What's the differce between Ultra64 and the N64?

Hi,
im very interessted in the N64 and i found here in the forum and on the net some info that Ultra64 prototypes (pre N64) exist and are out there.
My question is what is the difference between them and a retail N64 ?

 

Sounds interesting, but there shouldn't be any real difference, if I remember correctly, the specifications of U/N64 was known for a long time before they settled for the name N64.

 

i have an interview of an IBM engineer talking about it, and i have to say they changed a lot from what they expected to release. If i have time and i'll find the magazine when i'll get home i might take a look and maybe translate from italian the interview.

 

While there might have been many changes from early conception of the N64 to final release, The name change was something that came about twards the end of it's release. So it's not like Utra64 was a different console then N64.

 

The reason I heard long ago was that Nintendo had to drop the Ultra name because Konami still held the rights to it from their Ultra Games label. Konami refused to let them use it out of spite for the crap Nintendo pulled during the NES days. I have no idea how true it is though.

 

Killer Instinct's hardware is often called Ultra 64 because of the attract dialog, it however bears no resemblance to a N64.

 

The Ultra64 logo was cooler though. I have some mags from back then and I think it was so much cooler than the N64. But all it ever was is that. A title/logo. They changed it. Oh well.

 

The story I heard is that right before launch they received negative focus group feedback on the Ultra 64 name.

Some pics that are floating around;



And there used to be a webpage where a guy had pics of an Ultra 64 test unit he owned, but I cant find it.

 

Found this on an old SuperGamePower Magazine. It was a special edition, named "32 Bit Explosion". It talks about Saturn, 32X, PlayStation, 3D0, Jaguar, NeoGeoCD (?) and of course a preview of the Ultra64. Check it out.



PS: The scan wasn't made by me. I found it on a pdf file, contained the whole magazine scanned, in a brazilian gaming message board. All i did was the translation - if something is translated incorrectly, please forgive me.

Anyway, the text has some weird errors. Ex: The title says the launch was postponed to the 2nd semester of 96, but the article says first semester of 96.

Edited: Picture from the first page, on the editorial part:

 

Those images are exactly the same from an E395 Gamepro I had.

 

I have Ultra 64 test unit
http://assemblergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10754

my Ultra 64 test unit

 

I remember Nintendo had to drop the Ultra name because U.S.A company have ready the name ultra 64

 

So have you noticed any difference in output or the board itself on your ultra 64 prototype?

 

Now you see. I always though Japan was the first to drop the name Ultra and a few months later USA & Europe followed as well.

 

I never open the system but with the z64 do no work also with Gameshark 1.0 do no work
Gameshark 1.03 work in the ultra64

 

Here are nine scans from the January 1996 issue of EGM

http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/1.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/2.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/3.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/4.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/5.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/6.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/7.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/8.jpg
http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/ultra64/9.jpg

 

SuperGamePower had an agreement with GamePro, to publish some of their reviews and articles, so that explains it.

 

Neomatrix: You got any high res pics and pictures of the insides?

 

Also does anyone have the prototype controller in there possession? I'm referring to how the original design featured a different analogue stick.

 

...and flatter buttons and a slightly different feel to the d-pad