Nintendo timeline (Doom SNES/N64 timeline) article discusses timeline related notes specific to Doom 64 (for the Nintendo 64 and its manual/tie-ins).

Background

SNES Doom's manual lists two specific dates including July 1, 2021, and March 15, 2022. Indicating that Doom 1's events occur roughly between those two dates, and occurring as late as March 2022 in this version's timeline.

Notably there are no direct dates given for when the story takes place within Doom 64 itself, it was marketed as a continuation of "Super NES Doom" (which itself had a timeline given in the manual). There are however differences in story progression between SNES Doom (Original Doom) and Doom 64’s original backstory compared to other timelines which is discussed here.

According to Doom 64’s manual, website and at least one of its official strategy guides Doom 64 was rather more of a sequel to SNES Doom also by Williams Entertainment. Mainly focusing on the genre of Episode 1, and Episode 3 clearing out Phobos, and his return from Hell. Nintendo marketing specifically stated it was Doomguy's return to Phobos.

Romero described: “They could do what they wanted," regarding the Doom 64 team at Midway. "Make it a different story, not even on the same narrative path. That's what they did.”^[1]

According to original manual (and website/related marketing) for Doom 64 (there doesn't appear to be any direct references to Doom II), rather it talks about him returning to 'space installation'/'Phobos' he cleaned up in the past which has sent its final message to Earth.

Upon returning to Earth after his initial clean up of Phobos, and return from Hell, he suffered from PTSD and underwent tests, and ended up retiring. He continued to suffer from nightmares of Demons pouring through.

While Earth covered up everything that happened on Phobos, and bombarded and quarantined Phobos and sealed its installations. Some years later a relay satellite bombarded from remnant radiation from the quarantine activates and sends one final message back to Earth. That something had escaped destruction and begun resurrecting and summoning demons back onto Phobos. They learn that attempts to clear the base/prevent further outbreaks had failed that one demon had survived and began rejuvenating the other demons that the Marine had cleaned up previously. And had hid behind the vast radiation levels while it resurrected the dead demons. The only experienced survivor of the DOOM episode's commission is reactivated, and his orders are to exterminate everything. Thus Doom 64 begins.

In this version Doom 64 replaces Doom II/Final Doom, or at least takes place between Doom SNES and Doom II. In any case Doom 1 happened directly before Doom 64 in the marketing and lore for the game.

Timeline

• 2018 - The military, UAC's biggest supplier, has used the remote facilities on Phobos and Deimos to conduct various secret projects, including research on inter-dimensional space travel.^[2]
• 2019 - The Marine assaults a superior officer, and is transferred to Mars, home of the Union Aerospace Corporation.
• 2021 - July 1 - DOOMNL 01-D19305-1C is published.^[3]
• 2022^[3]
  • Doom SNES begins...
    • March 15 - Mars receives a message from Phobos base stating that the base is under attack and requesting backup.^[3]
    • A few hours later, the marines land and try to stop the invasion. The Marine is ordered to stay behind and protect the perimeter. The marine forces are wiped out or turned into monsters. Planetary authorities send the final Marine the new DOOMNL 01-D19505-1D replacing earlier manual (now including briefing for the Marine, and images from the invasion captured by remote video cameras. The video data was computer analyzed by the UAC and the results are provided "here and only here")^[4]. The Marine leaves the escape pod vowing to take down as much of the invasion force as possible before death.
  • Knee Deep In the Dead begins as the Marine arrives in the Hangar Atrium.
  • Knee Deep in the Dead ends as the Doom marine is ambushed by the forces of hell upon arriving on Deimos, and presumably dies.
  • Shores of Hell begins as the Doom Marine finds himself revived somehow, and pushes against the forces of Hell.
  • Shores of Hell ends as the Doom Marine rappels down the surface of Deimos, discovering that it is now orbiting above Hell itself.
  • Inferno begins as the Doom Marine arrives on the surface of Hell.
  • Inferno ends with the Doom Marine killing the Spider Mastermind, the general of the Phobos and Deimos invasions, and returning to Earth.
  • Doom SNES/PC ends.
    • Inferno Ending: The loathsome spiderdemon that masterminded the invasion of the moon bases and caused so much death has been beaten for all time. A hidden doorway opens and you enter. You've proven far too tough for Hell to contain, and now Hell at last plays fair -- for you emerge from the door to see the green fields of Earth! Home at last. I wonder what's been happening on Earth while you battled the evil unleashed. It's a good thing that no Hell-spawn could have come through that door with you ...
  • Your fatigue was enormous, the price for encountering pure evil. Hell was a place no mortal was meant to experience. Stupid military doctors: their tests and treatments, were of little help. In the end, what did it matter - it was all classified and sealed. The nightmares continued. Demons, so many Demons; relentless, pouring through.
  • Far Away... The planetary policy was clear. An absolute quarantine was guaranteed by apocalyptic levels of radiation. The empty dark corridors stand motionless, abandoned. The installations sealed.

