Let's take a break from all this political nonsense. In all honest who even wants to hear about it. Heh, just kidding, I hope! This blog post will be one about a failed video game system. A system that held so much potential and who's failure in a way revolutionized and inspired the gaming industry.
In 1995 Nintendo announced at a gaming show (which in later years would become their infamous and annual Spaceworld) that they were developing an add-on for the Nintendo 64. The add-on was to be called the 64-DD and would use discs along with Nintendo 64 cartridges to create unique and more advanced games.
The add-on wasn't only to advance graphics but would also be able to use with a mouse, a real life clock which would coincide alongside games and an online program called "Randnet." The strangest thing about all of this , is that this system was announced before the release of the Nintendo 64.
As Nintendo planned out many exclusive games and sequels such as Ura Zelda (a sequel to the legendary Ocarina Of Time), Super Mario 64 2 and the highly sought after Mother 3 (which would go on to be remade in 2d on the Game Boy Advance) they failed to come to a timely release. For four more years after the Nintendo 64 was released, the team working on the 64DD add-on would be plagued with difficulties in developing in the system. Finally, four years later it was released but not at all how they wanted it to be.
The 64DD came out with low expectations from Nintendo. The company felt that they had missed their time to release the system where it would really do good when it came to sales. In a last moment of desperation, they only released the system in Japan and only to people who subscribed for the Randnet internet subscription first. This would guarantee customers to have games delivered to them as they came out, sadly barely more than nine games ever did come out. Also, most of the systems exclusive titles had such a hard time in development that they were completely cancelled. This even included Ura Zelda, Mario 64 2 and Mother 3, the main three games that made the system appealing for most fans.
Now, you're probably thinking what was even the point of all this and why should I even care about this forgotten failure of a system. Well, all I have to say to that is raise your head and look at the good things that came from this failure. First off, Nintendo introduced the idea of online console gaming. Though, they'd touched upon that base in the SNES (Super Nintendo) days but 64DD took it to the next level by being fully functional for it's customers. Nintendo also introduced the idea of video games that would work alongside real life time. This has gone on to be emulated in many genres of games such as The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon and Animal Crossing. Nintendo also released Doshin The Giant for the 64DD which has gone down in history as one of the greatest obscure god-based video games of all time. Doshin also influenced Pikmin a gamecube game in a number of ways.
These days the 64DD is worth over 500 dollars. It has a long legacy of good and bad. I'm not exactly sure how to end this but hopefully you'll do some of your own
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