N64 info from old magazine scans

[bacteria]

Thought I would share these with you. Went through some old mags I bought cheaply a while back at a car boot sale:

[samjc3]

wow! thats really cool, although its kind of null and void now (the prices at least! )

[eurddrue]

Ewww, those third party controllers look disgusting to hold

[DopestKidEva]

Some of those controllers look cool. But probably feel weird. Thanks

[mikeyg]

I still love to use the superpad. It fits comfortable in my hand and I just love how it's like a ps2 controller.

[bacteria]

The SuperPad is a very good pad indeed.

I read in one of these magazines that the layout of the controller for the original N64 controller was designed for Mario 64. That makes sense if you think about it, and also explains why using the C buttons in many games is awkward. It makes sense to have the C buttons elsewhere on a portable, not where they are because they were there originally.

[palmertech]

I have that last "Memory Card" and the Stingray 64.

Good find! I still think the c-pad position should be about the same, sure, some games might be awkward, but most of them were made for it.

[XCVG]

The problem with the standard portable controller arrangement is that you have to aim with your left hand in shooters. I also fail to see how the Makopad is good for shoot 'em ups.

Anyway, great find! What magazine is that from?

[metalcookie]

at first glance, the mirage looks like a ps1 controller
a long time ago, i found an old and extremely valuable comic book,"superman dies" there were advertisements in the front, and most of them were genesis and snes. i thought it was cool to see "a link to the past" in advertisement before it was sold. if i find it, i'll post scans

[vskid]

I have one superpad and 2 superpad plus's. Neither are very comfy to hold, but the analogs are so nice compared to my worn out official controllers that I still use them. I'm buying all the N64 controllers I see at my thrift store to stock up for the future.

I love looking at old tech magazines. My grandpa gave me some Popular Mechanics magazines from about 1991 to 1994. I think the N64 is talked about it one of the last ones, back when it was the Ultra 64. I'll look through them again and see if theres anything worth scanning and posting.

[themadhacker]

I love looking at old tech magazines.

I know, it's great to see what technology was like and what people predicted it to be in the future. In a 1950 popular mechanics I have, there is a segment titled " Miracles you will see in the next 50 years". Apparently, we are supposed to "make food from sawdust with the sprinkling of water over it", "cook on a solar range", have "plasric plates that will dispose of easily by melting down the sink with warm water", have "completely waterproof houses that the wife of tomorrow can easily clean with a garden hose", and have "chemical solutions that the man of tomorrow will spread on his face to dissolve unwanted stubble. No more shaving!"

All direct quotes.

I think the only thing in the book that we actually DO have today is shop by picture phone. That being television channels such as QVC, or the internet.

[metalcookie]

i think they messed up by 150 years

[bacteria]

The magazines were C&VC (computer and video gaming); I think one of the articles was from the official N64 magazine too.

I still think the c-pad position should be about the same, sure, some games might be awkward, but most of them were made for it.

There's the thing - according to a magazine article, the controller for the N64 was made especially for Mario 64.

Games like Doom 64 suffer, when you have to press the C buttons to open doors, etc; and of course ones like Banjo.

One size does not fit all, so some games feel nice with the A, B and C buttons as designed, others don't. That's my view anyway.

[eurddrue]

I've never had a problem with the n64 controller. It has always felt natural to me. The only thing I dislike about it is the dpad l button being away from the joystick.