• Years later
  • Doom 64 begins:
    • The Present... A long forgotten relay satellite barely executing, decayed by years of bombarding neutrons, activates and sends its final message to Earth. The satellites message was horrific, from the planetary void there came energy signatures unlike anything sampled before. The classified archives are opened. The military episodes code named "DOOM" were not actually completed. A single entity with vast rejuvenation powers, masked by the extreme radiation levels, escaped detection. In its crippled state, it systematically altered decaying dead carnage back into corrupted living tissue. The mutations are devastating. The Demons have returned even stronger and more vicious than before. As the only experienced survivor of the DOOM episode, your commission is re-activated. Your assignment is clear: MERCILESS EXTERMINATION.
  • Doom Guy returns to Phobos.
  • Doom 64 ends:
    • Finally... The mother of all demons is dead! The blood pours from your eyes as you stand in defiance. As the only marine to endure the slaughter-you decide to remain in Hell and ensure no demon ever rises again. The End...

Notes

• In SNES Doom/DOOM 64 there is no direct reference to Earth invasion only the invasion on Phobos. SNES Doom ends simply with the text that Doom Guy has returned to Earth. Doom 64 manual follows up that he went through tests after this and retired for years (Thy Flesh Consumed is incompatible with this story-line since it involves initial invasion of Earth). The ending only shows backdrop of map of Hell from Inferno so no allusions to Daisy or any direct indication of an Earth invasion.
• According to the back of the box (only makes reference to one one invasion of original Doom campaigns (SNES): “You Killed The Demons Once, They Were All Dead. Or So You Thought… A single Demon Entity escaped detection. Systematically it altered decaying, dead carnage back into grotesque living tissue. The Demons have returned - stronger and more vicious than ever before. Your mission is clear, there are no options: KILL OR BE KILLED!”
• The manual further links back to SNES Doom events: “Welcome to DOOM 64. a lightning fast virtual reality adventure. The game play for 000M 64 is quite simple. There are Demons. The Demons are bad. They stink, they're vicious. They eat human flesh and if they get the chance, they'll show you just how much they like Marines. You. the rough Marine, are returning to a space installation you once saved from these vile beasts. Unfortunately, you weren't as thorough as you thought, and their carcasses were resurrected. Use your weapons to kill the Demons. They're a lot smarter and have seen all your tricks, but you re still a smart. pissed-off Marine. Each level contains an Exit. Find each one, follow the Demons' progression back to their world and destroy these creatures forever!”
• The manual further summarizes the events of the previous game (DOOM SNES):
  • THE STORY SO FAR
  • The Past... Your fatigue was enormous the price for encountering pure evil. Hell was a place no mortal was meant to experience. Stupid military doctors: their tests and treatments. were of little help In the end, what did it matter - it was all classified and sealed. The nightmares continued, Demons, so many Demons: relentless, pouring through.
  • Far Аway... The planetary policy was clear. Ho absolute quarantine was guaranteed by apocalyptic levels of radiation. The empty dark corridors stand motionless. abandoned. he installations sealed. **The Present: A long forgotten relay satellite barely executing, decayed by years of bombarding neutrons activates and sends its final message to Earth. The satellite's message was horrific, from the planetary void there came energy signatures unlike anything sampled before. The classified archives are opened. The military episodes code named "DOOM" were not actually completed. A single entity with vast rejuvenation powers, masked by the extreme radiation levels, escaped detection. In its crippled state, it systematically altered decaying dead carnage back into corrupted living tissue. The mutations are devastating. The demons have returned even stronger and more vicious than before. As the only experienced survivor of the DOOM episode, your commission is re-activated. Your assignment is clear: MERCILESS EXTERMINATION.
• On the Nintendo product page also makes references to events of first DOOM:
  • “Dawn of the Undead An unseen entity from beyond, cloaked by radiation, has rejuvenated the rotting carnage of Phobos. The demons are back. Your assignment is clear. Total annihilation.^[5]
  • On the enemies page was this information: “The Lost Souls of Phobos search eternally for fresh victims. Namely, you.^[6]
• Furthermore a section in a Nintendo Power article states it as a followup to SNES Doom: “We are receiving sporadic intermissions from Phobos, where it seems “that a military base has been invaded. All of our current information is coming from a lone space marine who is fighting the incursion... All of these demons were wiped out during my first mission. I can't explain how they have come back to life. Energy readings indicate that some "force" has been applied here, though, something we've never encountered before. As I move through the installation, the readings grow stronger. Somewhere ahead lies a source, perhaps a vortex leading back to the home world of these alien invaders.“^[7] The included artwork shows Mars from the surface of what appears to be Phobos.
• Another section in following issue states: “With Midway's Doom 64 looming large in this month's eight-page review, we thought it only fitting to reflect on its precursor, Super NES Doom, in this same issue.”
• Another review in the same issue states: "In the game, you reprise the role of the lone space marine who encounters demons from another dimension. The invaders have taken over an installation on one of the moons of Mars, so help is not likely. It is your job to stop the invasion before it spreads further, but all you have to help you in your mission is your own agility and the scattered weapons and items that you can pick up along the way."
• The NP article might indirectly acknowledge the other Doom missions outside of Phobos in Doom I including later missions in Doom II and Final Doom: “I can't believe this is happening again. I guess it's my fate to repeat history…but the fight itself is even tougher than my previous missions…” as he talks about missions plural and history repeating. Of course he might also be a reference back to the events mentioned in Doom manual and the mission where he was ordered to fire upon civilians. Or the three episodes of Doom SNES being his “missions”.
• On the other hand the journalist discussing the broadcasts from Phobos ,is shocked by the things he/she sees (surprised by them) and worried about Earth’s being invaded, possibly suggesting that an Earth invasion hasn’t happened before.
• The journalist is also strangely specific discussing Midway and N64 technology as if the events are set in contemporary 1997 earth.
• With some reinterpretation the materials can overlap onto the Console Doom timeline (or even the Doom Retcon timeline), though originally it was simple link between Super Nintendo Doom and N64 Doom.
• See also: Doom 64: The Story So Far.

