Summary
ANintendo 64fan has recently made quite a nostalgic discovery, unearthing an obscure artifact in an N64-branded baseball most fans and former players of the console are most likely entirely unaware of. The unexpected finding has caught the eye of hundreds ofNintendo 64fans online, sparking some fond memories of video games from days past.
First released in North America in September 1996, the Nintendo 64 was the third home console released by the video game company, and the first to feature true 3D graphics. Home to now-legendary titles such asThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,Super Smash Bros.,GoldenEye007and more, the N64 remains a soft spot for many seasoned gamers. Players have been able to recapture their nostalgia in recent years thanks to the release of some classic titles via Nintendo Switch Online, with threesurprise Nintendo 64 games added to the servicelast week.
The sentimental Nintendo 64 baseball was discovered by Reddit user Drolevarg, who posted their unique discovery onto one of the N64 pages of the site. The baseball is rather ordinary in appearance - white leather with red stitching - save for a rather unusual Nintendo logo. The logo features the classic three-dimensional “N” N64 fans are familiar with, but with the word “sports” wrapped around it. The original poster says they received the ball for winning a local home run derby tournament forMajor League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.,a title released that same year in 1998.
Although not entirely confirmed, further research appears to indicate N64 Sports - and its unique logo - was a marketing campaign promoting the consoles latest and greatest in sports titles, includingMajor League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr.and other professional leagues. While the title may have faded into obscurity - losing out to its competitorAll-Star Baseball ‘99for being one of thebest baseball games that aren’tMLB The Show-its developer Angel Studios certainly hasn’t, going on to become Rockstar San Diego.
While the rare baseball is certainly a nostalgic find, it isn’t the only major one as of late. AclassicCall of Dutyfan recently made a surprise discovery, and at a vape shop of all places. The fan posted pictures of a still-sealed copy ofCall of Duty: Finest Hourfor PS2, the now-iconic franchise’s very first game to release on home consoles. While a vastly different find than the N64 Sports baseball, the vintage items are illustrative of the importance gamers place on physical merchandise they manage to come across.
While Nintendo isn’t exactly known for professional sports sims these days, its variousSuper Mariosports titles continually prove immensely popular. In what could potentially end a 15-year drought, there arerumors of a new Mario baseball gamein the works which could usher in a new series of home run derbies and winnable balls, but only time will tell.
