Editing Transfer Pak

{{Short description|Accessory for the Nintendo 64}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox computing device
| image = Nintendo-64-GB-Transfer-Pak.jpg
| alt = An image of the front and back of the Japanese 64GB Pack accessory. The front is made of light gray plastic and has a large protruding plastic plug with electronic connectors. The back is made of translucent dark gray plastic with a receptacle slot for a Game Boy game cartridge to slide in parallel to the back. A thin red sticker on the back displays the device's name, model number, and assorted legal indica.
| caption = The Japanese 64GB Pack<!--indicated by the red sticker; the sticker on the Transfer Pak is gray-->
| aka = NUS-019<ref name="Legacy"/>
| manufacturer = [[Nintendo]]
| type = Data transfer device
| generation = [[History of video game consoles (fifth generation)|Fifth]]
| releasedate = {{Video game release|JP|August 1, 1998<ref name=":0"/>|NA|March 6, 2000<ref name="N64 Games of March">{{Cite web |date=March 2, 2000 |title=N64 Games of March |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/03/n64-games-of-march-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420125802/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/03/n64-games-of-march-2 |archive-date=April 20, 2023 |access-date=May 22, 2023 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref>|EU|April 7, 2000<ref>{{cite magazine|title=New Game Reviews |magazine=[[Nintendo Official Magazine]] |issue=91 |date=April 2000 |publisher=[[EMAP]] |page=24}}</ref>}}
| media = [[Game Boy Game Pak]]
<!--| price= {{ubl|{{JPY|1400}}|{{USD|19.99}}}}-->
| connectivity = [[Nintendo 64 controller]] expansion port
| dimensions = {{cvt|78|x|69|x|93.4|mm}}
| weight = {{cvt|88|g|lb}}
}}
The '''Transfer Pak'''{{efn|Known in Japan as the {{nihongo|'''64 GB Pack'''|64GBパック|Rokujūyon Jī Bī Pakku|lead=yes}}}} is an accessory for the [[Nintendo 64]] (N64) [[Nintendo 64 controller|controller]]. It features a cartridge slot compatible with [[Game Boy]] or [[Game Boy Color]] (GBC) games. When plugged into the controller's expansion port, it allows for the transfer of data between supported N64 and GBC games to access additional content. The ''[[Pokémon Stadium (series)|Pokémon Stadium]]'' games, with which the Transfer Pak was initially bundled for sale, also feature the ability to [[Video game console emulator|emulate]] specific Game Boy ''[[Pokémon]]'' titles for play on the N64.

The Transfer Pak was supported by 20 N64 and [[64DD]] games released between 1998 and 2000, only six of which supported it outside of Japan. Several games which initially planned to utilize the accessory were either cancelled or had the functionality removed. A similar accessory for the 64DD, the 64 GB Cable, was also never released. As a result, while recognized as one of the first examples of connectivity between Nintendo's home consoles and handhelds, retrospective coverage of the Transfer Pak has found it largely unnecessary.

