Fans of Donkey Kong 64 can finally learn why Rare's infamous Stop n Swap feature did not make the cut. Twitter user Rare Gamer reveals game images and a letter explaining why Donkey Kong 64 could not use Stop n Swap.
While the history behind the feature is extensive, the basic idea is fairly simple. Gamers could access special items and content between two games if the titles had Stop n Swap. Once accessing the items in one game, players would need to quickly remove the cartridge and replace it with the other title. If done quickly, the memory would store in the console for a short time and be utilized by the second game. Two methods, hot and cold swaps, meant switching cartridges while the console was on or off respectively.
It turns out that Rare wanted Donkey Kong 64 to Stop n Swap with Banjo-Kazooie. Unfortunately, much like Donkey Kong's realistic shotgun, it never came to be. From Rare Gamer's tweet, it looks like problematic technical issues are the culprit behind this decision. According to the Director of Technical Support, Nintendo found multiple reasons why Stop n Swap could not happen. From the hardware side, they could not guarantee that Nintendo 64's RDRAM would store the data long enough for the feature to function.
But it looks like the main reasoning had to do with crazy glitches on N64, possibly even hazardous. There could have been risk to the cartridge and console if players performed Stop n Swap while the console was on. Even worse, switching games like this may have resulted in a latch-up condition. This means that an inner chip could cause an overheating problem, a non-starter due to customer safety problems. That said, Nintendo did offer a variety of replacement ideas for Rare. From secret passcodes to multiple endings, the option for interconnectivity between games still was a popular concept.
Even decades later, gamers are still learning more about the history of classic games. What ifs usually offer fun and interesting conversation due to the potential of what could have been. Stop n Swap in particular shows how the developers at Rare could think outside of the box. Being able to interact with games in a physical sense, rather than just playing them, is a pretty unique idea. It even seems like the Banjo-Kazooie feature could make a comeback, due to the influx of digital titles across platforms.
It does make sense that Nintendo pushed back on Stop n Swap though. The image of tilting and blowing on a N64 cartridge to get it working is a classic, and this option surely would have exasperated that problem. Plus, with the console not being able to store the data long enough would have made the whole feature moot. There could have been content Rare worked on, only for it to be inaccessible to many players. But, it is great to find out more background to the development of Donkey Kong 64, even in the context of the discarded Stop n Swap.
Donkey Kong 64 is only available on the Nintendo 64.