Nintendo 64 controller

The Nintendo 64 Controller was used as the primary form of input for the Nintendo 64 console. It featured two major innovations - the introduction of the traditional Joystick and a trigger behind the controller. It was also the first Nintendo developed controller that allowed for expansion, whether it be an improved memory card that couldn't be fit on the cartridge or the Rumble Pak. It also included a red start button, four yellow "c" buttons, an A and B button, a D-Pad, and an L and R button. The Nintendo 64 is the first Nintendo console that allows up to four controllers at once, whereas previous consoles only allowed two.

Oddly there are three sections that jut out, and for whatever reason it's not physically possible to use the buttons, joystiq and d-pad at the same time, causing some to criticize the controller. It is thought that they did this just incase the Joystiq wasn't as successful as they initially thought, thus giving the players the alternate option of the D-Pad. Another burden was the fact that if players were playing with the Joystick, it would be nearly impossible for them to reach the L button. The L button, however, was rarely used in games made for the console.

On the Wii Virtual Console, players who play Nintendo 64 games are, for obvious reasons, not allowed to use the Nintendo 64 Controller seeing that the console doesn't support it. As an alternative (an arguably better one), the player can use either the Classic Controller (which was made specifically for these games) or the GameCube Controller.

Buttons

 * A button - A blue button that is placed to the right of the joystick.
 * B button - A green button that is placed to the right of the joystick. Is directly above the A button.
 * Start button - A red button that is usually used to pause the game. Placed directly above the Joystick.
 * C buttons - Four small yellow buttons placed to the right of the A and B buttons.
 * D-Pad - A directional pad that is placed on the left side of the controller. Because of the challenge to access it, this particular button is rarely used.
 * R button - A grey shoulder button placed on the right side of the controller.
 * L button - A grey shoulder button placed on the left side of the controller.
 * Z button - A grey trigger button placed on the back of the controller in the center.
 * Joystick - While not a button, it is the primary form of control and is placed in the center of the controller.

Expansions
Behind the controller is an expansion slot in which the player can insert relatively small cartridges inside to enhance the gameplay somewhat. These expansions can be removed by pressing the grey button under the slot that juts out. The expansions include:


 * Rumble Pak - The Rumble Pak debuted with Star Fox 64, and made the Nintendo 64 the first console controller to rumble. It would be implemented in many future games, and some titles, such as Super Mario 64, were remade in Japan just to make use of it.
 * Memory Card - Some games, for unknown reasons, required the use of a memory card expansion.

It should also be noted that some expansions could only be implemented on the actual Nintendo 64 console, such as the Ram Expander, which allowed the player to play games such as The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and Donkey Kong 64.