==History==
The Transfer Pak was developed by [[Nintendo Research & Development 3]], and was first revealed at Nintendo's [[Nintendo Space World#Space World 1997|Space World 1997]] trade show.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=February 1998 |title=Nintendo's Space World 1997 |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |page=23 |issue=38}}</ref> It was released in Japan as a pack-in with the game ''[[Pocket Monsters Stadium]]'' (1998), which required the Transfer Pak for many of its features.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Peer |date=August 30, 1998 |title=Pokemon Stadium (Import) Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/08/31/pokemon-stadium-import-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108002009/https://www.ign.com/articles/1998/08/31/pokemon-stadium-import-2 |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |access-date=January 7, 2023 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> In North America and Europe, the Transfer Pak was similarly bundled with ''[[Pokémon Stadium]]'' (1999) for its English-language release in 2000, receiving a standalone release shortly thereafter.<ref name="StadiumBundle">{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2000 |title=Transfer Pak |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/07/transfer-pak |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909075300/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/07/transfer-pak |archive-date=September 9, 2017 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 3, 1999 |title=Nintendo Announces Q1 Dates |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/03/nintendo-announces-q1-dates |access-date=June 3, 2024 |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=August 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816161404/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/03/nintendo-announces-q1-dates |url-status=live }}</ref> While the device itself is physically compatible with all [[Game Boy Game Pak|Game Boy and GBC Game Paks]], N64 games can only connect to games from the same region.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Mario Golf Links Up|magazine=[[N64 Magazine]]|issue=37|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|date=January 2000|page=46}}</ref>

Unlike the [[Super Game Boy]] peripheral, which allowed Game Boy games to be played on the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]], the Transfer Pak's primary use was not to play Game Boy games on the N64.<ref name=GamesRadar/> Nintendo and [[Intelligent Systems]] developed a separate accessory to serve this function, the [[Wide-Boy64]], but it was not released to the public and was instead only available to game developers and members of the gaming press.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=Aug 31, 1999 |title=Wide Boy |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/01/wide-boy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107072936/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/09/01/wide-boy |archive-date=January 7, 2023 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2000 |title=TGS: Wide Boy Gets an Upgrade |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/01/tgs-wide-boy-gets-an-upgrade |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230101205852/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/01/tgs-wide-boy-gets-an-upgrade |archive-date=January 1, 2023 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> However, the ''Pokémon Stadium'' games included a built-in Game Boy [[Video game console emulator|emulator]], allowing users to play compatible ''Pokémon'' games on the N64 by inserting them into the Transfer Pak.<ref name="Connecting to the Cube">{{Cite news |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=September 14, 2001 |title=Connecting to the Cube |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/09/14/connecting-to-the-cube |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128163844/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/09/14/connecting-to-the-cube |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |access-date=August 7, 2020 |publisher=IGN}}</ref>

A similar accessory for the 64DD, the "64 GB Cable",<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 1998 |title=新ゲーム創世紀の Hyper Gears |trans-title=Hyper Gears, A New Gaming Phenomenon |magazine=Monthly Nintendo Power |publisher=[[Media Factory]] |page=19 |lang=ja}}</ref> was designed by Nintendo subsidiary [[Marigul Management]] to connect an N64 controller port to compatible GBC games with proprietary ports built directly into their cartridges, and would allow data to be transferred from the GBC to a 64DD storage cartridge, as well as for the GBC to be used as a "sub-screen" for certain 64DD games.<ref name="What">{{Cite web |date=August 28, 1999 |title=What's DT, you ask? |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/whats-dt-you-ask-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240423200641/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/whats-dt-you-ask-2 |archive-date=April 23, 2024 |access-date=April 23, 2024 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> This was demonstrated at [[Nintendo Space World#Space World 1999|Space World 1999]] with the game ''DT Bloodmasters'', a [[Digital collectible card game|trading card game]] directed by [[Masanobu Endō]] that used the 64 GB Cable to exchange cards between the two systems, as well as allow players to privately view their cards on the GBC screen.<ref name="What" /><ref name="64DD: The Games" /><ref>{{cite magazine |title=『DT』好調制作中の大ベテラン 遠藤雅伸氏を直撃インタビュー |trans-title=An interview with veteran creator Masanobu Endo, who is currently working on "DT" |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=22 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=July 1998 |page=96 |lang=ja}}</ref> The cable and ''DT Bloodmasters'' were ultimately never released, though its GBC counterpart, ''DT: Lords of Genomes'', was released in May 2001.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=ランドネットサービス停止にともない 「DT(仮)」の開発方針が大きく変更!! |trans-title=Due to the termination of the Randnet service, the development of "DT" (tentative) has changed significantly!! |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=53 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=February 2001 |page=104 |lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=DT ローズオブゲノム |trans-title=DT: Lords of Genomes |magazine=Nintendo Dream |issue=56 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=May 2001 |page=107 |lang=ja}}</ref> ''[[Derby Stallion 64]]'' (2001) was also intended to support the 64 GB Cable, using the GBC as a second screen to place private bets on horse races, but this feature was removed after the accessory's cancellation.<ref name="Connecting to the Cube" /><ref name="64DD: The Games" />

==Supported games==
The following is a complete list of Nintendo 64 and 64DD games that are compatible with the Transfer Pak, along with the corresponding Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. Some N64 games' Transfer Pak functions are only available in certain regional releases, due to their GBC companion games not releasing in those markets.

