Almost any N64 game you could think of is at least 20 years old and the oldest ones are turning 25 this year.........Feels very sad :(

[daTRUballin]

The 20th anniversary of Conker's Bad Fur Day this past March has gotten me thinking about this lately. As CBFD was one of the last high profile N64 titles to ever come out, this means that pretty much any N64 game you could think of is at least two decades old now. Both the JP and NA releases of Paper Mario already had their 20th anniversary before Conker and the JP-only released Animal Crossing turned 20 last month. So aside from some obscure titles released later in 2001 or 2002, everything else is basically in the 20s at this point.

The console itself turns 25 this year which means landmark titles like Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 are also turning 25...........Damn.

To some people, this may not be mindblowing or a big deal, but the N64 was a system I grew up with as a kid and it holds a special place in my heart forever, so it's just sad to think that this console is that old. And it also makes me feel old knowing that to a lot of people from the younger generations, the N64 may be little more than an ancient relic from the past or a curiosity at this point. Time is slipping away, ya'll. :(

Is there anything in gaming that blows your mind when you think about how long ago it was or is there something that makes you feel super old when you stop and think about it?

 

[lobdale]

i feel ya OP

 

[Android Sophia]

Is there anything in gaming that blows your mind when you think about how long ago it was or is there something that makes you feel super old when you stop and think about it?

Click to shrink...

The very first Final Fantasy game I played is almost 30 years old.

 

[Deleted member 10629]

25 years before I was born, videogames didn't even exist.

 

[FernandoRocker]

i feel ya OP

Click to shrink...

No. Please, God, no.

That's a cursed image. Delete it.

 

[Android Sophia]

No. Please, God, no.

That's a cursed image. Delete it.

Click to shrink...

Embrace the image, Fernando, and you'll feel much better about yourself!

 

[Stopdoor]

This doesn't weird me out that much, what's "weirder" is you can have fresh adult posters on here whose legitimate first console could be the Wii/360/PS3. I'm waiting for someone to make the earnest thread about it and melt Era's collective brain, tbh.

 

[anexanhume]

I cracked my N64 PSU open today to check the caps. Still pristine.

 

[G_Shumi]

i feel ya OP

Click to shrink...

Wind Waker came out in 2003 though?

Also, OP, I have one: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (the very last N64 game in North America) was released in August 2002. So at least that's less than 20 years old?

 

[nicolasacmf]

i feel ya OP

Click to shrink...

 

[_zoipi]

It's not that you get old, is that you lost control of time.

 

[FernandoRocker]

Embrace the image, Fernando, and you'll feel much better about yourself!

Click to shrink...

I was 8 years old when A Link to the Past was released. I didn't know English back then, and we didn't have internet. I spent hours trying to find out what to do to get/use the Moon Pearl because of my limited language.

I will always cherish those moments, and the game has a very special place in my heart. I want to embrace that cursed image, but every day I feel older and older and I don't want to miss all those experiences. I'm 37 now, and I just want to live at least until I'm 80 to keep having those kind of gaming experiences (I'm pretty sure Nintendo will still exist in 40 more years).

Edit: I just read my post and it sounds very corny 😅

 

[Android Sophia]

I was 8 years old when A Link to the Past was released. I didn't know English back then, and we didn't have internet. I spent hours trying to find out what to do to get/use the Moon Pearl because of my limited language.

I will always cherish those moments, and the game has a very special place in my heart. I want to embrace that cursed image, but every day I feel older and older and I don't to miss all these experiences. I'm 37 now, and I just to live at least until I'm 80 to keep having these kind of gaming experiences (I'm pretty sure Nintendo will still exist in 40 more years).

Click to shrink...

Damn. That's one heck of an experience. Definitely cherish those memories.

I was really young when A Link to the Past came out, so I was a late generation SNES/PS1/N64 girl. But because I didn't have a lot of money growing up, I ended up with the less expensive consoles. I still have a lot of nostalgia playing Super Mario World and A Link to the Past.

Going back to the topic a bit, I still remember playing Super Mario 64 for the first time at Toys R Us. They had a demo space set up with two or three N64s and it was my first experience with 3D gaming. I was 7 when that game came out. Actually getting an N64 down the line was pure joy.

