NTSC N64

djsim101 · 14-05-2012 5:54pm #1

Hi all,

Its about time I added to my hardware collection.

I was thinking of venturing into the NTSC hardware side this time around. I havent got a PAL N64 either but from reading older posts, the general feeling around these neck of the woods would be to pick up a NTSC N64?

1 ) Would ye agree?

2) Could ye link me to a decent step down (or up) transformer

3) Top 10 games I must own (please dont kill me bout I eant a fan of Zelda (never played it) and Mario is okay

)

Retr0gamer · 14-05-2012 6:33pm

Definitely get a NTSC N64. Biggest regret I have is starting my N64 collection on a PAL system. I got most of my game since PAL and it's too much effort and expensive to start again with NTSC.

NTSC advantages:

- Supports S-video out of the box. PAL console only supports AV composite or RF which adds to the N64 blurriness and creates what is scientifically known as a hyper blurry mess.

- Can be modded to RGB for even better video quality. Some later machines can't be modded but still support s-video which is far better than the PAL system and pretty close to RGB anyway.

- Cheaper games

- 60Hz and no PAL slow down

- No stupid borders.

Also you don't need a transformer if you can get your hands on a PAL power supply. I use a PAL power supply on my NTSC N64 and it works fine. If you can't find one then you'll need a transformer. Only 30 quid from peats or maplin though.

PAL Advantages:

- Jack shit

As for 10 games you need to own, well there's going to be zelda and mario here because if you don't like them or are some die hard Sonic freak you need to man up and admit to yourself that they are amazing games:

Mario 64
Zelda OoT and Majora's Mask (cheating but **** it they're amazing)
Blast Corps
Sin and Punishement... if you can afford it
F-Zero
Starfox 64
Paper Mario
Smash Bros
Mystical Ninja
Jet Force Gemini

There's plenty more games on the system.

ahyeahok · 14-05-2012 6:52pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Also you don't need a transformer if you can get your hands on a PAL power supply. I use a PAL power supply on my NTSC N64 and it works fine. If you can't find one then you'll need a transformer. Only 30 quid from peats or maplin though.

Just to put my 2cents in,
If you do go down the above route I have a spare PAL N64 power supply, I'm sure we could work out some sort of swap or trade.
Better than spending 30quid on a transformer.

Myrddin · 14-05-2012 6:58pm

I agree with everything said by Retr0

The Last Bandit · 14-05-2012 7:23pm

Retr0 omited "Conker's Bad Fur Day" for his must have list, probably a typo

Retr0gamer · 14-05-2012 7:38pm

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Retr0 omited "Conker's Bad Fur Day" for his must have list, probably a typo

It's about as fun to play as soggy biscuit by yourself but less amusing

djsim101 · 14-05-2012 7:39pm

Cool lads, thanks for the info.

Do Rage stock em? Could be up in Dublin in the next week or so.

Just never got into Zelda \ Mario, I will admit it, I was a Sonic Freak. I was anti Nintendo and went with Sega back in the day, I regret nothing:cool:

Even to this day, Am I a FIFA or Pro player???, Pro all the way baby :P

Thats cool ahyeahok, might take you up on that offer.

Retr0gamer · 14-05-2012 8:02pm

Get over your prejudices otherwise you're going to miss out on some of the greatest games ever made.

Rage only had the one NTSC N64 in and I bought it off them. Doubt they got more in but worth asking.

CathalDublin · 14-05-2012 10:05pm

I just use a pal PSU with mine, cheaper and more reliable than those stepdown trannies

a5y · 15-05-2012 9:14am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Definitely get a NTSC N64.
PAL Advantages:

- Jack shit

Well, there is one thing going for PAL add.

Almost any Nintendo 64 games you see going cheap in Ireland at jumble sales, charity stores and adverts.ie/donedeal/craigslist are probably going to be PAL. PAL means less spent on postage. There's going to be the odd exception, sure, and I dunno what mix of PAL/NTSC games RAGE has.

So yeah, PAL is inferior, but it is cheaper and maybe still worth owning a PAL console too.

Myrddin · 15-05-2012 10:15am

a5y wrote: »

Well, there is one thing going for PAL add.

Almost any Nintendo 64 games you see going cheap in Ireland at jumble sales, charity stores and adverts.ie/donedeal/craigslist are probably going to be PAL. PAL means less spent on postage. There's going to be the odd exception, sure, and I dunno what mix of PAL/NTSC games RAGE has.

So yeah, PAL is inferior, but it is cheaper and maybe still worth owning a PAL console too.

When you see it running @ 60Hz & via S-Video, you'll change your mind. Buying US, yeah the postage will be higher, but generally the carts themselves are cheaper. Plus, as mentioned above, the difference completely warrants any additional costs

o1s1n · 15-05-2012 10:25am

I'm also in the same boat as yourself Retr0 - built up a big PAL n64 collection before realizing how inferior the console is to the NTSC one

The Last Bandit · 15-05-2012 10:57am

EnterNow wrote: »

When you see it running @ 60Hz & via S-Video, you'll change your mind. Buying US, yeah the postage will be higher, but generally the carts themselves are cheaper. Plus, as mentioned above, the difference completely warrants any additional costs

Ye are looking at this from the wrong prospective.

PAL runs at a slower frequency (approx 17% less than NTSC) therefore the games run at a slower more relaxed pace and as a consequence take longer to complete so the PAL gamer is in fact getting approx 17% more game time and hence better value

QED.

