worth it imo. The library is a little lacking in my opinion as well, but that is about it.

[redblaze57]

My only problem is that i bought Excite Bike 64 a second time without realizing i already owned it.

I'll admit the controller is not the best, but it's no where near as bad as people say it is.

[ferraroso]

I don't like Nintendo.
And of all the Nintendo systems, the N64 and the Wii are my least favorites.
Of the consoles I own, I even prefer and play more often the 3DO over the N64, which is saying something.
Thus, I think I agree with a lot of things that have been said here so far.

- I understand that they were trying something new with the controller, but for me, it is terrible.
- It lacks games.
- I don't like its graphics and foggy visuals.
- Without modding it, the image quality is pretty bad.
- The sound compression tends to be much worse than on its main competitors such as the PS1 and the (mighty) Saturn.

And I have some other strictly personal problems with the system as well:

- I don't like its overall design.
- I don't like the fact that it uses cartridges.
- I don't like it's name.
- I usually don't care about Zelda or Mario, so, even though I respect the historical significance of the games of both series, for me, they are not enough to hold the N64's scarce library.

However, this system has one game that may well be in my top 20 of all time and that I simply LOVE. This game is the only reason why my N64 is still connected to the TV: GoldenEye 007.

[kamikazekeeg]

My only problem is that i bought Excite Bike 64 a second time without realizing i already owned it.

I'll admit the controller is not the best, but it's no where near as bad as people say it is.

I can't think of any other official controls that are much worse outside of the real old systems like pre-NES.

[98dgreen]

Bad controllers and ugly visuals

[redblaze57]

My only problem is that i bought Excite Bike 64 a second time without realizing i already owned it.

I'll admit the controller is not the best, but it's no where near as bad as people say it is.

I can't think of any other official controls that are much worse outside of the real old systems like pre-NES.

Those and I'll say the Switch's joy-cons in Handheld mode (namely the right one) that actually hurts my hand.

[oldgamerz]

I'll agree the controller is bad if you don't take care of it or hold it correctly. But I actually found it to fit my big hands well and comfortably. I love sports games and For some reason I love the Graphics. but Yes I love the SONY PlayStation 1 even more.

[burningdoom]

I'm one that doesn't like it.

I really tried to get into it, too. Bought about 20-25 "must have" games like the Zeldas, Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, and others.

Hate, HATE the controller. I bought a Raphnet adapter that allows you to use the GameCube controller. But that thing is a buggy piece of garbage that only works when it feels like it.

And the game selection kind of sucks. I'm not into sports games. Racing games are just "meh" to me. The platformers seemed big and empty and just filled with things to collect instead of actual platforming. And the Zelda games I thought I'd love, since I loved the series beforehand, also felt big and empty and boring to me.

I did, however, really enjoy Star Fox 64, despite how short it was.

I ended up selling it all and using it for games on other systems.

[bikingjahuty]

I really like the N64 and in fact it is my favorite Nintendo console. I admit the early 3D of many of the games did not age well, but that doesn't discount how awesome its library is, especially since it has fewer than 300 games released for it, at least in north America. Never had an issue with its controller either which is something a lot of people hate on heavily. The other criticism I hear a lot is the lack of variety in the types of games, citing that much of the library is either racing or sports games. While there are many games of these genres on the N64, this argument discounts the many other great titles that aren't of these two genres and also discounts that many of the games of these genres are actually pretty good. Speaking of genres, there aren't many RPGs on the N64, which I think is a fair criticism. I have made a point to collect only the best games on the N64 (save a few titles), and these titles go toe to toe and even exceed anything on the SNES or NES (except possibly in the RPG department).

[dreama1]

I really like the N64 and in fact it is my favorite Nintendo console. I admit the early 3D of many of the games did not age well, but that doesn't discount how awesome its library is, especially since it has fewer than 300 games released for it, at least in north America. Never had an issue with its controller either which is something a lot of people hate on heavily. The other criticism I hear a lot is the lack of variety in the types of games, citing that much of the library is either racing or sports games. While there are many games of these genres on the N64, this argument discounts the many other great titles that aren't of these two genres and also discounts that many of the games of these genres are actually pretty good. Speaking of genres, there aren't many RPGs on the N64, which I think is a fair criticism. I have made a point to collect only the best games on the N64 (save a few titles), and these titles go toe to toe and even exceed anything on the SNES or NES (except possibly in the RPG department).

It's a console that's impossible to name a top 50 list without shit on it.

[stealthrush]

Personally I've never been a fan of the Nintendo 64 ever since its launch in North America. This could be for a couple of reasons;

- It was over hyped in majority video-game magazines, when in reality software library lacked variety.
- I wasn't impressed with the 3D graphics, Jumping Flash! impressed me which was released a year prior.
- I remember playing Tomb Raider on my Sega Saturn two months after Mario 64 release, which had a similar experience.
- Never was a fan of 3-D platform genre.

Another reason why I dislike N64 could be, I grew up playing arcade games and really enjoyed bringing the experience home which I decided to go with Sega Saturn, and eventually PlayStation instead. Ironically I grew up with Nintendo Entertianment System, Super Nintendo, and Game Boy Pocket and enjoyed playing them immensely.

[emporerdragon]

It's a console that's impossible to name a top 50 list without shit on it.

Gotta disagree there. Take the top 50 rated N64 games (with at least 10 reviews each) and number #50 (Pokemon Puzzle League) still scores an 82.6%. 

In any case, while I do love the system, putting countless hours into games like Smash Bros., Perfect Dark, Harvest Moon 64, and Pokemon Stadium during my middle school years, I do recognize that it has flaws. Probably the most irksome nowadays are how the cartridges are presented. That they didn't make it so the box could double as a cartridge holder and that they didn't have the sticker reach the top or side of the cartridge for easy identification is rather annoying. Thankfully, both have been fixed thanks to various third party groups, but it's still annoying. The lack of good RPGs is also a detriment, but I will admit to not noticing it as much when I was growing up with the system as I had a good amount for the Game Boy and was also introduced to SNES emulation around that time, so I was able to still get my fix.

As for the controller, I never really had a problem with it (outside of the Mario Party scars), but in retrospect, it was an unnecessary design. While the overarching idea was that a game could use one of the 3 sets of grips, whatever best suited the game, very few games made use of the Left-Right configuration and I can't think of any that used the Left-Center configuration.  It would have been better to just replace the d-pad with a better stick and to remove the center grip. In any case, it is still far more comfortable in the hands than a Playstation controller is. I can't hold a dualshock for much longer than 15 minutes or so without developing hand cramps (too small and not ergonomic enough for my hands).