 

[Barely Able]

Embrace hurtling towards death. Makes it much easier when these anniversaries keep coming up.

 

[daTRUballin]

Holy shit! I was going to point out that Pong was around the same age as games like Goldeneye, Ocarina of Time, Half-Life, Banjo Kazooie etc. are these days when those games came out, but I looked it up and Pong actually came out in 1972! I thought it was like 1977-1979 or something. What the fuck?! I guess I'm not as informed as I thought I was lol

 

[Deleted member 721]

Final Fantasy IV is 30 years old this year

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Real quick, here's all the N64 games that are still under 20:

JP:
Derby Stallion 64 (8/10/01)
Bomberman 64 JP (12/20/01)

NA:
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (8/21/01)
Madden NFL 2002 (9/12/01)
The Powerpuff Girls: Chemical X-Traction (10/14/01)
Razor Freestyle Scooter (11/27/01)
NFL Blitz Special Edition (11/28/01)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (8/20/02) (The only N64 game released in any region in 2002, a full 8 months after any other N64 game)

EU:
StarCraft 64 (5/25/01)
Excitebike 64 (6/8/01)
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (6/22/01)
Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage (8/3/01)
Paper Mario (10/5/01)
Pokemon Stadium 2 (10/10/01)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (10/12/01)
Mario Party 3 (11/16/01)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (yes, the first one released after the second one in Europe) (12/10/01)

 

[Madao]

i think Gamecube games turning 20 this year is more of a shock. most N64 games look pretty ancient even with emulation but several GC games could pass a current gen games if emulated at high resolutions.

 

[Baji Boxer]

This doesn't weird me out that much, what's "weirder" is you can have fresh adult posters on here whose legitimate first console could be the Wii/360/PS3. I'm waiting for someone to make the earnest thread about it and melt Era's collective brain, tbh.

Click to shrink...

On Nov. 22, kids who were born the same day as the 360 release will start getting driver's licenses.

 

[Shinobido Heart]

Still waiting on Nintendo to put N64 Classics on NSO...

Yup...any day now. Aaaaaany day.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

They age like fine wine.

 

[Baji Boxer]

I hooked up my Dreamcast recently to play my 21 year old copy of Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

 

[Eoin]

I looked it up and Pong actually came out in 1972! I thought it was like 1977-1979 or something. What the fuck?!

Click to shrink...

There were a gajillion home Pong machines and most of them released in 1977. Maybe that's pushing your perceptions towards that year.

 

[leap that wall]

Fallout 3 came out 13 years ago. It was closer to Fallout 1 than we are to it now.

 

[daTRUballin]

There were a gajillion home Pong machines and most of them released in 1977. Maybe that's pushing your perceptions towards that year.

Click to shrink...

Maybe? I honestly don't know why I thought it was the late 70's lol

 

[Bigkrev]

I always use Gears of War as my reference point.

For example, this Winter, the time difference between the release of Gears of War and the current date will be longer than the time difference between the release of Sonic the Hedgehog and Gears of War.

 

[Powerofthecloud]

Wow that is kind of nuts that the n64 launch was 25 years ago.

 

[ExoExplorer]

This is the pessimistic take. Many of the 64's (Super Mario 64 for instance) seminal titles will go on to live as part of gaming history. This also will happen to every console after it too. My fellow GameCube/Wii kids aren't getting any younger.

I wasn't around for the majority of the 64s lifetime, but I have friends who speak very fondly of it. The transition from 2D to 3D is something I wish I could've experienced myself.

 

[daTRUballin]

I always use Gears of War as my reference point.

For example, this Winter, the time difference between the release of Gears of War and the current date will be longer than the time difference between the release of Sonic the Hedgehog and Gears of War.

Click to shrink...

Unless I'm misunderstanding you, I think you're a bit off there. Sonic 1 came out in June 1991. Gears of War was November 2006. So technically, the difference between Sonic and Gears was a bit longer than the difference between Gears and this upcoming winter. You're only a few months off though, so it's not a big deal. :p

It's crazy to think how much video game technology changed between 1991 and 2006. There is definitely a noticeable difference between 2006 and today, but not to the same mindblowing extent. Today's games just feel like high res versions of 360/PS3 games.