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"
|+Transfer Pak compatible games
|-
! Nintendo 64 game || Game Boy (Color) game || Features
|-
| ''[[Choro Q 64 2: Hachamecha Grand Prix Race]]'' (1999)
| ''Choro Q Hyper Customable GB'' (1999)
|Each player's maximum speed is increased in ''Hachamecha Grand Prix Race'' if their controller is connected to ''Hyper Customable GB.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 20, 1999 |title=Choro Q 64 2 in the Works |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/21/choro-q-64-2-in-the-works |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002041/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/21/choro-q-64-2-in-the-works |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Locomotion |title=Choro Q 64 2: Hachamecha Grand Prix Race |date=1999 |publisher=[[Takara]] |page=6 |type=instruction manual}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Power Pros|Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū 6]]'' (1999)
| ''[[Power Pro Kun Pocket]]'' (1999)
|Baseball players can be transferred from GBC to N64; a [[password (video games)|password]] can also be used in place of the Transfer Pak.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 1999 |title=実況パワフルプロ野球 6 |trans-title=Live Powerful Pro Baseball 6 |magazine=The 64Dream |publisher=Mainichi Communications |page=16 |issue=31 |lang=ja}}</ref>
|-
| ''Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū 2000'' (2000)
| ''Power Pro Kun Pocket 2'' (2000)
|Baseball players can be transferred from GBC to N64; a password can also be used in place of the Transfer Pak.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 2000 |title=実況パワフルプロ野球 2000 |trans-title=Live Powerful Pro Baseball 2000 |magazine=The 64Dream |publisher=Mainichi Communications |page=16 |issue=43 |lang=ja}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mario Artist|Mario Artist: Paint Studio]]'' (1999)
| [[Game Boy Camera]] (1998)
|Players can take photographs using the Game Boy Camera and import them for use in the game's creation suite.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Peer |date=August 23, 2000 |title=Mario Artist: Paint Studio (Import) |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/23/mario-artist-paint-studio-import |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916105332/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/23/mario-artist-paint-studio-import |archive-date=September 16, 2022 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
|''Mario Artist: Talent Studio'' (2000)
|Game Boy Camera (1998)
|Players can take photographs using the Game Boy Camera and import them for use in the game's creation suite.<ref name="Talent Studio (Import)">{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Peer |date=August 27, 1999 |title=Mario Artist: Talent Studio (Import) |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/mario-artist-talent-studio-import-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129024408/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/mario-artist-talent-studio-import-2 |archive-date=January 29, 2015 |access-date=January 25, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref name="Camera Connection">{{Cite web |date=March 19, 1999 |title=GDC: Miyamoto Unveils Camera Connection |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/19/gdc-miyamoto-unveils-camera-connection |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422130839/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/03/19/gdc-miyamoto-unveils-camera-connection |archive-date=April 22, 2023 |access-date=September 24, 2024 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mario Golf (video game)|Mario Golf]]'' (1999)
| ''[[Mario Golf (video game)|Mario Golf]]'' (1999)
|The player characters from the GBC version's story mode can be temporarily transferred to the N64, allowing them to gain experience points through gameplay that will be transferred back to the GBC version.<ref name="Golf">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |date=October 6, 2008 |title=Mario Golf Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/06/mario-golf-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220201111/https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/06/mario-golf-review |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The GBC version also allows players to view their high scores from the N64 game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2000 |title=Mario Golf Transfer Pak |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/04/mario-golf-transfer-pak |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508072028/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/04/mario-golf-transfer-pak |archive-date=May 8, 2022 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mario Tennis]]'' (2000)
| ''[[Mario Tennis]]'' (2000)