Alternate timelines

Midway trilogy

• See Midway timeline

Doom 64 in part can also be seen as at least a spiritual followup to Doom: The Custom PlayStation Edition and PSX FinalDoom releases sharing similar music and atmospheric styles and engine upgrades. In this case Doom I/II are essentially one continuous event split into two episodes, and final doom (master levels, tnt and Plutonia) is the followup, ending with Doom 64. However certain implications of the manual/box may have to be ignored to work it in (unless Dooms Guys are different characters).^[8] Such as the reference to "Doom episodes" having to encompass not only classic Doom, but also Doom II, and Final Doom.

At the time there were other previews discussing the story as taking place at some point after "Doom II" (allowing the possibility of taking place after Final Doom the PC version had just been released, and the PSX final doom had been in development at the time).

An early preview for Doom 64 in GamePro (issue 96, Sepember 1996) claimed that:

Doom's story has always been simple--you against the forces of hell--and Doom 64 is no exception. The story picks up right after Doom II: It starts right on a space station, with a planetary expedition that's gone wrong and end's in hell.

A preview/review in Electronic Gaming Monthly 092 (March 1997) close to the game's release claimed further:

The story goes down like this: In Doom II the big, bad space Marine who gamers control destroyed everything that even had a hint of being demonic so he thought. The problem was that one of the Archviles was still barely alive. Even though the demon didn't seem to have much of a chance of surviving with the many bullet holes in its gut. somehow the fiend lived. The only enemy left, this particular Archvile, healed and slowly started resurrecting its demon pals. Since the healing process wasn't quite finished, its resurrecting powers mutated the enemies when they came back from hell (hence the new look). Now it's time to get killing once again.

