As you probably know, if your a gamer like me, there are a lot of awesome old game systems out there that have been left behind the the latest version of the latest game system. Here is how to play one on your computer.
You Need: (For this method)
Software
- Project64 - The emualtor that lets you play the Nintendo64 games
- 7-Zip - A program that lets you extract .7z files.
Files
Any N64 game from RomHustler. Get an N64 game from bitTorrent, as RomHustler has been having legal problems.
1. Downloading and Installing
Download and install 7-Zip and Project64. Download any N64 game from RomHustler and it will be in the .7x format. .7x is like .rar and .zip, which if you read How To Go From Xbox to Xbox Media Center in 30 Minutes, you (hopefully) are already familiar with. Open the .7z in 7-Zip and extract all the files to the folder you want to store all of you games in.
2. ROM Managing
Here's a quick lesson on how the Games (ROMs) should be labeled.
Name of game (country) version [!]
It starts out with the name of the game, then the language in parentheses, then a version or something you don't need to worry about, then if it has a bracket with an exclamation point, it means it works.
Delete all of the ROM files that do not have the [!] and are not in your language, (E) for Europe English, (U) for United States English. If you have more than one version, keep the highest one. For example the ROM I kept for Super Mario 64 is Super Mario 64 (U) [!]
3. Configuring Project64
Project64 is an emulator that lets you play Nintendo 64 games on your computer. Open it up and choose File > Choose ROM Directory and select the folder with all your ROMs in it. The ROMs should show up on the browser in Project64's main window. Then choose Options > Configure Controls and look at/change controls by pressing the square and then the key you want. I find the default controls are fine when playing.
4. Play the Games!
Double Click on a ROM and the game will start. A handy feature is when you change windows the game pauses. Also, you can press Escape for full screen.
5. Play the Games with other People!
Configure the controls for more than one person and you can do multiplayer. However, it can become a tight fit on a standard keyboard. Be sure not to assign the same button two to different people.
6. Play the Games On You Xbox!
Mod you Xbox and put on an emulator to play N64 games on you Xbox! Emulators are on bitTorrent and Xbins.
7. Get Other Emulators
Other emulators for different systems can be found at Emulator-Zone.