Myrddin · 15-05-2012 11:01am

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Ye are looking at this from the wrong prospective.

PAL runs at a slower frequency (approx 17% less than NTSC) therefore the games run at a slower more relaxed pace and as a consequence take longer to complete so the PAL gamer is in fact getting approx 17% more game time and hence better value QED.

Switches Snes to 50Hz....

Switches it back to 60Hz.

Retr0gamer · 15-05-2012 11:19am

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Ye are looking at this from the wrong prospective.

PAL runs at a slower frequency (approx 17% less than NTSC) therefore the games run at a slower more relaxed pace and as a consequence take longer to complete so the PAL gamer is in fact getting approx 17% more game time and hence better value QED.

Actually when you play as many RPGs as me that are 50-100 hours long it's really annoying that I played most of them in PAL and added about 20% playtime on top of what I should have spent. It adds up and I'd say I'd have less of a backlog now if I played only NTSC at the time.

You might pick up some cheaper games in car boot sales but for s-video/RGB quality picture and gameplay that isn't slowed down from the already crap framerate in most N64 games then its money well spent.

o1s1n · 15-05-2012 11:43am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Actually when you play as many RPGs as me that are 50-100 hours long it's really annoying that I played most of them in PAL and added about 20% playtime on top of what I should have spent. It adds up and I'd say I'd have less of a backlog now if I played only NTSC at the time.
.

Maybe the slower PAL screen motion resulted in you noticing some kind of event trigger which you would have missed with NTSC moving faster

a5y · 15-05-2012 1:14pm

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Ye are looking at this from the wrong prospective.

PAL runs at a slower frequency (approx 17% less than NTSC) therefore the games run at a slower more relaxed pace and as a consequence take longer to complete so the PAL gamer is in fact getting approx 17% more game time and hence better value QED.

I don't know whether to tell you how brilliant that is or to tell you to stick a sock in it since what you're suggesting is exactly why we should be paying more for games.

o1s1n wrote: »

Maybe the slower PAL screen motion resulted in you noticing some kind of event trigger which you would have missed with NTSC moving faster

If there was a region that didn't have quick time events I'd be all over that like cling film. Only game I ever played that had quick time events that actually made the game more enjoyable was Die Hard Arcade.

The rest can go into the hole next to ET.

o1s1n · 15-05-2012 1:28pm

Ah I didn't necessarily mean QTEs. More like events which are triggered by going somewhere on a map/in game. (be it walking to a certain part of the screen to progress in an RPG or say, fly to a certain part of a level in Lylat Wars to get to a hidden part) - possibly made easier by slower game speed - and as a result, making you access that part of the game quicker and ultimately finishing it faster.

TLDR - my post was complete bollocks :pac:

Worst QTE event I've ever witnessed is towards the end of Deadly Premonition. My hand hasn't been the same since.

Andrew76 · 15-05-2012 1:34pm

o1s1n wrote: »

...

Worst QTE event I've ever witnessed is towards the end of Deadly Premonition. My hand hasn't been the same since.

:pac:

Retr0gamer · 15-05-2012 2:00pm

o1s1n wrote: »

Worst QTE event I've ever witnessed is towards the end of Deadly Premonition. My hand hasn't been the same since.

I love that game too much to give it the heavy, heavy criticism it so deserves for what it does wrong.

o1s1n · 15-05-2012 2:30pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I love that game too much to give it the heavy, heavy criticism it so deserves for what it does wrong.

It's one of those games that's far greater than the sum of its parts.

I still can't believe people hated the shooting so much though...I quite enjoyed it

Retr0gamer · 15-05-2012 2:58pm

It was just crap but unoffensive until you got to the wall crawlers who were an absolute pain to kill until you learnt their pattern. Then they got boring.

djsim101 · 15-05-2012 7:04pm

My mind is made up, NTSC N64 all the way.

Trying to get one for the 60 euro mark now, I dont really need one of these.

One more console my wife sees coming into the house Im afraid its going to be: (and I eant married a year)

OwaynOTT · 15-05-2012 7:08pm

Any benefit in getting a jp over US one?

Retr0gamer · 15-05-2012 7:35pm

None. You can mod both easily to play US and Jap games.

a5y · 15-05-2012 8:03pm

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Any benefit in getting a jp over US one?

Maybe a better standard of art in the manuals and packaging. Doubt you'd find one without paying substantially more than for US one though, factoring in postage and packaging.

OwaynOTT · 15-05-2012 8:13pm

Cool. An NTSC N64 is a long way down by list anyhow.

80s Synth Pop · 16-05-2012 2:04am

Certainly get a US/JAP console. Face it - if you are considering getting a real console rather than just using an emulator then you are more than just a casual retro gamer and I'm sure already appreciate the whole full screen / full speed benefits.

Consider getting yourself a model between REV01 and REV03 and RGB mod it with a THS7314 chip from radionics. It's a simple cheap mod and the picture quality is stunning (even better than svideo) - plus it's another reason to go US/JAP as the RGB mod is impossible to do on a PAL console.

In relation to the games, get yourself a modern flash cart in the everdrive64 or 64drive (or go retro with that too with a Z64 or V64 :pac:)

RobbingBandit · 16-05-2012 2:37am

I am clearing out my games collection at the moment,I have a US N64 with a lot of boxed games. I can post a link to an ad on adverts once I have found everything. BTW if this is not Kosher to post this here apologies.

NTSC N64

Comments