26 years already separate us from the debut of the Nintendo 64, successor to the successful Super Nintendo and the first console of the Japanese brand in make the leap from 2D to 3D with titles like Zelda or Super Mario 64.
It is framed within fifth generation consoles, along with the successful Sony PlayStation or Sega's Saturn and kept the cartridge format compared to the increasingly widespread CD. Even today its games offer many hours of fun, so if you don't have a physical console, we are going to introduce you to the best Nintendo 64 emulators for computer.
What is an emulator?
An emulator is a program that basically allows us run Nintendo 64 games on our computer, using the own components of our PC. This is possible, in part, thanks to the 64-bit architecture that this console already used.
In this way, we will be able to enjoy the best titles that the Japanese manufacturer came to put on the market even on veteran computers, since the requirements to make it work are very affordable.
Project 64
First on the list is Project 64, popularly regarded as the biggest emulator available for Nintendo 64. Among its many features we could highlight its smooth running on both windows and android.
Those who choose to try it will find that they will not need to spend a lot of time on configurations to make it work, since in the installation process itself we will have everything ready to run it.
We will have access to multiplayer, option to enter cheats and even modify the resolution or size of the screen to adjust it to different video output sources.
One of its biggest advantages is being open source, which has made it have a huge community behind to give you support.
mupen 64plus
It is not so easy to use such as Project 64, but in return we will get a best sound experience in emulated games.
In the event of encountering any problem running a game in Project 64, it is highly recommended to give Mupen a vote of confidence.
Its use does not have a graphical interface, but opts for the traditional command line to work.
We have it available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android which is a great point in its favor.
RetroArch
We arrive at a different alternative and that is that RetroArch is not an emulator to use, introducing cross-platform software.
We will be able to access multiple options for both console, computer or mobile and run them from our computer.
In the case of Nintendo 64 uses a graphical interface based on Mupen 64 but adding more options such as overclocking and more customization options.
It is an option perfect if you use multi-platform emulators different, since it will facilitate access to them, grouping everything in the same program.
Its initial configuration is not easy, but we have many explanatory videos on YouTube that will take us by the hand in this task.
SupraHLE
One of the most peculiar options is SupraHLE. This emulator is not recommended for any user and we will explain why.
Apart from being able to count on all the features of other emulators, in this we can modify practically all the parameters of the games.
A point that is really characteristic is that of being able to modify the audio to our liking.
As a negative point we find its performance and it is that is optimized to run on Windows 7, so Windows 10 users may see the user experience diminished.
1964
This emulator offers support both windows and android, so it is a good alternative for those users who have both operating systems at home.
Within its capabilities we can find options that will allow us to customize the games to our liking. From the tricks section to even creating our own video game.
To all of the above must be added the ease of use and full compatibility with virtually all joysticks and gamepads.
As a negative point we can find some crashing during the games and slowdown situations that possibly come from a lack of optimization.
cen64
One of the latest emulators on the list and one of the newest alternatives.
It is presented as a simulator, since the objective is not only to emulate, but also completely simulate the environment of the console itself.
This is related to loading times, logs, internal clock... even avoiding the use of hacks and the absence of bugs.
According to their publications, the objective is to attract the great experts in emulation and get to develop the ultimate emulator.
One of its strong points is the possibility of run it with a modest team, since an i5 4670k would suffice.
On the other hand, being one of the newest, has less stage behind although it has a very high potential.