A-Hackers-Guide
Nintendo 64

Is my N64 compatible?

Is My N64 Compatible?

Good news: every retail Nintendo 64 works with a flashcart. Compatibility questions are really about region and which extra features you want, not whether the console will run a cart at all.

Your consoleFlashcart works?Region notes
NTSC-U (North America)YesPlays NTSC-J easily; PAL needs passthrough
NTSC-J (Japan)YesPlays NTSC-U easily; PAL needs passthrough
PAL (Europe / Australia)YesOutputs 50Hz; NTSC games need a passthrough adapter or donor mod
iQue Player (China)LimitedDifferent hardware; most flashcarts are not designed for it

Feature compatibility

Want to...Need
Load backups from SDAny EverDrive-64 or SummerCart64
Back up real cartridge savesEverDrive-64 X7 or SummerCart64
Emulate the 64DDSummerCart64
Use Expansion Pak gamesExpansion Pak installed in console

Bottom line

If the console powers on and reads cartridges, it is compatible. The only real obstacle is crossing the NTSC/PAL divide, covered later in the Regions section.