Nintendo Ultra 64

[Izret101]

I remember seeing a pic of this about 9 or so years back. It might have even been in Nintendo Power. I remember hearing rumors that some were produced with a Ultra logo instead of the 64 logo.
I was wondering if anyone else had heard this or knew if it was true.
I also remember right after the 64 was released that they were thinking of switching over to CDs. Which i think might have been because of the 64DD in Japan.

[Arrrhalomynn]

I believe the Nintendo64's codename was ultra64. Magazines had pictures of the n64, with the ultra64 logo.
Good change. Ultra sounds like a washing powder.

[Izret101]

http://www.digitpress.com...rum/viewtopic.php?t=37786
Found some more info on this subject. One guy has pics of a prottype he owns and another has a ebay auction link that had a developement board. Pretty cool stuff.

[Lord Nepenthean]

Hm.  That's dumb.  They won't let me view the page without logging in.  Are there any magazine scans there from early 1996?  If you want any images of the magazine covers with systems that had the "Ultra 64" logo, I can go through mine and find them to scan for you.

[Izret101]

They had some pictures of the system in a guys house but no magazine images. If you have some i'd love to see them.

[Lord Nepenthean]

Here are nine scans from the January 1996 issue of EGM.  I just did these myself.  There were more pages of game previews, but most of them were games you'd already be familiar with.  If people actually look at these and discuss this stuff, I'll scan the other pages as well.  One thing that I thought was interesting that I did NOT scan here is that Mario Kart 64 was called "Mario Kart R" in the article.  There was also a preview for Kirby Ball 64, which they said was also known as "Kirby Bowl 64."  The cover scan has the system pictured with the "Nintendo 64" name and logo on it, but all of the images inside the magazine show the "Ultra 64" logo.  They also call it the "Ultra 64" and "U64" throughout.  One of the last images shows two game that, as far as I know, never made it out - at least not in the forms they are pictured there.  There's also a scan showing screenshots of a very different-looking Zelda game.

Oh, and in the interview, the Nintendo rep says that the U64 magnetic optical drive will be out "before the end of the year."  Remember that year was 1996.

http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/1.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/2.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/3.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/4.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/5.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/6.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/7.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/8.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/9.jpg

[Izret101]

The guy i was talking about with this also said he has the prtotype DD drive i couldnt make it out for sure in the picture provided. I am on dial up right now so i only looked at the first 3 images. I am definately going to check them all out 2morrow night when i get back home. I love stuff like this.

[Mike Leon]

Originally, the N64 was going to be the Ultra 64. It was given that name by Nintendo of America and I believe the prototype systems were also developed at NOA. However, Nintendo of Japan wanted to call the system Nintendo 64 (they insisted back then that their name be plastered all over every product that had anything to do with them). There was a huge argument between the two divisions, which went on for months. NOA just kept sticking to their guns and calling it the Ultra 64 in all of their press info. Eventually they had to cave, and just a month or two before the release they changed the name.

As for N64's with the Ultra 64 logo, they do exist as prototypes. They may not be fully compatible with all N64 software, but I bet they are free of regional restrictions. That could be fun. That's crazy that they're being sold on Ebay. You just know Nintendo fired a couple people over that little mishap.