Overview:
Release:
Japan: June 1996
USA: September 1996
Europe: March 1997

Spesifications:
CPU: 32-bit NEC processor/64-bit SGI co-processor for graphics/audio
16 million colors
Resolution: 256x224/640x480

Peripherals:
-Standard controllers
-Controller Pak
-Expansion Pak
-Rumble Pak
-Transfer Pak
-64DD

Other:
Approximately 32 million units sold worldwide
4 controller ports
Top selling game: Super Mario 64

The N64, Ninty's 5th generation system, was their first to not come out on top in the console battle. Due to it's new competitor, Sony's Playstation, The N64 only sold just over 30 million as opposed to the PS's over 100 million, being beat rather clearly. This was due to several things, amongst them the PS's use of CDs over cartridges, the fact that the PS launched roughly 2 years earlier worldwide, and the fact that Ninty lost general support from Squaresoft to Sony, making the N64 lacking in the RPG area.

That's not to say the N64 didn't have great games. Super Mario 64 is widely considered the best transaction into 3D by any franchise, ever, as well as many claiming it the best game ever made. It also completely reinvented the platforming genre and has litteraly set the bar for every platformer succeeding it. Other huge franchises were also continued with great success, the Zelda entering 3D with 2 games, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, the first being the more successful one and is by many considered the best Zelda game. Other mentionable titles were such as Lylat Wars (or Star Fox 64), F-Zero X, Mario Kart 64 and the hugely successful Super Smash Bros. from Ninty itself.

In addition to a load of good games from Ninty the N64 also had the benefit of good 3rd party support, particularly in Rare. The Rare-Nintendo cooperation resulted in such great, truly memorable titles as Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Goldeneye 64 and more. Banjo-Kazooie in particular beeing regarded as one of the best N64 titles, rivalling even Super Mario 64 itself.

The N64 had a wide array of accessories for the initial controllers as well as an unpresedented amount of different colors for it's system/controllers. It also had a device called the 64DD, which was massively hyped but eventually flopped and was never released outside of Japan.