|The player characters  from the GBC version's Mario Tour mode can be temporarily transferred to the N64, allowing them to gain experience points through gameplay that will be transferred back to the GBC version.<ref name="Tennis">{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Lucas M. |date=June 30, 2010 |title=Mario Tennis Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/30/mario-tennis-review |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220201059/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/30/mario-tennis-review |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> When the two versions are connected, [[Yoshi]], [[Wario]], [[Waluigi]] and [[Bowser]] are unlocked as playable characters in the GBC game, along with their respective minigames.<ref name=NSO>{{cite web | last=Latshaw | first=Tim | title=Camelot's Ace Little Tennis RPG Is Hard To Fault | website=Nintendo Life | date=March 13, 2024 | url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/gbc/mario-tennis | access-date=February 5, 2025 | archive-date=July 11, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711161214/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/gbc/mario-tennis | url-status=live }}</ref> Connecting both versions again after completing these minigames will unlock additional tennis courts in the N64 game.<ref name=Tennis/><ref>{{cite magazine|title=N64 Transfers |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |issue=141 |date=February 2001 |publisher=[[Nintendo of America]] |page=106}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Mickey's Speedway USA]]'' (2000)
| ''[[Mickey's Speedway USA]]'' (2001)
|Connecting the two versions is the only way to unlock [[Huey, Dewey, and Louie|Huey]] as a playable character in the English N64 release.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2001 |title=Huey Spotted on Mickey's Speedway |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/09/huey-spotted-on-mickeys-speedway |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212204210/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/09/huey-spotted-on-mickeys-speedway |archive-date=February 12, 2013 |access-date=October 5, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Nushi Tsuri 64]]'' (1998)
| ''[[List of River King video games|Umi no Nushi Tsuri 2]]'' (1998)
|Players can transfer data from their in-game notebooks on GBC to N64''.'' Sea fish that are normally only present in ''Umi no Nushi Tsuri 2'' can also be added to the fishing pond in ''Nushi Tsuri 64''<ref name="NT64">{{cite magazine |date=January 1999 |title=ぬし釣り64 |magazine=The 64Dream |publisher=Ambit |page=139 |issue=28}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Nushi Tsuri 64: Shiokaze Ninotte]]'' (2000)
| ''[[List of River King video games|Kawa no Nushi Tsuri 4]]'' (1999)
|Players can transfer data from their in-game notebooks on GBC to N64.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Horst |first=Tim |date=June 13, 2000 |title=King of the Sea |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/14/king-ot-the-sea |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002036/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/14/king-ot-the-sea |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[PD Ultraman Battle Collection 64]]'' (1999)
| Any
|Players will unlock different characters for play based on which Game Boy game is inserted, similar to the use of [[Compact disc|CD]]s in ''[[Monster Rancher]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=March 27, 2000 |title=Ultraman's Transfer Pak Weapon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/28/ultramans-transfer-pak-weapon |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203233006/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/28/ultramans-transfer-pak-weapon |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Perfect Dark]]'' (2000)
| ''[[Perfect Dark (Game Boy Color video game)|Perfect Dark]]'' (2000)
| Connecting the two games immediately unlocks a selection of cheats in the English N64 release, which would otherwise require players to complete several difficult in-game objectives.<ref name="PDCheat">{{Cite web |date=September 1, 2000 |title=The Perfect Combination |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/01/the-perfect-combination |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626173645/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/09/01/the-perfect-combination |archive-date=June 26, 2021 |access-date=September 24, 2024 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The game was also originally intended to support transferring photos from the Game Boy Camera to create characters with real-life faces, but this function was removed during development, as a result of both technical issues and a wave of anti-violent video game sentiment after the [[Columbine High School massacre]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hiranand |first=Ravi |date=February 10, 2000 |title=Rare Cleans Up Perfect Dark |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/rare-cleans-up-perfect-dark-2446534 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230153001/http://www.gamespot.com/news/rare-cleans-up-perfect-dark-2446534 |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |access-date=January 16, 2011 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Pocket Monsters Stadium]]'' (1998)
| [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow#Development|''Pocket Monsters Red'', ''Green'', ''Blue'', and ''Yellow'']] versions (1996–1998)
