“Don’t touch that!”
Those of us who remember family road trips in the 2000s might recall these scolding words at hotel pit stops, and it likely involved a Nintendo 64 controller sitting innocently in the room. You know, the one that your parents adamantly told you not to mess around with? Indeed, this was no ordinary controller. It had special powers. This controller gave visitors access to rent popular Nintendo 64 games by the hour — and charge every bit of that time straight to the hotel bill. Cue the angry parents.
But now, it appears we don’t have to worry about that in 2021. Thanks to the game preservation team Forest of Illusion, the software files that once ran the Gateway 64 hotel version of Ocarina of Time are now available for public access via iQue source. Curious techies can download the Gateway 64 source files via Archive.org.
According to Forest of Illusion, Nintendo partnered with Lodgenet in 1999 to create the hourly rental Gateway 64 system for hotel guests. The longstanding rental program was a hit in its heyday and created an additional source of revenue for lodging businesses. This venture actually began in 1993 with the Gateway Super Nintendo Entertainment System for planes and hotels. Airlines were a little slow on the uptake with creating and marketing the devices, but the hotel industry quickly caught on with the cheaper models. The Gateway hotel rental programs continued until Lodgenet finally closed its doors in 2013. Streaming technology and newer, more travel-friendly Nintendo systems eventually brought an end to this bygone era.
Those who run the hotel Ocarina of Time files will begin as Adult Link in Hyrule Field, which opens the door to many questions — and possibilities. Can you become Child Link in the hotel version? Is it possible to beat the game? Who knows. Project 64 is required to play the software, and naturally, this version does not have three save files in the start menu. Forest of Illusion notes that the source files did not even contain a save file, as the game was meant to be rented by the hour. A debug save file was added to help compensate for today’s audience. And of course, it can now be played entirely for free.
Good things really do come to those who wait.
