The 64DD (tentative name, it may change before release) is a magnetic storage add-on for the N64, the disk drive will plug into the bottom of the N64. But the coolest thing about it is that it has read/write capabilities meaning you can write information on to it like a computer disk. For the system specs click here.

The disks used with the 64DD are 64 megabytes (CD's are about 660 megabytes.) thats eight times the size of Mario 64. Although the disks are tiny compared to CD's the games can easily be a lot bigger and a hell of a lot more fun then any CD game. Think of how much bigger Mario 64 is compared to any CD game you've played and then imagine a game eight times as big, they just win't have any FMV (full motion video). As for the writable part of it you get 20 megabytes of the total 64 megabytes set aside. Another very cool thing is that the 64DD has been designed to work with the system at the same time meaning you could be playing Doom 64 then have a disk with add-on wads and play the wad files.

So imagine you buy Mario 64 and then you but a 64DD. Then you have this disk with more levels for Mario 64 and it has a program you can use to create your own levels. So your playing Super Mario 64 and you say these level are old a boring, so you put in the 64DD disk and start playing so new levels then you say this still isn't what I want. So you go into the program that let's you design your own levels and then you save the level on to the disk. Then you go over to friends house and play the level with him or her (hopefully it's a her :-). Or your playing an RPG but you say I want to make my own town and characters and add them to the game so you desing a town and make up some characters then you save it and then you sell it to some idiot and tell the guy it's a whole new game. Or you could write save and play new levels for Doom 64.

There is one slight problem, disks only last for about five years if properly taken care of but I sure Nintendo will find away around that. Also it sounds that with the 64DD you might be able to easily pirate games meaning you can get games for very, very cheap. Nintendo probably thought of that one to though.

The 64DD is much faster than any CD drive available in home video game systems today (2X CD-ROM drives). It has an average seek time averaging 150ms compared to the 6X CD-ROM drives 212ms and the standard (for video game systems) 2X CD-ROM drives 320ms. The 64DD transfers data at 1megabyte per second, the 6X at 900kb per second and the 2X 300kb per second. So the 64DD is about 3.3 times faster then any 2X CD-ROM drive so it will eliminate load time.

Nintendo doesn't expect the 64DD to become a brand new system competing with the N64 but rather teaming up with N64 and making game updates and intergrataion with carts. Games that don't require a cart like Zelda 64 will be released occasionally (not as often as cartrige games). You will only have to buy the 64DD if you plan on playing cool ass games like Zelda 64 and most RPG's.

Nintendo plans to release the game in the fall of 1997. At the MOMENT it 's ESTIMATED retail price is $150 U.S. with Zelda 64. I'm not quite sure about Canadian prices maybe $170-$199. 64DD games will also be cheaper than carts because there so much cheaper to make, expect $50-$60 U.S. and maybe $50 or $55-$60 or $65 or so. More info as it comes.