Retro News - N64 Gets a Boost!

The Nintendo 64 isn't the most respected system in retro gaming circles - mainly, I suspect, due to its shortage of 2D titles, not to mention its reputation among the more snobby elitist gamers as little more than a kids toy (something I looked at here a few years back). I've always liked the N64 though, and I know a good few others still do too, so for the benefit of us, here's what will most likely be good news!

Check out the awesome N64-themed box...

Gamers who are either unwilling or unable to have a bulky CRT TV front and centre of their collection have long been burdened with an unsatisfactory picture quality when using their old consoles on modern TV/monitor screens, and as its critics seem overjoyed in pointing out, the N64 was often blighted by rather 'fuzzy' graphics to begin with. However, help is at hand, for N64 fans at least, thanks to Eon, a company previously responsible for a GameCube HDMI adaptor called GCHD. Now they have announced the Super 64, a similar plug-and-play adaptor for the GC's predecessor. It's due for release on July 22nd and will allow N64 owners to play their games on HDMI displays in lagless 480p - the highest quality possible using the system's native hardware, and twice its original resolution.

The adaptor is nearly as sleek as its image output...

In theory then, N64 games will not only look as they once did on modern screens, but they will look better than ever! The adaptor also features something called 'Slick Mode' which smooths things out and rounds out jagged edges for an even sharper image. Indeed, according to the blurb, it provides 'the truest representation of color to create the most faithful N64 experience supplanting efforts of typical cable upgrades'. It sounds good at least, and the unit looks pretty good too. It slots (reasonably) discreetly into the back of the console and it's colour matches the console's too (unless you have one of those brightly-coloured 'skeleton' systems of course). Happily, its design is carefully crafted to prevent stress on older hardware too, so you shouldn't have to worry about it catching fire!

The Super 64 will launch in the US first, and will set you back $149.99 - a fairly hefty outlay to be sure, but it looks like a really nice piece of kit and will surely prove its worth to serious N64 gamers. Can you imagine F-Zero X on this? If you're now foaming at the mouth in anticipation of tarting up your precious N64 games and want to pre-order a Super 64, you can do so from Eon's website here (tootle).