Month: September 2021

Enlarge / Get N(S) or get out. (credit: Nintendo / Sam Machkovech)

On Thursday, the latest Nintendo Direct presentation confirmed something most Nintendo fans had either suspected, hoped for, or predicted (based on a recent FCC "controller" tip): the N64 is finally back. Instead of a miniaturized N64, however, the company's first dedicated 3D-rendering console is returning as part of a software suite on Nintendo Switch.

And in classic Nintendo fashion, Thursday's announcement only told some of the story.

So far, we know that the initial selection of the NSO "Expansion Pack" will include nine N64 games, ranging from classics like Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64 to niche surprises like Winback: Covert Operations. These games will require an additional fee over NSO's standard $20/year rate, though Nintendo has not yet announced a price for this tier. The company also did confirm plans to roll out seven more N64 games at some point, particularly Rare's Banjo-Kazooie, which hasn't been seen on a Nintendo console since Microsoft bought the developer in 2002.

Enlarge (credit: Roy Rochlin | Getty Images)

In 2018, Oakland enacted an innovative law giving citizens a voice in police use of surveillance technology. The Electronic Frontier Foundation called it “the new gold standard in community control of police surveillance.” Since then, about 20 other cities have adopted similar laws.

Now, Brian Hofer, one of the architects of Oakland’s law, says it’s not working. Earlier this month, Hofer filed suit against the city and the police department, saying they had repeatedly violated the law.

“We ignored human nature,” Hofer says in an interview. “Police don't like to be transparent. Surveillance technology use is by design secretive, and no self-interested party is going to voluntarily highlight anything negative about their own proposal.” A spokesperson for the Oakland Police Department says it doesn’t comment on ongoing legal matters.