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iQue Player emulation; who wrote this?!
One of the biggest hurdles in the road to proper N64 emulation has been accurately emulating the N64's graphics hardware, known as the Reality Display Processor, itself a part of the N64's Reality Co-Processor. The N64's RDP was the first real 3D accelerator GPU on consoles. In fact, it was the most powerful consumer-grade GPU in the world at the time it came out. It is very hard to emulate all of its functions accurately due to the RDP's complexity & flexibility. In addition, many RDP functions have to be reproduced in software for accuracy, which takes a lot of processing power.
For this reason, most developers have instead opted to approximate the RDP's functions using high-level emulation (HLE) through various APIs such as Direct3D, OpenGL, and even Glide. While this results in much more reasonable system requirements for emulation, along with prettier, higher resolution graphics, this method can be hit and miss. It often requiring per-game tweaks and settings to prevent graphical glitches on many games. Some games that implemented custom graphics microcode which has had yet to be reverse-engineered. Although many or even all of them have already been implemented in HLE mode in 2016-2018 with dedicated work from GLideN64's lead programmer, gonetz, and one or two assistants.<ref name="gliden64_blog-1">{{cite web|url=https://gliden64.blogspot.com/2017/|title=Public Release 3.0|publisher=Blogspot|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2017-12-29}}</ref><ref name="ZSortBOSS">{{cite web|url=https://github.com/gonetz/GLideN64/issues/1685#issuecomment-364436534|title=Initial implementation of BOSS ZSort ucode (WDC, Stunt Racer)|publisher=GitHub|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2018-02-10}}</ref> For example, Factor 5's games do not now work, no matter what, specifically when using GLideN64 plugin's high-level graphics pluginsmode.<ref name="Indiegogo">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/indiana-j-infernal-machine-high-level-emulation#/updates/all|title="Indiana J. & Infernal Machine" HLE|publisher=Indiegogo|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2018-05-17}}</ref><ref name="gliden64_blog-2">{{cite web|url=https://gliden64.blogspot.com/2018/05/hle-implementation-of-microcodes-for.html|title=HLE implementation of microcodes for "Indiana Jones" and "Battle for Naboo" completed.|publisher=Blogspot|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2018-05-26}}</ref> Other games may have issues with such RDP quirks as frame buffer/depth buffer access (issues with how the frame buffer is used as well as performance issues), VI emulation as well as issues with how combiner/blender modes are emulated (such as noise issues and combiner accuracy).
Low-level emulation can be handled in two ways, complete low level software emulation or a hybrid approach of LLE RDP emulation, which involves using graphics APIs to simulate the RDP while using low level RSP emulation to emulate the graphics microcode. Low level software emulation of the RDP involves replicating all RDP functionality in software, which allows for very high accuracy but can suffer from major performance issues unless optimizations such as vectorization and multi-threading are performed. Hybrid LLE emulation can allow for performance enhancement over low level software RDP emulation but can suffer from various problems due to things such as replicating the N64's numerous blending/combine modes, emulating frame buffer access and replicating how polygons are rasterized to the screen (due to how the RDP renders primatives on a low level).
===Voice Recognition Unit emulation===
The Voice Recognition Unit (VRU) is an accessory used primarily by ''Hey You, Pikachu''. No emulator or input plugin supports this, although there is an on-going effort to get it working.<refname="emutalk">{{cite web|url=http://www.emutalk.net/threads/55279|title=Hey You! Pikachu - Possible HLE Implementation|publisher=emutalk|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2014-10-27, Last edit: 2016-04-04}}</ref>
===''Densha De Go!'' Controller===
Also available for the [[PlayStation emulators|PlayStation]], ''Densha De Go! 64'' is a Japan-only train simulator released by [[Wikipedia:Taito|Taito]] that is compatible with an optional special controller that plugs into the player 3 port.<refname="ArcadeUSA">[{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCcPAGhcnck]|title=Densha De Go! Nintendo 64 Controller!|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2017-01-20}}</ref> No emulator supports it.
===Pokémon Snap Station===
There was a special kiosk designed to promote ''Pokémon Snap'' called the ''Pokémon Snap Station'', which is also compatible with the North American ''Pokémon Stadium'' with its gallery mode. It is just a Nintendo 64 with special hardware designed for the station.<refname="Sixty Formula">[{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMbjvGvPkV4]|title=The Pokemon Snap Station|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2016-05-21}}</ref><refname="MetalJesusRocks">[{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_UGpRN6AnM&t=3m35s]|title=VIDEO GAME KIOSKS - Extreme Game Collecting!|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=2018-06-17|date=2016-05-25}}</ref> Although the special cartridge boots in emulators compatible with the regular version, the printing functions are inaccessible due to no emulation of the printer for the player 4 slot, credit system, or the special board to switch between the regular and special cartridges.
===Transfer Pak emulation===
* CEN64, like Project64, had 64DD emulation ported to it from MAME. However, it focuses on accuracy and plays much slower than other emulators, aside for the 64DD emulation itself being imperfect.
===iQue Player emulation===Before the GBA, DS, and 3DS, Nintendo released a modified version of their Nintendo 64 system for the Chinese market, which was called the iQue Player, through their not-quite-subsidiary iQue. Fourteen games localized to were translated into Simplified Chinese, including Sin and Punishment, a unique revision of Ocarina of Time (the Majora's Mask port was cancelled), Super Mario 64, and others.
Unlike the Chinese releases of their more recent systems and their games, no dumps in the same format as iQue Player releases are regular N64 releases exist yet for the N64 iQue releases. Thereforeroms wrapped with several layers of encryption, as well as a ticket and signature system like that on Wii, DSi, 3DS, no emulation support exists for them at allWii U and Switch. The Chinese ROM-hacking scene is very active though and have has translated the Japanese regular N64 releases for many of these to their language already, which explain some of the Chinese ROMs floating for those. However, recently, almost all pieces of iQue Player software were decrypted to regular .z64 ROM format. Several of the Chinese game localizations already run on N64 emulators, but as some hardware features of the iQue Player are not yet supported, some games, as well as the system menu and features in games such as saving, do not work yet.
===Aleck 64 arcade emulation===
==References==
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{{Nintendo}}
