The console takes its name from the 64-bit processing unit.
Development of the console began in 1993 under the codename “Project Reality”. Although the design was mostly complete by mid-1995, its launch was delayed until 1996. The console takes its name from the 64-bit processing unit. It was launched with three games: Super Mario 64, Pilotwings 64 and Saikyō Habu Shōgi (exclusive to Japan). Time named it Machine of the Year in 1996, and in 2015, IGN named it the ninth-greatest video game console of all time. The Nintendo 64 was discontinued in 2002 following the launch of its successor, the GameCube. The Nintendo 64 was critically acclaimed upon release and remains one of the most recognized video game consoles.