Net64 Setup Tutorial

Net64 is not only fun to use, it is also very simple to set up! Setup of Net64 can take 5-10 minutes, depending on how efficient you are.

Part 1: Downloading all the necessary files
The first step towards setting up Net64 is making sure you have all the files you need on your computer. The first thing you will need to download is the Net64+ client, bundled with Project64 memory mod. Click on the link to visit the GitHub page. Once you are there, click the link to download the latest release of Net64+ (the link should read 'Net64plus_X.X.X-win32-x64.7z' with the x being replaced with the current version number). Make sure you download this file and not the source code. Downloading source code is almost never necessary when downloading these types of files. Next, you will need to make sure you have a reliable ROM for Super Mario 64. We cannot provide a secure link to this, however your ROM file should end in .z64, .n64 or .rom and should be the North American version of the game. Never open .exe files claiming to be ROM installers!

Part 2: Extracting and sorting your files
Once you have downloaded both your ROM and the Net64+ client, you will need to unzip the .7z file using an unzipping program such as WinRAR or 7-Zip. Create a new folder on your computer called 'Net64' and place the contents of the zipped file in the folder. You should have 3 folders inside: 'client', 'emulator' and 'server'. For now we will be ignoring the 'server' folder but do not delete it, as you may want to use it in the future. The first thing you will want to do is open the 'emulator' folder and then open 'Project64.exe'. This is the N64 emulator that you will use to run the game. Click File > Open once the emulator is open and choose your Super Mario 64 ROM. The emulator will begin to load the game, but as soon as the game's logo appears onscreen, press F2 on your computer to pause the emulation.

Part 3: Configuring Project64
Once your emulator is paused, it is safe to begin configuring your emulator. Click on Options > Settings, then select 'CONFIG: SUPER MARIO 64'. This will allow you to change the properties for the specific ROM file. (Note: If you change your ROM file, you will have to reconfigure these settings.) Make sure your configured settings match those of the screenshot to the right, specifically that the memory is set to 16 MB. This will allow the game more space to load the extra features present in Net64. In addition, go to the main options tab and uncheck 'Pause emulation when window is not active?' Once you are done, click OK.

Before you resume the emulator, this would be a good time to configure your controller. Once again click Options, then select 'Configure Controller Plugin...' the interface here is fairly simple, just select what keys you would like to assign to specific controls. If you are configuring a controller, click the 'Devices' tab and select the corresponding device that you are using. Don't forget to click 'Save' or 'Use' before you close the window!

The final part of configuring the emulator is to reset it by pressing F1 and then resume it by pressing F2. Once again, pause the emulator (F2) when you see the Super Mario 64 logo onscreen.

Part 4: Configuring the Net64 Client
Now that you have finished setting up your emulator, it is time to connect it to the internet! Open the 'client' folder and find the file 'Net64+.exe'. Open it. You should be greeted with a 'home page' of sorts with some info and useful links. Ignore these for now and click 'Start'. You should now see the client asking you to connect to your emulator. If you have done everything correctly thus far, you should see your emulator listed under 'Project 64.exe' along with some other information. Select this emulator to continue to name selection. It doesn't matter what name you put in, it is fine for 2 users to have the same name. At this point, you may resume the emulator. Under 'Navigation', click 'Settings' to change your character. For more information on the different characters and their attributes, see our character list.

Part 5: Joining a server
At any time, there are servers online in Net64. Sometimes, there will not be anyone in the servers, which is fine. Some servers are active in different regions of the world, however this shouldn't impact your experience. Once you have chosen a server, click 'Connect' to join. You should see text in your emulator reading 'Connected to server'. Now, simply choose File 1 and join in on the fun!

You should now be connected to Net64.
Next time you want to play, simply open the emulator, open the ROM and then repeat step 4. If anything went wrong during this process, please read the FAQ.