The history of console add-ons has never been a pretty one, plagued with troubles like betrayal (the SNES CD saga) and substandard designs (Sega CD). The most successful of these peripheral systems was the Famicom Disk System, a Japan-only Famicom (known as Nintendo Entertainment System in the US) add-on. A rather receptive, yet relatively small, crowd welcomed each and every FDS release.
Nintendo's ill-fated 64DD |
Nintendo also attempted to release an add-on for its superb second console, the SNES. They called for the help of a companion for this, a newcomer to the gaming market, Sony.
CD technology had been used few times as a console software format before Nintendo announced its alliance with Sony to create an add-on for the SNES. So that's what Sony and Nintendo set out to do - to make the SNES a champion of new technology, albeit the now proven CD format. Nintendo, however, backed out of the deal on the basis of disliking CDs as a software medium. Even when compact discs were the chosen format by the two major systems' companies (Sega's Saturn and Sony's PlayStation), Nintendo opted to stick with what it knew and went with cartridges for the Nintendo 64.
The result of what Nintendo and Sony accomplished in the time the companies were working together is most likely sitting in front of you, the PlayStation. From an SNES add-on to the most popular console on the market - this is quite an evolution, indeed. But Nintendo was determined to penetrate the add-on scene. It wasn't possible to start development on one for the out-of-date SNES, so the N64 became the target. The outcome? The 64DD (Disc Drive).
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The PlayStation began life as an add-on |
Many of you probably didn't even know it was released in Japan this past December. You can be forgiven for this, as it was unfortunately a failure in the popularity stakes and has gained little attention from the media. After years of development, the fact that add-ons do not go down well with Joe Public has been once again proven to be correct.
Only a very small number of 64DDs were released, which isn't surprising if you know anything of its development. It should be noted, however, that Nintendo shifted its aim and hopes for the 64DD from being a mass-market machine to an experiment, if you will. But should you track one down? What titles are worth getting? These, as well as many other questions, will be answered...
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