Opinions Features Nintendo Retro N64 Anniversaries N64 30th Anniversary Opinion: 30 Years On, I've Finally Come Around On The N64 Pad C, it's good by Ollie Reynolds Sat 20th Jun 2026 Share: Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life The N64 turns 30 on 23rd June 2026. To celebrate, we'll be running a series of articles celebrating the 64-bit machine and its industry-shaping software over the next week or so. Today, it might have taken the best part of 30 years, but Ollie has finally seen the light when it comes to the system's revolutionary yet undeniably odd controller... When I was a kid, I’m sorry to say that I completely missed the N64. This wasn’t through choice, mind you – I received the Mega Drive from my older brother when he upgraded to PS1, then later the PS1 when he upgraded to PS2. It wasn’t until the GameCube that I was able to buy a home console for myself.
Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube 848k So, I didn’t play the N64 at all until probably the mid ‘00s, though I’d soon experience many of the system’s biggest hits through the Virtual Console and 3DS ports. Most notably, my first time playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time was via the Wind Waker promotional disc release in 2003. I distinctly remember feeling like I was so late to the party, though in hindsight, experiencing it just five years after its N64 release isn’t too bad. Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life The rare moments I did get to play the N64 came exclusively through visiting my friends’ houses.
Source: https://www.nintendolife.com/features/opinion-30-years-on-ive-finally-come-around-on-the-n64-pad
Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube 848k So, I didn’t play the N64 at all until probably the mid ‘00s, though I’d soon experience many of the system’s biggest hits through the Virtual Console and 3DS ports. Most notably, my first time playing Zelda: Ocarina of Time was via the Wind Waker promotional disc release in 2003. I distinctly remember feeling like I was so late to the party, though in hindsight, experiencing it just five years after its N64 release isn’t too bad. Image: Ollie Reynolds / Nintendo Life The rare moments I did get to play the N64 came exclusively through visiting my friends’ houses.
Source: https://www.nintendolife.com/features/opinion-30-years-on-ive-finally-come-around-on-the-n64-pad