Gaming - News
The Only Two Games That Actually Required The N64 Expansion Pak
By ETHAN ZACK
In an effort to bring the N64’s lackluster hardware up to industry standards, Nintendo introduced a small plug-in peripheral called the N64 Expansion Pak, which doubled the device’s RAM, upped resolution, increased frame rates, and expanded multiplayer options. The Pak could be used with a wide variety of games, but only two actually required it in order to be playable.
The only two titles to outright require the peripheral were from Nintendo's own stable of IP: "Donkey Kong 64" and "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.” "Donkey Kong 64" seemed a logical choice to take full advantage of the Expansion Pak's performance capabilities, as the hardware came bundled with the game.
"The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" was a less obvious case, since the game reused many assets from "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time," which didn't require the Pak. However, "Majora's Mask" was far more ambitious in its presentation, requiring the Pak to showcase detailed textures, remove fog, and increase the number of models that can be on-screen.