|By connecting to a Game Boy ''Pokémon'' game, players can view and organize their Pokémon, transfer them from the Game Boy games to ''Stadium'' for storage and use in battle, or emulate the Game Boy games for play on their television, the speed of which can be doubled or tripled through unlockable settings.<ref name="Legacy"/><ref name="StadiumBundle" /> Players can also teach a transferred [[Pikachu]] the "Surf" ability in ''Stadium'', which can be used to unlock a secret minigame in ''Yellow''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|author=Uwerman|date=August 1, 2023|title=『ポケモンスタジアム』が発売された日。初めてポケモンが3Dで表現されたことに感激。なみのりピカチュウも育てられた対戦用ソフト【今日は何の日？】|trans-title=The day "Pokemon Stadium" was released. I was thrilled to see Pokemon in 3D for the first time. The fighting software that also raised Surfing Pikachu. [What day is it today?]|url=https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/12478|access-date=November 28, 2024|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|language=ja|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123013618/https://www.famitsu.com/article/202408/12478|archive-date=January 23, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Surf">{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2000 |title=Snag a Surfing Pikachu |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/08/snag-a-surfing-pikachu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531063134/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/08/snag-a-surfing-pikachu |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |access-date=September 24, 2024 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Pokémon Stadium]]'' (1999)
| [[Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow|''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', and ''Yellow'']] versions (1996–1998)
|In addition to retaining all the Transfer Pak features from the previous game, players can unlock special prize Pokémon to send to the Game Boy game.<ref name="Surf"/><ref name="StadiumReview">{{Cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Gerstmann |date=February 29, 2000 |title=Pokemon Stadium Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-stadium-review/1900-2543699/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120212059/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokemon-stadium-review/1900-2543699/ |archive-date=January 20, 2016 |access-date=December 17, 2024 |publisher=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Stadium Secrets |magazine=Pokémon Stadium Official Nintendo Player's Guide |publisher=[[Nintendo Power]] |date=January 2000 |page=208}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]'' (2000)
| ''Pokémon Red'', ''Blue'', ''Yellow'', [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|''Gold'', ''Silver'']], and ''[[Pokémon Crystal|Crystal]]'' versions (1996–2000)
|In addition to the Pokémon transfer and emulation functions from the previous games, ''Stadium 2'' allows players to transfer items, play as transferred Pokémon in its minigames, view and customize the player character's room from ''Gold'', ''Silver'', and ''Crystal'' in 3D, and receive special items in ''Gold'', ''Silver'', and ''Crystal'' using the "Mystery Gift" option.<ref name="Stadium2">{{Cite web |last=Villoria |first=Gerald |date=March 26, 2001 |title=Pokemon Stadium 2 Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokmon-stadium-2-review/1900-2701265/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220201233/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/pokmon-stadium-2-review/1900-2701265/ |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Pokémon Stadium 2 |magazine=[[Nintendo Power]] |issue=141 |date=February 2001 |publisher=[[Nintendo of America]] |page=50}}</ref><ref name="IGNStad2">{{Cite web |last=Carle |first=Chris |date=March 26, 2001 |title=Pokemon Stadium 2 Review |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/27/pokemon-stadium-2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016233911/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/03/27/pokemon-stadium-2 |archive-date=October 16, 2012 |access-date=February 14, 2012 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The Japanese version could also connect to ''Crystal'' to watch or play against prerecorded battle data downloaded from the "[[Mobile System GB]]" networking service prior to its shutdown in 2002.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=今月のマリオクラブおすすめソフトはじっくり遊べるこの5本 |trans-title=This Month's Mario Club Recommended Software is These 5 Games That You Can Enjoy Thoroughly |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=53 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=February 2001 |page=106 |lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Bertoli | first=Ben | title=That Time Nintendo Took the Game Boy (and Pokémon) Online | website=Kotaku | date=August 25, 2019 | url=https://kotaku.com/that-time-nintendo-took-the-game-boy-and-pokemon-onli-1836423946 | access-date=February 24, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Puyo Puyo~n Party]]'' (1999)
| ''[[Puyo Puyo Sun|Pocket Puyo Puyo Sun]]'' (1998)
|Players can view a gallery in ''Party'' of special illustrations earned in ''Sun'', some of which can only be unlocked by connecting the two games.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 20, 1999 |title=Puyo Puyo Sun's Transfer Pak Option |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/21/puyo-puyo-suns-transfer-pak-option |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002043/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/21/puyo-puyo-suns-transfer-pak-option |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=GBリンクで ギャラリーモードだ! |trans-title=Gallery Mode with GB Link! |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=40 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=January 2000 |page=54 |lang=ja}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Robot Ponkottsu 64: Nanatsu no Umi no Caramel]]'' (1999)
