The Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak, What is it?
It is an addon to the Nintendo 64 doubling the amount of RAM to 8 MB. In some games it is required. Others can take it or leave it, but having it unlocks extra features, greater resolution and more detailed graphics. It was included in copies of Donkey Kong 64.
So what games require it?
Donkey Kong 64 - Its a myth that has been disproven time and time again that the extra memory was required due to a memory leak that could not be fixed.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Enhanced texture detail, removal of fog and more on screen models/effects.
What about games that can use it? (Optional use)
40 Winks - Two high Res modes are enabled
Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage - Enables the high quality mode. This is a 640x240 high res mode.
All-Star Baseball 2000
All-Star Baseball 2001
Armorines: Project S.W.A.R.M. - Enables two higher res modes, 480x360 or 480x232.
Army Men: Air Combat
Army Men: Sarge's Heroes - Enables 640x240 high res mode
Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 - Enables 640x240 high res mode
Battlezone: Rise of the Black Dogs
Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness - Enables high res mode, 490x355. Performance suffers though!
Command & Conquer - Higher res map textures
Daikatana - Hi-res graphics mode. Output in widescreen and very little else is noticeable.
Donald Duck: Goin' Qu@ckers*! - High Res mode, 480x360
Duke Nukem: Zero Hour - Gives the option for higher res or faster frame rate.
Excitebike 64 - High Res mode, 640x480
F-1 World Grand Prix II - Race Replay Option
FIFA 99 - "Super High" res mode of 640x480
Gauntlet Legends - Required for four player
Hybrid Heaven - Enables 640x480, however performance suffers
Hydro Thunder - Required for 3 and 4 player games.
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine - Enables high res mode, 400x440. Also unlocks level 13, King Sol's Mines
Indy Racing 2000
International Superstar Soccer 2000 - Higher res textures, performance suffers though
International Track & Field 2000
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000
Ken Griffey, Jr.'s Slugfest - High Res
Madden NFL 2000
Madden NFL 2001
Madden NFL 2002
NBA Jam 2000 - PAL edition lists the Pak on the box
NFL Quarterback Club '99
NFL Quarterback Club 2000
Nuclear Strike 64
Perfect Dark - Almost should be in the required category. Many campaigns and multiplayer features need the pak. Increases the res to 640x222
Pokémon Stadium 2 - Increases resolution to 640×480
Quake II - Smoother framerate and higher color depth
Rayman 2: The Great Escape - Option to increase res to 480x360
Re-Volt - Enables 640x240 medium res mode.
Resident Evil 2 - Increases res to 640x480
Road Rash 64 - increases FPS from 30 to 60
San Francisco Rush 2049 - Improves performance, unlocks track 6 the advanced Circuit, changeable rims and music to play during arcade races.
Shadow Man - High res mode, 640x480
Spider-Man - improves performance
South Park - enables higher res mode, or improves frame rate in lower res mode
StarCraft 64 - Required for Brood War Missions
Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo - Higher res mode, 400x440
Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer - High Res mode, increases res to 640x480, or can increase frame rate on other lower res modes.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron - Enables high res mode, 400x440
The World Is Not Enough - Enhanced graphics and effects
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater - Performance increase, adds a womans face to the back of the boxes in the mall
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - Improves performance
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - Improves performance
Top Gear Hyper Bike
Top Gear Overdrive - Enables high res option, 640x240
Top Gear Rally 2
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil - Enables two higher res modes. 480x360 and 480x232
Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion - Enables two higher res modes. 480x360 and 480x232
Turok: Rage Wars - Enables two higher res modes. 480x360 and 480x232
Vigilante 8 - Enables 480x360 high res and a hidden 640x480 mode
Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense - Enables 480x360 high res and a hidden 640x480 mode
Xena: Warrior Princess: The Talisman of Fate
Bottom Line, do I need one?
Yep. You cant play two games without it. Some games it unlocks extra features, levels and stages. Chances are you wont want to mess with the higher res modes as it just causes FPS drop. The local shops I go to sell used N64 consoles. They always include the Expansion Pak. There is a good reason to have it, unless you are playing Space Station Silicon Valley. The first version crashes if you have the Pak, but has been fixed in version 2 and the European version.