 

[Deleted member 11637]

If you remember/have strong feelings about this video, you are a boomer:

 

[daTRUballin]

If you remember/have strong feelings about this video, you are a boomer:

Click to shrink...

I was born the same year Star Fox 64 came out.

There. That should make all the boomers feel even older.

 

[Dolobill]

i feel ya OP

Click to shrink...

Actually Majora's Mask was the newest Zelda 20 years ago, if that's any comfort to anyone.

 

[Undeniablybiased]

I'm well past the point where any of this surprises or bothers me, but my sense of time has definitely changed. All those "the 80's were 20 years ago right?" Memes definitely applies to me.

But it is especially interesting when looking at it through the lens of games. It used to be constantly changing, but we've gone a long time in what is essentially the same era.

 

[FernandoRocker]

So, back in 1994–1995 we didn't have internet, so I always purchased a monthly magazine here in Mexico called Club Nintendo (very famous magazine across all of Latin America).

I remember when the N64 (Ultra 64) info began to appear. One thing I didn't understand from reading the magazine and seeing pictures was the joystick on the controller. I always thought it was some sort of button that you had to press to "activate the 3D graphics" (that's what my 10 year old me used to think).

So, when the N64 was released, I went to Sears in the USA (I live in the border) and to my surprise, there was this N64 demo station with a large crowd of people (around 10 persons), and some kiddo was playing Super Mario 64. That was the first time I saw the N64 in action and the first time I saw the controller/joystick.

Anyway, this kid was playing and struggling with the controls (joysticks and 3D movement was new back then) and I remember he was fighting the King Bomb boss, but he didn't know what to do. So he got nervous and passed the controller to me. Fortunately, I had read on the Club Nintendo magazine how to defeat the boss. It took me a moment to understand the controls, but after a few minutes I beat the boss and everyone were impressed.

Great moment. I vividly remember the demo station and location and everything.

 

[Catalyst]

Mr. Game And Watch was added as a retro throwback character for Smash Bros Melee, but Melee is about as old now as the Game & Watch was then.

 

[andymcc]

If you remember/have strong feelings about this video, you are a boomer:

Click to shrink...

i was so upset because i was on a vacation at the beach-- starfox 64 came out while i was there-- and i didn't pack my n64.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Actually Majora's Mask was the newest Zelda 20 years ago, if that's any comfort to anyone.

Click to shrink...

Oracle duology was 2001 (Feb in Japan, May in NA).

 

[daTRUballin]

SyndicateWars You need to come in here and lament the N64's old age with the rest of us lol

 

[Deleted member 24079]

The real shame is that unless you own the system and have a couple hundred dollars to spend on carts, or a Wii, you can't really play these N64 games anywhere

 

[Tangled Up in Blue]

Gamecube, Xbox, Fellowship of the Ring, and 9/11 all turn 20 this year.

 

[Bathory]

i feel ya OP

Click to shrink...

I felt so old looking at this image, that I could feel death near me

 

[SuperFakerBros]

I'd argue the bigger shock is how old the PS2, GC, and Xbox are. Hell, even how old the Wii, PS3, and 360 are. Like they are straight up retro consoles at this point. With traditional 5-6 year generations, right now, we'd have been waiting a few years for the PS6, Xbox Infinity, and the Wii 4

 

[not_smiff]

Thread is messing me up. Thanks lol

 

[Timu]

Gamecube, Xbox, Fellowship of the Ring, and 9/11 all turn 20 this year.

Click to shrink...

Shrek, Halo, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Moulin Rogue, and this list of games as well:

What a time to be alive!

 

[Deleted member 19702]

SyndicateWars You need to come in here and lament the N64's old age with the rest of us lol

Click to shrink...

I know how it feels. It's the system I have the most fond memories of my childhood and early teenage days. I mean, the generation jump between 2D to 3D in the N64 days was something people who wasn't around at the time will never truly comprehend how amazing it was. As much NES and SNES were better systems overall, N64 had a better impact in me as gamer.