| Any
[[Robopon Sun, Star, and Moon Versions|''Robot Ponkottsu Sun'', ''Star, and Moon'']] versions (1998–1999)
|Special food items that provide different stat boosts will be generated based on which game is connected.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=January 2000 |title=ロボットポンコッツ６４ ～七つの海のカラメル～ |trans-title=Robot Ponkottsu 64: Caramel of the Seven Seas |magazine=The 64Dream |publisher=Mainichi Communications |page=51 |issue=40 |lang=ja}}</ref> Connecting to one of the ''Robopon'' GBC games will also allow players to exchange and battle Robopon characters between GBC and N64.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jankiewicz |first=Joshua |date=June 2, 2018 |title=Robot Ponkottsu 64 |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/robot-ponkottsu-64/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002038/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/robot-ponkottsu-64/ |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[Hardcore Gaming 101]]}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Super B-Daman: Battle Phoenix 64]]'' (1998)
| ''Super B-Daman: Fighting Phoenix'' (1997)
|Items can be transferred from ''Fighting Phoenix'' to ''Battle Phoenix 64''.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=今月のマリオクラブおすすめソフ |trans-title=This Month's Mario Club Recommended Software |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=25 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=October 1998 |page=115 |lang=ja}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Super Robot Wars 64|Super Robot Taisen 64]]'' (1999)
| ''Super Robot Taisen: Link Battler'' (1999)
|Players can transfer character experience between games, as well as unlock playable units in each game that are otherwise exclusive to the other.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 27, 1999 |title=Super Robot Taisen Links Up |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/super-robot-taisen-links-up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002037/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/super-robot-taisen-links-up |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref name="SRW">{{Cite magazine |title=N64版とのリンクばかりではない GB版『リンクバトラー』の魅力を大紹介!! |trans-title=Not only is it linked to the N64 version, but we're introducing the appeal of the GB version of "Link Battler"! |magazine=Dengeki Nintendo 64 |issue=40 |date=September 1999 |publisher=[[MediaWorks (publisher)|MediaWorks]] |page=16 |lang=ja}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Transformers: Beast Wars Metals 64]]'' (1999)
| Any
''[[Kettō Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Senshi Saikyō Ketteisen]]'' (1999)
| In the Japanese version, the player's default health and rate of energy depletion can be positively or negatively affected based on the connected game.<ref name="BW64"/> ''Kettō Beast Wars'' grants the greatest possible boost, and unlocks the secret boss [[Megatron#Beast Era|Megatron X]] as a playable character.<ref name="BW64">{{cite magazine |date=November 1999 |title=トランスフォーマー ビーストウォーズメタルス64 |trans-title=Transformers Beast Wars Metals 64 |magazine=The 64Dream |publisher=Mainichi Communications |page=38 |issue=38 |lang=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 27, 1999 |title=Takara's Treasures |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/takaras-treasures |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204002039/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/28/takaras-treasures |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |access-date=December 3, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
|}

===Cancelled support===
Some games were intended to include Transfer Pak features, only to remove them prior to release. During development of ''[[Pokémon Snap]]'' (1999), [[Satoru Iwata]] experimented with transferring photos to the [[Game Boy Camera]] so that they could be printed using the [[Game Boy Printer]]; however, the development team found the printer's output quality to be insufficient, and the feature was abandoned in favor of printing stickers through specialized stations at specific retailers.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=大爆笑HAL研ブラザーズ |trans-title=Big Laugh HAL Laboratory Bros. |magazine=The 64Dream |issue=32 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |date=May 1999 |page=85 |lang=ja}}</ref>  The GBC version of ''[[The World Is Not Enough (Game Boy Color video game)|The World Is Not Enough]]'' (2000) was initially reported to feature Transfer Pak connectivity with its [[The World Is Not Enough (Nintendo 64 video game)|N64 counterpart]], allowing players to strengthen their characters in the N64 game's multiplayer mode, but this was dropped before release.