There was a time in my life when I could think of nothing but getting home and playing Super Smash Brothers on my Nintendo 64. It was just something about tossing Mario across the map with Donkey Kong that seriously made me feel like an OG, not to mention that it was the first fighting game to compile a bunch of popular Nintendo characters together.
Greatest idea ever? I think so.
Sadly, I sold my old N64 console when I was thirteen, and I’ve never forgiven myself for it, especially since I have most of the games still. Luckily, these games are no longer stuck on the consoles of our childhoods—you can play a ton of these awesome retro games on your computer and even on your Samsung Galaxy S3 using emulators.
Step 1: Download an N64 Emulator
First, let’s go to Google Play and download and install the SuperN64 (N64 Emulator) by Marcos Santiago. This is the same one that fellow softModder Danny uses on his Nexus 7 tablet, but if you want another choice, Nelson prefers Muper64 on his Galaxy Note 2.
Step 2: Download a N64 Game ROM
Next, you will want to find the ROM for the N64 games you wish to play. There are a bunch of sites that offer free N64 ROM downloads, but make sure to only download ROMs for games you already own. If you own the original game cartridge (like I do), you can technically download the ROM without a legal hitch.
If you don’t own the cartridge, it could be illegal. ROMs are a legal gray area, similar to download and sharing music, so proceed with caution.
When you’ve downloaded your ROMs (they should be .zip files), make sure to save them somewhere you’ll remember.
Step 3: Load Your Game in SuperN64
Open up the SuperN64 emulator and go to Choose Game. If you have correctly downloaded your ROM(s), you should see them all within this folder.
Select your file and then press Play.
Step 4: Play Your Favorite N64 Games!
After you’ve chosen your ROM, the game should load up automatically. That’s it! Now all you have to do is get used to the controls, and for a game like Super Smash Bros. it might take a while. Oh, and good luck resetting the game…
Trying to press and hold A + B + Z + R is a game in and of itself.
And That’s It
Being able to play some of my favorite childhood games anytime I want on my Samsung Galaxy S3 has greatly improved my quality of life—and it doesn’t stop at the N64 either. Be sure to check out all of the gaming possibilities, like playing Sega Genesis, SNES, and other games on your GS3.
What is your favorite N64 game? Have you tried it on an emulator? Let us know in the comments section.
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