Stuff like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, ISS 64/98, Wave Race 64, KI Gold, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, TWINE, Mission Impossible, Extreme-G, Turok 1/RW/3, Duke Nukem 64/ZH, Super Smash Bros, Mario Tennis, Perfect Dark, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Paper Mario, Zelda OOT/MM, Quake 2, Gex 64, FIFA 98, Hydro Thunder, F-Zero X, Star Wars Racer/Rogue Squadron/Battle for Naboo/Shadows of the Empire, 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike 64, Winback, Sin & Punishment, THPS, AeroGauge, Mario Party Trilogy, Fighting Force, Resident Evil 2, F1 World Grand Prix, Cruisn USA/World, Pokémon Stadium 1/2/Snap etc. will always have a special place into my heart.

 

[Timu]

I know how it feels. It's the system I have the most fond memories of my childhood and early teenage days. I mean, the generation jump between 2D to 3D in the N64 days was something people who wasn't around at the time will never truly comprehend how amazing it was. As much NES and SNES were better systems overall, N64 had a better impact in me as gamer.

Stuff like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, ISS 64/98, Wave Race 64, KI Gold, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, TWINE, Mission Impossible, Extreme-G, Turok 1/RW/3, Duke Nukem 64/ZH, Super Smash Bros, Mario Tennis, Perfect Dark, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Paper Mario, Zelda OOT/MM, Quake 2, Gex 64, FIFA 98, Hydro Thunder, F-Zero X, Star Wars Racer/Rogue Squadron/Battle for Naboo/Shadows of the Empire, 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike 64, Winback, Sin & Punishment, THPS, AeroGauge, Mario Party Trilogy, Fighting Force, Resident Evil 2, F1 World Grand Prix, Cruisn USA/World, Pokémon Stadium 1/2/Snap etc. will always have a special place into my heart.

Click to shrink...

This is one hell of a list and I played a lot of these games as well.

 

[daTRUballin]

I know how it feels. It's the system I have the most fond memories of my childhood and early teenage days. I mean, the generation jump between 2D to 3D in the N64 days was something people who wasn't around at the time will never truly comprehend how amazing it was. As much NES and SNES were better systems overall, N64 had a better impact in me as gamer.

Stuff like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, ISS 64/98, Wave Race 64, KI Gold, Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, TWINE, Mission Impossible, Extreme-G, Turok 1/RW/3, Duke Nukem 64/ZH, Super Smash Bros, Mario Tennis, Perfect Dark, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Paper Mario, Zelda OOT/MM, Quake 2, Gex 64, FIFA 98, Hydro Thunder, F-Zero X, Star Wars Racer/Rogue Squadron/Battle for Naboo/Shadows of the Empire, 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike 64, Winback, Sin & Punishment, THPS, AeroGauge, Mario Party Trilogy, Fighting Force, Resident Evil 2, F1 World Grand Prix, Cruisn USA/World, Pokémon Stadium 1/2/Snap etc. will always have a special place into my heart.

Click to shrink...

Your list is missing Rayman 2! Kind of an underrated platformer that was overshadowed by Mario 64 and the Rareware platformers (same with Toy Story 2).

Fuck that final boss though. Absolute bullshit. It's so difficult to the point where you want to tear your hair out and then the lame payoff and ending only make it worse. But it's a great game overall.

 

[YellowBara]

It's indeed pretty old.

No, there's not many things about gaming that make me feel old honestly. I just enjoy seeing the innovations as they come 🤷‍♂️

Also, I gotta wonder what the average age of users is on ERA. I feel like there's been an uptick of posts about everyone feeling old here lately lol

 

[Laver]

Time: flows
Era:

 

[Timu]

It's indeed pretty old.

No, there's not many things about gaming that make me feel old honestly. I just enjoy seeing the innovations as they come 🤷‍♂️

Also, I gotta wonder what the average age of users is on ERA. I feel like there's been an uptick of posts about everyone feeling old here lately lol

Click to shrink...

Yeah I'm getting older as well, heck I was 8 years old when the N64 1st launched in the US.