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Craig |date=July 17, 2001 |title=The World Is Not Enough |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/16/the-world-is-not-enough-5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202162507/https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/16/the-world-is-not-enough-5 |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |access-date=December 2, 2019 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2001 |title=New media: TWINE GBC |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-media-twine-gbc/1100-2699103/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202162308/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-media-twine-gbc/1100-2699103/ |archive-date=December 2, 2019 |access-date=January 1, 2023 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> ''[[WWF No Mercy (video game)|WWF No Mercy]]'' (2000) was meant to use the Transfer Pak to import points earned in its GBC counterpart, which could be spent on rewards in the N64 game's "SmackDown Mall".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gerstmann |first=Jeff |author-link=Jeff Gerstmann |date=May 17, 2000 |title=WWF No Mercy Hands-On |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/wwf-no-mercy-hands-on/1100-2570621/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010611132046/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/previews/0,10869,2570621,00.html |archive-date=June 11, 2001 |access-date=May 28, 2022 |website=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> However, this feature was removed following the cancellation of the GBC version.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2000 |title=No Link for No Mercy |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/12/22/no-link-for-no-mercy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103055049/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/12/22/no-link-for-no-mercy |archive-date=November 3, 2012 |access-date=July 11, 2018 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

Other games with planned Transfer Pak support went unreleased in any form. One of these was ''[[Cabbage (video game)|Cabbage]]'', a 64DD [[Life simulation game|breeding simulator]] game, which would have featured the Transfer Pak as a major gameplay component.<ref name="The 64Dream Dec 1997">{{Cite interview |last=Miyamoto |first=Shigeru |last2=Itoi |first2=Shigesato |date=December 1997 |title=BIG2の友椅対談! |trans-title=A Friendly Discussion Between the "Big 2" |magazine=The 64Dream |page=91 |publisher=Mainichi Communications |issue=15 |subject-link1=Shigeru Miyamoto |subject-link2=Shigesato Itoi|lang=ja}}</ref><ref name="Miyamoto Opens Vault">{{Cite web |last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=August 21, 2006 |title=Miyamoto Opens the Vault |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/08/21/miyamoto-opens-the-vault |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152037/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/08/21/miyamoto-opens-the-vault |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=January 28, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> The game was planned to allow players to transfer their pet to the Game Boy and continue to nurture it throughout the day.<ref name="64DD: The Games">{{Cite web |date=January 29, 1998 |title=64DD: The Games |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1998/01/30/64dd-the-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129025943/http://www.ign.com/articles/1998/01/30/64dd-the-games |archive-date=January 29, 2015 |access-date=January 25, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref><ref name="Cabbage at IGN">{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2000 |title=Nintendo Still Cooking Cabbage |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/05/nintendo-still-cooking-cabbage |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223063258/http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/05/nintendo-still-cooking-cabbage |archive-date=February 23, 2014 |access-date=February 25, 2014 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

==Reception==
Reviews of the ''Pokémon Stadium'' games praised their use of the Transfer Pak, with some claiming that players who played the games without using it would find their appeal and features severely limited.<ref name="Stadium2" /><ref name="IGNStad2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=December 9, 2001 |title=Pokemon Stadium 2 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/r-pstadium2-n64 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221170857/https://www.eurogamer.net/r-pstadium2-n64 |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=[[Eurogamer]]}}</ref> Similarly, Peer Schneider of ''[[IGN]]'' considered the Transfer Pak functionality in ''PD Ultraman Battle Collection 64'' to be the game's sole redeeming feature.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Peer |date=March 27, 2000 |title=PD Ultraman Battle Collection 64 (Import) Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/28/pd-ultraman-battle-collection-64-import |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221062417/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/28/pd-ultraman-battle-collection-64-import |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> When reviewing the [[Wii]] [[Virtual Console]] re-releases of ''Mario Golf'' and ''Mario Tennis'', Lucas M. Thomas of ''IGN'' was disappointed by the removal of their Transfer Pak functionality, lamenting the games' incompleteness due to the inability to unlock their Transfer Pak-exclusive content.<ref name=Golf/><ref name=Tennis/> Some members of the press identified the Transfer Pak as an influence on later examples of connectivity between Nintendo's home consoles and handhelds, most prominently the [[GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable]].<ref name=Legacy/><ref name="Connecting to the Cube" />

