NOVEMBER 1995
Nintendo president, Hiroshi Yamauchi breaks the news about an add-on for the Nintendo64,
called N64 Disk Drive, and that it will appear at the Spaceworld in 1996.
source: nintendojo
JUNE 1996
Nintendo of America's Geoff Rainville speaks to Revolutions Online about the N64DD and says
"Nintendo always approaches technology from a game perspective. Instead of saying what can
we create that makes this more interesting/powerful, it's always a case of saying I want a
game that does this... how do we do it? That's why the N64 controller looks like it does.
And that's the story behind the N64DD. It will provide a new style of game."
source: nintendojo
JULY 1996
Revolutions Online reports that Shigeru Miyamoto is leading an in-house development team
which is working on two N64DD games, Super Mario 64 sequel and Super Mario RPG 2, for the
unit also known as the 'Bulky Drive.'
source: nintendojo
SEPTEMBER 1996
The Nintendo64 is released in America. Nintendo also releases the first details on the
specifications of the N64DD. A Nintendo spokesman says "By far the most significant fact
about the N64DD is that it can be written to, not just read from. Uses may include means to
download games and programs from a network or satellite sources. Think about some of the
possibilities."
source: nintendojo
NOVEMBER 1996
On November 22nd, near Tokyo, at the Shoskinkai trade show and the first time the public
sees the N64DD. A working demostration of the unit is presented and the initial specifications
are released. There are no playable N64DD titles and the only N64DD title announced is
Zelda64 which later got converted to the cartridge format, as well as the sequel.
Nintendo shows the machine's possibilities. Digital photos of people are taken and stored
onto a N64DD disk. The photos are applied as texture maps on a floating, rotating cube, all
in real-time. At the same time, the faces are scaled and stretched.
source: nintendojo
DECEMBER 1996
Infogrames announces that their upcoming "Mission: Impossible" game for the N64 will include
N64DD support, allowing gamers to obtain new levels via the N64DD. However it never happened.
ign64.com reports that they learned from sources that the N64DD will be able to access the
Internet. "The company's priorities lie squarely in playing games over the Net," they report.
Net access plans are announced 41 months, more than 3 years, later.
source: nintendojo
FEBRUARY 1997
"I think that the power or ability to create a new and unique game will be expanded two
times beyond what is possible with cartridge." Miyamoto said in an interview with ign64.com.
"We have a lot of original and unique game ideas but we have not been able realize them
because there is no writeable medium. I am involved with disk-based games; a little less
than ten, right now. These projects include the system construction for Mario Paint, editing
Sim City and other similar titles and, as I said earlier, I am working on the basic
structure of self-growing games."
source: nintendojo
MARCH 1997
Next-Generation Online reports that Nintendo has delayed the N64DD until December 1997.
Nintendo of America's president, Howard Lincoln, says the system will not be released in
1997. A release date is not specified, but NGO speculated that it will be mid-1998 at
the earliest in the U.S.
Reported by ign64.com; Street Fighter 3 is in development for the N64DD by Capcom, for
release around the time of the system launches. The site also informs that Epic and DMA
are partnering to develop and publish 7th Legion for the N64DD. Where these games are
today, no one knows.
source: nintendojo
APRIL 1997
In the April 18th issue of Asia Week Magazine, NCL President Hiroshi Yamauchi confirms that
a modem will be included with the N64DD. "This Christmas, we will be offering an attachment
called N64DD, which will allow users to replace the original characters in their games
with new ones via modems and later, satellite communications. This is why we chose to
continue using cartridges for our titles, instead of CD-ROM, which cannot be rewritten over."
Meanwhile, ign64.com breaks the news that Titus plans to make three of their upcoming titles
N64DD compatible. Lamborghini 64, Superman 64, and Quest For Camelot are designed to work
with the machine. Whether or not this option is still inside the game cartridges is
unknown; It's doubtful though.
source: nintendojo
MAY 1997
At the first-ever Nintendo Developer's Conference in early May, a few new details on the
console are released. A total of 4MB's of RDRAM will be included with the system. The buzz
at the conference is over "Burst Access;" Instead of streaming data to the console, in the
way a CD-ROM does, the N64DD sends information in high-speed bursts.
At the end of the month, Nintendo releases a brief statement, in which they say the December
release date was unattainable, and the release in Japan will be moved back to March of 1998.
source: nintendojo
JUNE 1997
Reports indicate that the N64DD will be priced around 10,000 yen at release, which is
equivalent to $90-$100. Four games is said to launch at the system's release: Mario Paint 64,
Earthbound 64 (Mother 3 in Japan), Pocket Monsters 64 and Sim City 64. At present, one of
those games has been released on cart, another one is now planned for cart¨. Mario Artist
as well as SimCity 64 are released for the N64DD today.
