Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak

Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak
The Expansion Pak
Manufacturer	Nintendo
Release Date	1998
Console Generation	Fifth generation
Memory	4MB

The Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak was an add-on for the Nintendo 64 that doubled the amount of RAM the N64 had to 8MB. This allowed for greater resolution, longer draw-distance, and more detailed graphics. It was bundled with Donkey Kong 64, one of the first games to utilize the hardware. Nintendo published a few titles that either required or used the Expansion Pak, specifically Donkey Kong 64, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and Perfect Dark.

Games that require the Expansion Pak

• Donkey Kong 64
• The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
• Perfect Dark (otherwise, most of the game is inaccessible. Required in Japan)
• Dinosaur Planet (Cancelled N64 game, required to use any build leaked.)

Games that can be enhanced with the Expansion Pak

Title	Required	Notes
Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage	NO	Required for the "High Quality" graphics setting. Enables a 640x240 high resolution mode.
All-Star Baseball 2000	NO
All-Star Baseball 2001	NO
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M.	NO	Enables two hi-res modes, which increase resolution to 480x360 or 480x232.
Army Men: Air Combat	NO
Army Men: Sarge's Heroes	NO	Enables a 640x240 high resolution mode.
Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2	NO	Enables a 640x240 high resolution mode.
Battlezone: Rise of the Black Dogs	NO
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 490×355, however performance suffers as a result.
Command & Conquer	NO	The Expansion Pak is required for high-resolution map textures.
Daikatana	NO	Allows for a "hi-res" graphics mode, which changes the game to a widescreen view but has little noticeable effect on graphics.
Donald Duck: Goin' Qu@ckers*!	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 480×360.
Donkey Kong 64	YES	Does not boot without the expansion pak (except the expansion pak warning). It was originally believed to have only been utilized to fix a crash that occurred without the expansion pak after a few minutes of gameplay after an interview with Chris Marlow. However, lead artist Mark Stevenson called Marlow's story a "myth" and said that the Expansion Pak was committed to early in development. Though such a bug did exist towards the end of development, according to Stevenson, "the Expansion Pak wasn't introduced to deal with this and wasn't the solution to the problem". Additionally, Marlow's statements can be disproven with a few other factors regarding the game: If you modify the game so that the game always thinks it has the expansion pak installed, the game will crash upon boot if you remove the expansion pak. This is because the boot sector references expansion pak memory, the crash occurring due to a null pointer read at 0x800017B0. The game utilizes 7.997MB out of the 8MB of space provided, with the Kiosk ROM utilizing 7.912MB. Whilst the Kiosk ROM does contain functions and data in static code/data that would later be placed in overlays (likely a remnant of the E3 1999 demo ROM), the amount of space saved by this would be nowhere near sufficient to get the Kiosk ROM down to under 4MB. Given that Kiosk was meant to have been built in Summer/Early fall 1999, and the amount of differences between Kiosk and the final release, it's not feasible that the change from not utilizing the expansion pak to utilizing it would have been done as late into development as Marlow suggested Nintendo said that the bundling of the Expansion Pak with the game would avoid consumer confusion.
Duke Nukem: Zero Hour	NO	The Expansion Pak allows the player to choose between playing at high resolution or with a faster frame rate.
Excitebike 64	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 640×480.
F-1 World Grand Prix II	NO	The Expansion Pak allows a full race replay.
FIFA 99	NO	Allows for an unadvertised "Super High" resolution mode of 640×480.
40 Winks	NO	Enables two hi-res modes.
Gauntlet Legends	NO	The Expansion Pak is required for 4 player multiplayer.
Hybrid Heaven	NO	Enables two hi-res modes, which increases resolution to 640×480 however performance suffers greatly as a result.
Hydro Thunder	NO	The Expansion Pak is required for 3 and 4 player multiplayer.
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 400×440 and unlocks level 13, King Sol's Mines.
Indy Racing 2000	NO
International Superstar Soccer 2000	NO	The Expansion Pak is required for high-resolution textures; however, performance suffered as a result.
International Track & Field 2000	NO
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000	NO
Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Slugfest	NO	Allows for hi-res gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask	YES	Used to enhance graphics such as increased texture detail, removal of fog and increase number of on-screen models as well as effects.
Madden NFL 2000	NO
Madden NFL 2001	NO
Madden NFL 2002	NO
NBA Jam 2000	NO	Only the PAL version signifies its Expansion Pak compatibility on the box.
NFL Quarterback Club '99	NO
NFL Quarterback Club 2000	NO
Nuclear Strike 64	NO
Perfect Dark	NO	Required for the single player, co-operative and counter-operative campaigns, as well as most multiplayer features. Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 640×222.
Pokémon Stadium 2	NO	Increases resolution to 640×480.
Quake II	NO	Uses the Expansion Pak for higher color depth and smoother framerate.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 480×360.
Re-Volt	NO	Enables a 640x240 medium resolution mode.
Resident Evil 2	NO	Increases resolution to 640x480.
Road Rash 64	NO	The Expansion Pak increases the framerate from 30 Hz to 60 Hz.
San Francisco Rush 2049	NO	The Expansion Pak improves performance and visual effects, and is required for Track 6, the Advanced Circuit, changeable rims, and for music to play during Arcade races.
Shadow Man	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 640×480.
Spider-Man	NO	Improves performance
South Park	NO	Enables hi-res mode, increases frame rate in lo-res mode.
StarCraft 64	NO	The Expansion Pak is required for the Brood War missions.
Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 400×440.
Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 640×480, as well as increasing the framerate in lo-res mode for smoother gameplay.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron	NO	Enables hi-res mode, which increases resolution to 400×440.
The World Is Not Enough	NO	Provides enhanced graphics and visual effects.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater	NO	Improves performance and adds a women's face on the back of the boxes in the Mall.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2	NO	Improves performance
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3	NO	Improves performance
Top Gear Hyper Bike	NO
Top Gear Overdrive	NO	Enables hi-res option, which increases resolution to 640x240
Top Gear Rally 2	NO
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil	NO	Enables two hi-res modes, which increases resolution to 480x360 or 480x232.
Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion	NO	Enables two hi-res modes, which increase resolution to 480x360 or 480x232.
Turok: Rage Wars	NO	Enables two hi-res modes, which increase resolution to 480x360 or 480x232.
Vigilante 8	NO	Enables a 480x360 hi-res mode, and a hidden 640x480 mode.
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense	NO	Enables a 480x360 hi-res mode, and a hidden 640x480 mode.
Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Fate	NO

Games that do not work with the Expansion Pak

• Space Station Silicon Valley - Due to a bug, the original USA release will crash at a point if you use the Expansion Pak. Fixed on the second USA release and on the European release.