Project64 

Play games designed for Nintendo 64 directly on your computer. Load the desired ROM, make hardware setting to optimize the in-game performance, configure your keyboard or USB controller and start playing.

Project64 is a free emulator for Nintendo 64 video game console. This is an alternative for someone who wants to play some of the Nintendo’s most popular games from the mid-90s to early 2000s on a Windows-based computer.

Project64 is just under 3MB in size, so you don’t have to worry about the program taking up a lot of space. Furthermore, the installation is relatively quick and this version doesn’t seem to include bloatware. The fact that it comes packed with the basic graphic and sound plugins is an advantage, as well as its compatibility and ease of use. The program’s interface isn’t overly complex, so even novice computer users should be able to use it without a problem.

The games that Project64 runs are called ROM files and are not included in the pack. To start playing, all you need to do is load a ROM of your choice from the main menu. In addition, the options tab allows you to make hardware adjustments so that you can maximize your gaming experience. Here, you can adjust the sound and graphic settings, as well as configure your keyboard or USB controller layout. Additionally, it supports third-party plugins to improve functionality.

Games can be played in windowed or full screen mode. Moreover, you can save and load game states, use cheats, set hotkeys, and take screenshots.

In terms of performance, this version appears to be less stable than previous releases; it crashed several times during my test for no apparent reason. Still, it manages to be one of the most popular and reliable emulators for the Nintendo 64 console.