At E3, the N64DD is no where to be found. Nintendo of America's chairman, Howard Lincoln,
says "when we get that (the software) exactly right, we'll introduce the N64 Disk Drive."
Paradigm says they are looking into the possibilities of the system. Ubi Soft announces
Tonic Trouble's N64 release which will be followed by a N64DD expansion disk. Tonic Trouble
gets released in 1999, but there's no sign of an expansion disk.
source: nintendojo & n64 scener
JULY 1997
In an interview with a Japanese videogame magazine, as translated by NGO, Shigeru Miyamoto
says that about 20 games are in the works for the N64DD at the time. He also states that the
system will retail for about $120 at its launch in Japan.
"Buggie Boogie won't show up until the Shoshinkai show," Angel Studios says. "Nintendo likes
to work on one thing at a time, so they aren't working on that N64DD version yet." Basically
confirming plans for a N64DD version of the game. Meanwhile, Japanese publication Dengeki
reports that Donkey Kong 64 is in development for the N64DD. But that might have been wrong,
Donkey Kong 64 is released on cartridge in 1999 world wide.
source: nintendojo & n64 scener
SEPTEMBER 1997
Nintendo states that they will feature four playable games at the Nintendo World 1997 show,
otherwise known as Spaceworld or Shoshinkai. The games to would be Sim City 2000,
Pocket Monsters 64, Mario Paint 64, and Earthbound 64. But SimCity 2000 is released on cart
in Japan in 1997, it does nowt reach the US or Europe.
source: nintendojo & n64 scener
OCTOBER 1997
NGO reports that a source told them the N64DD was being set for a June 1998 release in
America, which ofcourse never hapened. Later ign64.com informed that two U.S. publishers
had N64DD development kits. They also confirmed that the disks were hot-swappable which means
that multiple-disk games were possible.
An F-Zero N64DD expansion was confirmed. "F-Zero 64 is a cartridge game, but
after the N64DD comes out, we are planning to release new courses and a course edit feature
on disk. So we can hope to have many kinds of events." The disk is available for the N64DD
today. In addition, Maxis announces that Sim Copter will be released for the N64DD and not
on cartridge as originally planned.
source: nintendojo
NOVEMBER 1997
Spaceworld brought bad news to gamers, in the form of uncompleted games and delays. None of
the four N64DD games at the show were playable. NCL announced once again that the system was
delayed, this time to July of 1998. SimCity 64 was shown in the form of short glimpses of
videotape, as was Earthbound 64. Mario Artist was shown in full, but was not playable.
NCL President Yamauchi said at the show that the N64DD has three main points: Nurturing or
growing characters, trading, and addition of data. "There are many different projects for DD
going on today," he stated. His hope for the console was apparent. He said he had been
focusing on Mario Artist at the time. "In the future, N64DD can be used to revitalize the
N64 market. It is rewritable and games can be updated with cheap discs." Shigeru Miyamoto
told ign64.com that a second Zelda game, for the N64DD, was in the works for release in 1998.
Derby Stallion was announced too.
NOA's VP of marketing, George Harrision, was interviewed, and spoke to the N64DD's chances of
making it to North American soil. "It's an accessory and we all know the history of selling
add-ons in this marketplace, and to be successful we'd have to get a 60%-to-80% penetration
of this N64DD into the installed base of N64 to be considered a success. We can't just have
10% or 20% of people buy it, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense to continue software support
for it."
He also explained how Nintendo will try to sell the N64DD to an average gamer. As Mr.
Yamauchi said, "the software will have to go out in a new direction for the system to grow,
and he referenced Tamagotchi but also Pocket Monster. I think what will have to happen is
that people will really have to want to store, share, write, and add on things to play the
games. And if they become popular then that will drive the disc drive."
source: nintendojo
CEMBER 1997
Miyamoto spoke about his plans for a N64DD version of Zelda in an interview with Famitsu.
"We will make it once the system has been switched over to the N64DD. Fundamentally, once
the cartridge version of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time has been out for awhile, I'd like
to bring the N64DD version out. It's too early to release just yet, and I don't want to have
the N64DD and the cartridge sold at the same time."
