Nintendo 64

The Nintendo 64, commonly called the N64, is Nintendo's third home video game console. The N64 was released on June 23, 1996 in Japan, September 29, 1996 in North America, and March 1, 1997 in Europe/Australia. It was released with only two launch games in Japan and North America (Super Mario 64 and PilotWings 64) while Europe had a third launch title in the form of ' (which was released earlier in the other markets).

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Nintendo - Video game - Console - June 23 - 1996 - Japan - September 29 - North America - March 1 - 1997 - Europe - Australia - Super Mario 64 - PilotWings 64

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The N64 was first publicly introduced on November 24th, 1995 as the Nintendo Ultra 64 at the 7th Annual Shoshinkai Software Exhibition in Japan. The first published photos from the event were presented on the WWW via coverage by Game Zero magazine two days after the event. Official coverage by Nintendo soon followed a few weeks later on the nascent Nintendo Power website, and then in volume #85 of their print magazine.

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November 24 - 1995 - Shoshinkai - Software - Exhibition - Japan - Game Zero magazine - Nintendo Power

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During the developmental stages the N64 was referred to by its code name, Project Reality. The name Project Reality came from the speculation within Nintendo that this console could produce CGI on par with then-current super computers. Once unveiled to the public the name changed to Nintendo Ultra 64, referring to its 64-bit processor, and Nintendo dropped "Ultra" from the name on February 1, 1996, just five months before its Japanese debut.

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CGI - Super computer - February 1 - 1996

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