N64 It's possible Donkey Kong 64 to run without the memory pack?

[Holic]

That might be a dumb question, but modders manage to archive something similar on Sega Saturn, packing games that require the memory cartridge, like The king of figthers 97 to run without the memory module. Info here.

Using the same principle, do you think this is possible? I always wanted to play DK64 and Majoras Mask, but the memory pack is getting expensive each year.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

It'd require some massive tampering, but it shouldn't be IMPOSSIBLE — game shipped with (and standardized) the Expansion Pak, but I think it's only coded to look for it because it was way too massive for the hilariously underpowered N64 to run on its own. Any modern dev could probably tear it apart within minutes.

On its own, though? No, it absolutely needs it.

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

That might be a dumb question, but modders manage to archive something similar on Sega Saturn, packing games that require the memory cartridge, like The king of figthers 97 to run without the memory module. Info here.

There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.

Using the same principle, do you think this is possible? I always wanted to play DK64 and Majoras Mask, but the memory pack is getting expensive each year.

Seeing as it adds an additional 4 megabytes of memory to the system, I doubt it would run or could run without it. I forget the type of RAM the N64 used, but no, some games will just not work without it. Sorry.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Seeing as it adds an additional 4 megabytes of memory to the system, I doubt it would run or could run without it. I forget the type of RAM the N64 used, but no, some games will just not work without it. Sorry.

Post automatically merged: Apr 28, 2026

There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.

Seeing as it adds an additional 4 megabytes of memory to the system, I doubt it would run or could run without it. I forget the type of RAM the N64 used, but no, some games will just not work without it. Sorry.

Yeah, it just refuses to run if it's not there... I think it's the only game where it's absolutely required (at least among the ones I have played).

Interestingly, Rare & Nintendo had already tried to game the console with other features - like Banjo-Kazooie's leftover 'Swap' gimmick -, but it just wouldn't work.

As fun as it was, the N64 just wasn't a good or powerful machine... Kinda like the Switch, actually.

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

Yeah, it just refuses to run if it's not there... I think it's the only game where it's absolutely required (at least among the ones I have played).

Interestingly, Rare & Nintendo had already tried to game the console with other features - like Banjo-Kazooie's leftover 'Swap' gimmick -, but it just wouldn't work.

As fun as it was, the N64 just wasn't a good or powerful machine... Kinda like the Switch, actually.

Yeah, ever since the SNES, Nintendo has had a track record of being about two generations behind, maybe more, in terms of power with their systems.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Yeah, ever since the SNES, Nintendo has had a track record of being about two generations behind, maybe more, in terms of power with their systems.

Ironically, I thought that the GameCube was pretty state-of-the-art and that the Wii felt like a gimmicky side-grade at best... but what do I know? I met plenty of Wii owners and absolutely zero GC owners ^^U!

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

Ironically, I thought that the GameCube was pretty state-of-the-art and that the Wii felt like a gimmicky side-grade at best... but what do I know? I met plenty of Wii owners and absolutely zero GC owners ^^U!

Fair enough, but I was referring to what it was up against at the time of launch the PS2, original Xbox, and Dreamcast, those consoles were leagues ahead in power. I'm not disregarding the GameCube. It was a fun little lunchbox, and I wish I still had mine, to be honest.

But sadly, it fizzled out some years ago. At the time, when they were still fairly cheap, I saw no point in getting another, as I could just emulate the games.

 

[-------]

Nope, it's not possible to play Donkey Kong 64 on a standard Nintendo 64 without a Expansion Pak.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Fair enough, but I was referring to what it was up against at the time of launch the PS2, original Xbox, and Dreamcast, those consoles were leagues ahead in power. I'm not disregarding the GameCube. It was a fun little lunchbox, and I wish I still had mine, to be honest.

But sadly, it fizzled out some years ago. At the time, when they were still fairly cheap, I saw no point in getting another, as I could just emulate the games.

I agree completely.

I always thought that having the Wii being backwards-compatible murdered the GC even in the aftermarket.

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

I agree completely.

I always thought that having the Wii being backwards-compatible murdered the GC even in the aftermarket.

It very well may have, but it certainly didn't help. Almost the same way the Xbox 360 killed the original Xbox, though only about half of the library is compatible with the 360. But if nothing else, more or less, I would wager you're right.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

It very well may have, but it certainly didn't help. Almost the same way the Xbox 360 killed the original Xbox, though only about half of the library is compatible with the 360. But if nothing else, more or less, I would wager you're right.

Huh. I never knew the 360 could play Xbox games — neat!

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

Huh. I never knew the 360 could play Xbox games — neat!

Yes, but only about 45-50% of it

 

[Sorion]

Yeah, ever since the SNES, Nintendo has had a track record of being about two generations behind, maybe more, in terms of power with their systems.

I think it actually started with the wii, the Snes, n64 and gamecube had pretty comparable specs to most of their competitors, the n64 lacked a cd drive but it was much faster than the playstation and sega saturn in therms processing. Meanwhile the gamecube was one of the fastest consoles of the generation, second only to the xbox.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Yes, but only about 45-50% of it

That's interesting, to make it happen, but just barely — that lack of commitment is what people ends up resenting... Especially on what's supposed to be a great thing.

 

[KenaiPhoenix]

If we have learn something about the 64 FPS Mario 64 mod or the new Open world race game that some guys recently developed, is that the N64 is capable of a lot of stuff and that for some reason optimizations didnt had place (or modern techniques could have implemented them).

So I say it could be possible.