Miyamoto also talked about his virtual-pet sim, "Cabbage." "I am making it for the N64DD,
along with Shigesato Itoi. You can buy it things, give it food, and raise the creature.
We're doing it on the N64DD because I wanted to make a clock function, such that even if the
power is cut, can still raise the creature. Also, you can use the Game Boy
[and the GB64 Pak], and enjoy it anywhere."
source: nintendojo
JANUARY 1998
New year, same delays. NCL's Yoshi Hongo told the 64 Dream that "there are no plans" for a
modem in the US N64DD. This, after months of confirmation and denial as to whether or not a
modem will be present in the system when it is released.
source: nintendojo
FEBRUARY 1998
In an interview with Imagine Radio, Nintendo VP of sales, marketing, and PR George
Harrison talked about the N64DD outside of Japan. "The N64DD is launching in Japan this
summer, and we'll see how it performs there. The N64DD will probably still arrive in
North America this fall. But you could say, based on our past launch history, that the
date could slip."
Meanwhile, several Japanese publishers told ign64.com that N64DD disks may cost as little
as $30 to $40. In other N64DD news, Maxis said that they planned to release SimCopter in the
US on cartridge. The game was originally planned for cart, then N64DD. Apparently, a N64DD
version was still planned at the time for Japan.
MARCH 1998
NCL played the release date shuffle again. Although it wasn't confirmed, ign64.com reported
that both the system and its games had been delayed to a release date of "to be announced."
It was also said that Pokemon Stadium may be first released on cart, instead of for the N64DD.
And Pokemon Stadium was released on cartridge sometime 1999.
In other news, Infogrames told the press that they planned to develop and publish N64DD games.
No games were announced, although NGO speculated a sequel to Mission: Impossible was possible.
source: nintendojo
APRIL 1999
NCL confirmed previous reports that the N64DD had been delayed until "sometime this year,"
and that Pokemon Stadium would be released on cartridge. NCL called the latest delay
"unfortunate." NOA told ign64.com that a N64DD appearence at E3 was unlikely. "Anything can
happen. Right now, Nintendo's main priority is to sell great games for the Nintendo 64. The
N64DD isn't a priority for Nintendo."
Monolith announced that they planned to port the DirectEngine, formerly of Microsoft's
ownership, to the N64DD as soon as NCL put a specific release date on the system. The engine
was used in games such as Blood 2. Nintendo Fun Vision reported that Imagineer had three
N64DD projects up its sleeve: "Desert Island," a DD version of "Snow Speeder," and "Suu."
source: nintendojo
MAY 1998
E3 '98 opened in Atlanta. The N64DD news was simply said. "Our plans are somewhat indefinite
in 1999 [regarding the N64DD], and we would point any fledging developer to high megabyte
cartridges rather than the N64DD", NOA chairman Howard Lincoln said. "The need for a N64DD
has been lessened. We won't launch hardware until we have killer software to launch it with.
And right now, we're hopeful if the system arrives in Japan by the end of the year."
Lincoln was asked if the N64DD would ever come in the U.S. "I don’t know. I really don’t.
That is a truthful answer...That will be a decision made by Nintendo of America. Obviously,
it will involve Mr. Yamauchi. But it is primarily an NOA decision." In other E3 news,
Capcom's Research and Development chief, Yoshiki Okamoto, confirmed that Capcom's first
N64DD title was in development. He declined to say anything further about it.
source: nintendojo
JUNE 1998
Earthbound 64 (Mother 3 in Japan) was officially moved from a planned N64DD release to
cartridge. It was announced it would ship in a 256Mbit cart. "Currently, we have a
256-megabit cart now," Miyamoto told Game Walkers Magazine. "It can store much more data
than in the past. So I think DD will be used for additional data so you can play the game
once again after you complete it, just like after Ura Zelda appeared in the past Zelda or as
a method for backing up data."
source: nintendojo
SEPTEMBER 1998
Nintendo announced that they won't put on a 1998 Spaceworld show in Japan, nor will they
exhibit at the fall Tokyo Game Show. Nintendo said they plan to reschedule Spaceworld for
the early summer of 1999, about the time that the N64DD will be released. In other words,
yes, the system was delayed until 1999.
source: nintendojo
NOVEMBER 1998
In an interview with ign64.com, Shigeru Miyamoto spoke about the N64DD version of Zelda.
"Ocarina of Time has been designed with the disk drive system in mind. More specifically,
if you connect Zelda with the disk drive, an icon will appear on screen, announcing
'Ura-Zelda', or 'Another Zelda'. There were several ideas that I could not incorporate
[in the current game] because of the time shortage and other reasons. In the future, I want
some new areas and new dungeons to be available for players who have already finished
Ocarina of Time, where they will find new challenges."
