Why was the packaging of an N64 game so huge (cardboard)?

Just in advance: I didn't own a Nintendo 64 myself, just the GameCube.

I just wanted to know why the packaging of the Nintendo 64 was so big.

I mean, a module isn't that huge, is it? With the GameCube it was normal.

And did you keep the packaging (s) or how did it go?

Thank you for informative, interesting, helpful and very informative answers!

So the module was already quite large, roughly the size of a GBA, i would estimate. Probably a little smaller.

And there has to be enough cardboard around it to prevent bumps so that the module always remains undamaged. Is not comparable with GC, because it used disks.

and the pack serves as a storage space for the game when it is not in use. That's why the games are stacked in the closet (then as now).

I still do that with my games today (switch)

So the games themselves were pretty big. The packs were about 1/3 bigger than a game like this, that was just so that they would attract more attention in the store. Look how big games boxing were in general. The N64 packs were still one of the small ones.

When the Nintendo 64 hit it, I was very young, I was born in 1997.

Around 2002/2003 there were no longer any Nintendo 64 games in any stores. The GameCube was popular. Was it the case with you too that they were all gone.

I can't remember ever seeing an N64 game in the store, and there must have been N64 games around 2002/2003.

I think the N64 modules were the largest modules for a system ever.

Well, it depends on what you are looking at. Some datasets are larger in length and width, but flat. Maybe there are no more modules ;-)

from the NES they were also quite large. And at Sega, I don't know enough about that.

In any case, the N64 modules were already quite abundant:-)

It was just like that back then. Packs of PC games were also significantly larger back then. But take a look at the packaging of the Switch games. They are also many times larger than the cartridge.

And I also find it difficult to imagine that gaming with the trident gamepad should really have worked. With the GameCube it was normal.

Or what does "normal" mean, you could play with it comfortably.

Was it also the case in your area that around 2002/2003 there were no more N64 games to buy in stores. I was born in 1997 and haven't really seen the N64 era at all. This gives me the feeling that I have missed something "big". Especially since the Nintendo 64 was much more successful than its successor that I owned. I know that with Red Zac you could play Super Mario 64 DS (published: 2004) with us, at that time I didn't know that it was just another version of a great game, although many say that the DS version of Super Mario 64 was a lot better because you had several characters to choose from, each with their own strengths / weaknesses.

To be honest, I had actively missed the era too. I'm 93

but my brother had an N64, so I still heard the original Mario64 from him. Also had an N64 controller to play the multiplayer modes with my brother:-)

I don't know for sure about availability, but I know that my brother didn't have that many games for it. But they were all pretty must-haves.

Even if the GC wasn't that successful, I was very fond of it. It was my first TV console:-)

But if you want to catch up on the era and you probably still have a WiiU at home (or have to get one) you can still play a lot of classics from back then via the virtual console of the WiiU: -D also made up the first PaperMario.

In general, however, I also like the N64 very much, because for me it represents my first points of contact with gaming, because I was very often allowed to watch my brother gaming.