This either implies it was set on Earth, or rather must also be set on a space station outside earth (as per the manual)

Incidentally Archviles first appeared in MAP11: Circle of Death (Doom II) in Doom II which is more or less a corrupted tech base/fortress/countryside/canyon level set on Earth (and last level of act 1 before the city levels). But they also appeared in Final Doom as well including the Moons of Jupiter levels in TNT: Evilution.

In this case the manual reference: 'You. the rough Marine, are returning to a space installation you once saved from these vile beasts. Unfortunately, you weren't as thorough as you thought, and their carcasses were resurrected' could also be a reference to the moon of Jupiter visited in TNT:Evilution (rather than a return to Phobos), or on Titan in The Master Levels. Note: that Archviles only appeared in the PC versions of Doom II, Master Levels, and Final Doom as they were cut from the console ports.

Remaster/Doom 2016/Eternal

• See Doom 64 Remaster timeline.

In this variant the original manual/backstory isn’t included (though it maybe included some physical releases like Limited Run Games) rather there is a summary claiming it is placed at some point after Doom II.

According to re-releases Doom 64 apparently takes place after "Doom II" (and thus may make the events of Final Doom take place with different character, or characters "Marine Commander"). According to Doom 64 (2020): "Welcome, to DOOM 64! The cult classic returns, 22 years after its 64-bit debut. In this follow up to DOOM II, you'll fight through demonic hordes, hunt down the Mother of Demons, and stop Hell's invasion as you battle more than 30 action-packed levels!"

On some sites (Steam/Epic) the game summary places it as a sequel to Earth’s invasion (Ultimate Doom/Doom II/Final Dooms) taking place on Mars (rather than Phobos):

Years have passed since you stopped Hell’s invasion of Earth. Quarantined for humanity’s safety, the UAC research facilities on Mars were abandoned and forgotten...until now. A signal from a degraded satellite suggests a single entity remains, and it has the power to resurrect the demons. As the only surviving marine who fought Hell’s forces, you are sent on a lone crusade to hunt down the Mother of Demons and stop a renewed demonic invasion.

While other sites (Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft/GOG) description might suggest it’s another Earth invasion.

DOOM 64, originally released on the Nintendo 64 in 1997, is now available for the first time on PC. Fight against demons in your crusade to hunt down the Mother of Demons and stop Hell's invasion. As you battle through more than 30 action-packed levels, be on the lookout for enhanced weapons and secrets to help you put an end to the demonic threat.

Limited Run Doom 64

At least one release of the Limited Run games release of Doom 64 (2020 remaster), reprinted the original manual and its backstory. The Limited Run games box also more or less copies the old reference to it being a direct sequel to Doom 1, and that the marine has only fought the demons once before. This makes it largely inconsistent with Slayer timeline though despite having the extra missions of the The Lost Levels of Doom 64. It would create a separate timeline LR timeline, in which Doom 2 doesn't take place, skipping straight to Doom 64 from Doom 1.

Behind the scenes

SNES Doom was made by Sculptured Software and published by Midway (in the US release). It was built into an original engine (while it has fewer levels than PC Doom those that exist are mostly accurate to the original game (minus lack of floor or ceiling textues and a fewer geometry changes taken from Atari Jaguar version).

While Midway was given some leeway to create the game they were only allowed to make it if it stayed true to older doom titles. This included both the level design and violence.

NM: -Because I heard that you had some intention to create a slightly different look from id's original plans... AS: Yeah, we went off on this sort of a minor, false tangent. We thought we'd add different types of architectural elements because we wanted to exploit the N64, but they were like "Cool, but thats not really Doom. SG: They said Why don't you try it? and they saw it and said "Er, that's too 'Inca' for us, but why not try this?" AS: Id were very particular about their game which I understand perfectly - but we were allowed to experiment with some areas of the game, and the stuff they saw they were very pleased with. At that point they basically said Okay, you guys are on track, Keep going in this direction, and till come out really well.

NM: Nintendo don't like violence, Will you have to tone Doom 64 down? AS: Actually, Nintendo's really good about it, especially now we have the rating system. Doom's been around… there's no way that they are going to take blood out. I think iD had an agreement with Nintendo that they weren’t going to allow it unless Doom remained as violent as before.

Doom Absolution was the cancelled sequel to Doom 64 possibly intended for the 64DD.

NM: If Doom 64 sells well (which it should) can we expect sequels?. AS: Sure, l would hope so, most probably on the 64DD 'bulky drive'.^[9]

References