"We were assuming that the disk drive system would be introduced next year. But since the DD
hasn't been introduced, we have to still determine product reliability and other factors --
which may not allow us to release Ura-Zelda next year. If that happens and we cannot
introduce this second game, we may have to have a special edition release in the future."
source: nintendojo
DECEMBER 1998
Acclaim's Dave Dienstbier spoke to ign64.com about Turok 2 late in 1998. During the
nterview, he provided insight into his experience with the N64DD. "When we originally got
our N64DD development kits they came with the 4MB Expansion Pak. The N64DD was actually kind
of cool, but it wasn't going to fly -- at not least in the States. That was only because of
the time. You know, it was very late coming. You're two years into a four or five year
ife-cycle on a piece of hardware, it's kind of late to start developing software
[for add-on hardware]. It just didn't feel right. It didn't feel like it was going to
happen and Nintendo was still telling us it was."
source: nintendojo
FEBRUARY 1999
In a February issue of Japanese publication Nikkei Sangyou Shimbun, Shigeru Miyamoto talked
about online gaming. "There is a huge risk factor in them. It raises issues of after-sales
care and net management and the question of responsibility, given children use them. Then
there's the question of cost -- if it costs 3,000 yen, say, a month for the service, people
will quickly stop using it."
He also spoke regarding hardware advancements. "Software development is moving
more and more towards creating true interactivity -- a trend which Nintendo must be
very happy to see, given their pioneering position in this area." In other news, NCL
delayed Spaceworld until August.
source: nintendojo
MARCH 1999
At the Game Developers conference,
Miyamoto spoke in a keynote address. He said that he
was working on a 64DD application named Talent
Maker at the time. Video of the game was shown on a
screen as he spoke. "What you are seeing now is a
newly-born Mario Paint, a new game in which you can
create your own characters by utilizing the Game Boy
Camera, and you can make those characters dance,
and what have you. Nintendo will also make efforts to
create new types of commodities by combining the Game Boy, the Game Boy
Camera, the Rumble Pak and others with the N64."
Miyamoto spoke to IGN64 about the 64DD's launch. "I cannot always be optimistic
about the launch of the 64DD, of course. But it all depends on the software. If we can
make it very unique and very attractive so that the people feel like buying it, then I
think it can be very successful. Because we were involved with the Legend of Zelda
until the end of last year, we could not concentrate on a lot of the quality 64DD titles.
But now I think we are about to finish the first line of quality software for 64DD, so I
would like to wait for the judgement by the users for those titles."
APRIL- IGN64 reported that NCL still planned to release the 64DD in June of 1999. A
spokesperson stated that the Mario Artist series of apps would be ready for June.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Software Creations told FGN that Mario Artist: Paint
Studio was originally planned for the N64. "But as time went on, Nintendo wanted us
to incorporate more and more hardware. The only indication we have is that it will be
released for 64DD in Japan. It's pretty stunning. Miyamoto was seriously impressed
by what he saw; he's been over, and inputs ideas regularly."
MAY- NCL announced the first details of Project
Dolphin pre-E3, with the specs being released and an
alliance with Matsushita being announced. But what
about the 64DD? At E3, Mario Artist: Paint Studio
made an appearence. Nintendojo's John Benyamine's
impressions: "Walking through the busy Nintendo booth
at this E3, it could have been easy to overlook the one
small demo unit containing the single copy of Mario
Artist at E3. So I was walking past the incredible
Smash Brothers, the fun Mario Golf, and the horde of people waiting to kick Pikachu,
and then I saw it. The underwater scene of Mario Artist. Before my eyes, there was a
beautiful dolphin, with animation as fluid as anything I had ever seen before. I was
pretty impressed by what I saw."
In a May issue of Japanese magazine the 64 Dream, NCL PR person Yoshio Hongo
told readers that the console will be in stores soon. How soon, though, was not
specified. As we learned in June, he was wrong.
JUNE- Exciting news from NCL broke on Nintendojo
on June 11th. Quoting our report: "Nintendo Co. Ltd
of Japan has announced that they will team up with
Recruit, a major publisher of employment
information magazines, to develop and produce an
online network for gamers. The network can be used
to order and play games, and to access other
services on an "Enternet." The network will begin
operations in December in Japan."
The console was delayed until December of 1999.
