NINTENDO TO OFFER 64-BIT MACHINE
By Adnews Staff
Nintendo Co. of Japan says it will introduce its 64-bit game system to the Japanese and North American markets in April. The Nintendo Ultra 64 has sharper graphics and allows 360 degree movement. It also has a Memory Pack accessory that allows players to store personal game play data. This means that if play is interrupted in the middle of a game, players can simply store all the data for the game as it stood when they had to stop. When they are ready to resume the game they can simply pop the cartridge back in the machine they were using. They can also carry the cartridge to the house of someone else who also has an Ultra system. Launch advertising plans will be put together in January by Leo Burnett Company of Chicago. The agency's Toronto office usually localizes the ads for Canada and does the media buy. GCI Communications of Toronto handles PR. With the Ultra, Nintendo will completely bypass 32-bit play, going from 16 to 64-bit. However, while Nintendo continues to market its aging 16-bit system, competitors are racing ahead with more modern designs. Sega Enterprises of Japan put its 64-bit Sega Saturn system on the North American market in September this year, after bringing out a hardware addition 12 months earlier to make 16-bit games play like 32-bit ones. Japanese electronics giant Matsushita launched a 32-bit system in September last year that uses compact discs: the Panasonic REAL 3DO interactive multiplayer. When it unveiled the 3DO system, Matsushita said it was going to bring out an accelerator this year to make it run like a 64-bit game. Besides playing computer games, the 3DO shows photographs, plays music and runs movies.