Nintendo 64
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What's a N64?
N64 is the video game system (gaming console) from Nintendo, formal name is Nintendo 64. It gets its inputs from up to 4 game controllers, and output TV signals via the AV cable. Its 64-bit R4000 RISC CPU from MIPS makes it the fastest gaming console in the world, although the 128-bit Sega Dreamcast will beat the N64 on 9/9/99. By now, the fastest gaming console is still N64. Because of the threaten from Sega, the Nintendo has dropped the price of N64 from $129 to $99.
Even when the N64 will not be the best gaming console, it is still a good choice. For me, the most excellent part of it is the controller. The controller is ergonomically and elegantly designed: big, natural, easy to manipulate, and can ease the stress of long time playing. Actually, it's the main reason I bought a N64 system.
Game cartridge
N64 use ROM cartridges (or Game Pak, the formal name from Nintendo) to store the games, instead of CD-ROMs. This gives it an edge over the CD-ROM systems, the speed. However, the price is: the cartridges are expensive, and can hold less data than the CD-ROMs. The maximum storage capacity of a cartridge is 96M, compared to the 650M of a CD-ROM. Another advantage of cartridge over CD-ROM is the robustness. Because of the lack of moving part, the cartridge is more resistant to the physical shocks lethal to the CD-ROM systems. I heard some guy dropped his console several times from the table, but he can still play the games on the console. I don't think a CD-ROM based system can hold such a shock.
My N64 Games
Until now, I have only two games for my N64, the Goldeneye 007 and the Star Wars: The Rogue Squadron. Like many other players, I love the multiplayer mode of the 007 most. You can have up to 4 players to shoot each other in a dozen of scenarios. Kill or Die, that's the rule. However, the difficult part of this game is to find the fellow players. Obviously, the Internet is the future for the multiplayer games. Quake II is an excellent example. At any time, even 3AM, you can still find tons of players on the net. But due to the limitation of the N64 console, I can never has the chance to play 007 on line. However, the good news is: there is a built-in 56K modem in Sega Dreamcast, the futuristic, 128-bit CPU armed next generation console, will be released on September 9, 1999. That's only days ahead. However, I don't think I have enough money now to have one. Maybe sometime later?
Gaming Consoles vs Computers
There are always some arguments, discussions, and even flames on which is the better gaming platform: computers, or the gaming consoles. IMHO, for some games, the computer is a better platform, such as strategic games, RPG games, you can use your hard disk to store the game and use keyboard to input the alphanumercal information, such as the names of characters and places. For such games, the keyboard and mouse can easily beat the game pad and joystick of gaming consoles. For the shooting, racing, and flight stimulators, the gaming console is excellent: the game pad and joystick are easy to maneuver, comfortable even for long time nervous and stressful playing. For these circumstances, game pad and joysticks can easily beat the keyboard and mouse combination. Sure, you can use the game pad and joystick on the computers too. That's great for the computer games. However, you will find to play such games on a 20 inch or bigger TV screen is much more exciting than the tiny 15 or 17 inch computer screens. You can argue the resolution is higher on the computer screen, but, believe me, this time, the size rules, and resolution is not as important as it sounds. I think the easy to install, operate, and read plug and play is the merits that the gaming consoles possess.