Ten games were said to be planned for release at
launch. "The first 64DD games are Kyojin no
Doshin, Mario Artist, Golf, Dai Senryaku, among
others. There will be a Shogi (chess) game (by Seta
probably), and a Mahjong game. There will also be a
game called Wall Street, and there will be a fighting
game. An F-Zero expansion set will be available.
There will be many "Mario Artist" games. There's
going to be a 'Sound Maker', 'Video Jockey Maker',
and 'Game Maker' games."
Core Magazine reported that the 64DD would cost $105 at launch. The price for
online gaming was reported as several hundred yen per month. NCL said a digital
camera, portable terminal, and keyboard would be released for use with the system.
Meanwhile, FGN reported that NOA's stance on the 64DD had changed. "Once the
64DD and distribution services are established in the Japan market, we will review our
options. If we believe such a product can be supported by the US or European
marketplace, we may reconsider launching in other markets."
JULY- Core Magazine reported early in the month that
NCL planned to release the 64DD on the second week
of December for 10,000 yen, equivalent to $82. An initial
production run of 100,000 units was planned.
At the end of the month, NCL released the list of games
that would be present at Spaceworld. The 64DD titles
were: Sim City 64, Talent Studio, Paint Studio, F-Zero X
Expansion Set, Japan Pro Golf Tour 64, Daisenryaku Ultimate Ward, Kyojin no
Doshin 1, and Yousuke Ide's Mahjong. Nintendo was listed as the publisher for all of
the games.
AUGUST- Core Magazine informed that Mother 3's producer (Earthbound 64 in the
U.S.) said that an expansion disk for the game will be released for the 64DD
sometime in 2000. He also said that the cartridge game would not be released until
sometime early next year. Core also reported that NCL plans to announce a 64DD
reservation campaign at Spaceworld at the end of August. Retail chains in Japan will
allow customers to preorder the system beginning the second week in September. A
Internet package for the "Land Net" 64DD online network would be incorporated into
the reservation.
In an interview with IGN64, Miyamoto says: "The 64DD can change the nature of
gameplay." Later: "If you’re asking whether or not the 64DD will work with Dolphin, I
cannot answer you yet. We are reviewing the possibility."
'Dojo's Peer Schneider's thoughts on the 64DD games he played on the first day of
Spaceworld: "They had a section for the 64DD, not as big as the cartridge games
though." ..."Talent Maker is cool." "Sim City 64DD is very dissapointing." Kyojin no
Doshin: "Totally wacky." 64DD game of the show? "Ultimate War."
OCTOBER- "...Only 100,000 people will be accepted to subscribe to RandnetDD, at
least at its beginning. Gamespot reports that applications for it will be accepted on a
first-come, first-serve basis, beginning November 11th and ending January 11th.
Applications can be picked up at convenience stores, toy stores, and video-game
retailers."
"...Core Magazine informs that the 64DD software cases "look relatively similar to
oversized CD jewel cases." They also report that the keyboard we recently reported
on will not be released until March 2000 in Japan. It will be "completely compatiable"
with RandnetDD, as well as at least one 64DD title."
"Athena has confirmed that they are developing a 64DD version of "Dezaemon 3D," a
creativity app that allows users to design a 3D shooting game. IGN64 reports that the
Japanese development house is "feverishly working" on the sequel to the game,
which game out last year."
"...Core Magazine reports that Seta has made a "firm decision" regarding the release
of Rev Limit, their Ridge Racer-esque racing game. The game is now being tweaked
and prepped for release next year as a 64DD game. It was previously planned for the
N64."
NOVEMBER- "The 64 Dream, a popular Nintendo magazine in Japan, reports that
the 64DD television commercial has started airing on TV .... Monthly fee for
RandNet's Famitsu daily news will be 200 yen. There are additional charges for other
items. ...Multiple sources tell 'Dojo that Randnet is currently investigating the
possibility of having Famicom games (Probably Super Famicom) available via the
64DD network. Whether the 64DD will allow for this to be possible remains to be
seen. Will it be just like an emulator? More soon."
"While the 64DD is definitely a long shot to help the console, its affordable internet
capabilities and niche software could contribute to the N64 somewhat before it runs
out of gas." -- Wishful thinking by IGN64 in their "State of the Nintendo 64 in Japan"
It has been almost four years since we first heard of the 64DD. When we first saw it,
it was scheduled for release sometime in 1997. After numerous delays, it now
seems -- and we stress seems, because anything can happen -- that the system will
come out in December. Let's hope so. (tb)