In the years following the N64's discontinuation, the Transfer Pak has been regarded as a largely underutilized and unnecessary add-on. In a retrospective for ''[[Nintendo Life]]'', Gavin Lane stated that the Transfer Pak, while interesting, never truly reached its full potential.<ref name=Legacy/> Brett Elston of ''[[GamesRadar+]]'' claimed that many players misinterpreted the Transfer Pak as a device meant to play Game Boy games on the television, leading to disappointment. Elston also described most games' Transfer Pak integration as "an afterthought, with features that were barely worth the hassle of digging it out of the closet."<ref name="GamesRadar">{{Cite web |last=Elson |first=Brett |date=July 8, 2009 |title=Nintendo's Most-Failingest Peripherals |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/nintendos-most-failingest-peripherals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221170857/https://www.gamesradar.com/nintendos-most-failingest-peripherals/ |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=[[GamesRadar+]]}}</ref> ''[[Den of Geek]]''{{'}}s Daniel Kurland considered the Transfer Pak to be "a frivolity rather than something fundamental", particularly given the meager number of games that supported it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kurland |first=Daniel |date=May 16, 2018 |title=41 Dumb Consoles and Accessories Nobody Needs |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/41-dumb-consoles-and-accessories-nobody-needs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221170859/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/41-dumb-consoles-and-accessories-nobody-needs/ |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=[[Den of Geek]]}}</ref> Writing for ''[[VentureBeat|GamesBeat]]'', André Bardin was also critical of the Transfer Pak's lack of support, particularly outside of Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bardin |first=André |date=February 3, 2012 |title=Shame Is Plastic: 6 Gaming Accessories of Dubious Quality |url=https://venturebeat.com/games/shame-is-plastic-6-gaming-accessories-of-dubious-quality/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221170859/https://venturebeat.com/games/shame-is-plastic-6-gaming-accessories-of-dubious-quality/ |archive-date=December 21, 2022 |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=[[VentureBeat]]}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Some games have retained their Transfer Pak-exclusive content in digital re-releases. The [[Perfect Dark (2010 video game)|2010 remaster of ''Perfect Dark'']] for [[Xbox 360]] unlocks the same selection of cheats if the game detects a ''[[Perfect Dark Zero]]'' (2005) save file.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Higton |first=Ian |date=June 19, 2024 |title=7 bizarre Easter Eggs from across the Perfect Dark series |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/7-bizarre-easter-eggs-from-across-the-perfect-dark-series |website=Eurogamer |access-date=May 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331230940/https://www.eurogamer.net/7-bizarre-easter-eggs-from-across-the-perfect-dark-series |url-status=live |archive-date=March 31, 2025}}</ref> In the 2024 [[Nintendo Classics]] re-release of ''Mario Tennis'' (GBC), the Transfer Pak-exclusive characters and minigames are accessible by default.<ref name=NSO/> 

In 2019, an independent software developer created a [[ROM hacking|ROM hack]] of ''[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]'' that expanded the emulator's compatibility to include other Game Boy games.<ref name="Legacy">{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Gavin |date=July 9, 2019 |title=Feature: The Legacy of Nintendo 64's Transfer Pak |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/07/feature_the_legacy_of_nintendo_64s_transfer_pak |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220201059/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2019/07/feature_the_legacy_of_nintendo_64s_transfer_pak |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |access-date=December 20, 2022 |website=[[Nintendo Life]]}}</ref> In December 2023, as part of its update to add N64 support, the [[Polymega]] aftermarket console implemented Transfer Pak functionality, allowing players to use the device to [[ROM image#Creation|dump]] their Game Boy games and save files to the system's memory for play.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFerran |first=Damien |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Polymega's N64 Module Allows Support for Game Boy and Game Boy Color Games |url=https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/12/polymegas-n64-module-allows-support-for-game-boy-and-game-boy-color-games |access-date=March 5, 2024 |website=Time Extension |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217220352/https://www.timeextension.com/news/2023/12/polymegas-n64-module-allows-support-for-game-boy-and-game-boy-color-games |url-status=live |archive-date=December 17, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Nintendo 64 accessories]]
* [[GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Nintendo 64}}
{{Nintendo hardware}}

[[Category:Game Boy accessories]]
[[Category:Nintendo 64 accessories]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 1998]]