64GB Pak

Considering the popularity of the Game Boy in Japan, it is not at all surprising that Nintendo has released a link between its hand-held and the N64: The 64GB Pak

Similar to the Rumble Pak, the 64GB Pak plugs right into the Memory Pak slot of the N64's controller. On the front side, you will find another slot, made for standard Game Boy cartridges. Although it may look like a Super Game Boy of sorts, the pak's primary function is to import Game Boy data into an N64 game.

What is all this good for? Let's say you own Pokemon on your Game Boy and Pokemon Stadium on the N64. The monsters you have uncovered in your Game Boy RPG can now be loaded into the 64-bit Pokemon game and you can view them in full 3D and have them battle it out. Nintendo is also planning to introduce virtual creatures that "live" on your Game Boy (similar to Tamagotchi). Once you come home, you can unleash the creature on N64 in another game. Of course, the N64 titles have to support the 64GB feature for this to work.

Although Nintendo is still rather unclear of what titles will feature the GB Pak options, Pokemon Stadium -- a sort of Monster Rancher -- already works with it. As a matter of fact, the GB Pak was included with Pokemon Stadium when it shipped in Japan in summer '98, similar to the Star Fox/Rumble Pak pack-in. Other companies, such as Hudson and Culture Brain have also included 64GB functions into their games, but it's important to remember that the support is only viable for a company when it has released both N64 and Game Boy versions of a title.

While the 64GB Pak does NOT directly function as a Super Game Boy, some games programmed to use the pak offer the ability to play an emulated version of the Game Boy game.

To sum it all up, here's what the pak does:

• Import game data from a compatible Game Boy title.
• Save data from an N64 game to a compatible Game Boy game.
• Emulate the Game Boy game on N64 with the appropriate software support from the N64 cartridge.

If Pokemon Stadium ever comes to the US, expect the 64GB Pak to be included -- so far, there are no plans for a US release yet.