Video Game Collector Shows Rare Nintendo 64 Disk Drive Dev Kit

The world of video game collectors always knows smaller and bigger sensations, but there are always finds that surprise even die-hard connoisseurs of the scene. Right now it’s that time again because an unopened Nintendo 64 Disk Drive Dev Kit has surfaced.

Collecting video games and the associated hardware has long been a discipline that can involve a lot of money changing hands. Six-digit amounts are now normal. But there are always events that cause a stir in the scene. A few years ago, for example, the prototype of a “Nintendo PlayStation” appeared and the current appearance of a special Nintendo accessory is causing excitement among experts.

Because the YouTuber Shane Luis presented an absolute rarity on Twitter and also showed photos of it The Verge reported. Luis writes: “I was asked to verify and photograph a Nintendo 64 Disk Drive (64DD) development kit from a private video game collector. The system was new in the box and had to be carefully documented.” The box also contained 64DD development disks for empty and unused ones, plus some stickers.

Japan floppy drive

Anyone who hears about 64DD for the first time at this point shouldn’t be surprised: This drive was a little-used system that enabled the playback of proprietary floppy disks. However, this never appeared in the West, only in Japan. 64DD on its own is already rare, but a (still unopened) developer kit is a completely different collector’s dimension.

A special feature of the dev kit is that it comes with an adapter that can be used to connect two N64 cartridges. The actual 64DD was placed under the console, making the Nintendo 64 essentially twice as high as a normal console. Incidentally, there weren’t many games for it, because (in Japan) only nine titles came out.