Authored by Veronika Fevers in Video Games
Published on 06-12-2009
Despite the advances of video games and their consoles, many people still occasionally opt for old school technology. Maybe it stems from fond memories of childhood. Maybe it’s the sheer warm familiarity of such titles as Banjo-Kazooie or Glover. Retro gaming is still a popular niche within the gaming community. But what if you sold your Nintendo 64 in a yard sale last year? Have no fear; you can play your Nintendo 64 games on your PC. In this article I will explain the logistics of how to play Nintendo 64 games on your PC.
The first step in playing retro games from any console requires you to obtain an emulator. What is an emulator you ask? An emulator is just what the name states – it emulates. Simply put, emulators are software programs that emulate the functions of another piece of hardware. For instance, a Nintendo Wii emulator would emulate the functionality of a Wii console. With that being said, one would conclude that a Nintendo 64 emulator would emulate a Nintendo 64.
As there is no way to play a video game designed for a console by inserting it directly into a PC, emulators are the only way to make this happen.
To be successful in playing your retro games on your PC it is important to install the appropriate emulator for the desired console. As far as Nintendo 64 emulators are concerned, there are two that come to mind for both great emulation and reliability. These two emulators are 1964 and Project 64. Both programs are available as downloads through their respective websites. Both emulator downloads can be found easily by doing a simple search engine query.
The trickiest part of playing Nintendo 64 games on your PC involves obtaining the games desired. Creating backup copies of games that you own legal copies of is legal. It is your right to protect your investment. However, downloading games via torrent sites and burning them is illegal. Please be respectful of copyright laws and do not contribute to piracy.
Once you have acquired the desired games you are in the homestretch. Playing your Nintendo 64 games on your PC will only require the installation of the emulator. Once you have the emulator installed, all you have to do is locate the game you are wishing to play and open it in the emulator program. The process is much like playing an audio file from your PC’s hard drive in a media program like Window’s Media Player.
To get the most out of your retro gaming experience, it is advised that one use a gaming controller. In fact, one can even convert a Nintendo 64 controller for use on a PC. This will make playing your Nintendo 64 games on your PC more true to feel. These tips for how to play your Nintendo 64 games on your PC will also stand true for most other retro consoles. The only factor that changes is the emulator. Have fun!
