Soapbox: Wave Race 64 is now 25 and still rules
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Let’s put the controversial initial opinion aside, so any fork wearer can start sharpening their implements right away – many of the Nintendo 64 games haven’t aged very well. Of course they haven’t, because it was a console in which Nintendo was at the forefront of 3D graphics technology, a bold move that made its mark in history as the company offered home console experiences that define the game. genre they just hadn’t. been possible before. In terms of consoles, it was a system with games that set the 3D standards on platformers, first-person shooter, action-adventure games, you name it. Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and even good old 007 blew their minds in the late 90s.
I was 12 years old and all usual the classics excited me a lot. However, one of my most played games at the time was Wave Race 64, a jet ski racer and sequel to a Game Boy title that I had never heard of, and yes, dear readers, it has aged very well.
In the past, it was one of the most arcade games I’d ever seen on a console; remember this is an era where small arms games and SEGA Rally on Saturn they were tremendously impressive, yes, simpler times. I didn’t live in a city with an actual arcade, so every time I saw coin machines on a trip, I became obsessed with playing them (much to my parents’ chagrin).
The game would throw you in and let you know that you must respect the elements.
Wave Race 64 had that vibe, to me, and it had that water. It might not seem too wild nowadays when we have the likes of Sea of Thieves recreating the sea in astonishing detail, but the idea of a game with realistic waves and matching physics seemed fanciful at the time. However, that is what the game achieved. You weren’t running a jet ski like a car on a flat surface; the game would throw you in and let you know that you must respect the elements.
Of course, as top sprinting players and runners know, the waves opened up some pretty fancy jumps and shortcuts, which feel deliberate. I’d be lucky enough to get through a race on ‘normal’ difficulty, but I’d just sit back and watch my older brother tackle the harder CPU AI and take every shortcut on offer. It’s a game that gets really tough if you’re up to the challenge, so even today there is good replay value. You can be trash like me, or Really Get acquainted with the mechanics and master – the development team did an admirable job.
What really sticks in my mind, along with the joy of jumping on the waves, is the soundtrack. OMG, that soundtrack is pure ’90s arcade game, with perfect synth sound and melodies that will stick in your mind forever. When a colleague mentioned that the anniversary was approaching on September 27, the music started in my head, like a Spotify recommendation that was, for once, good. Kazumi totaka, take a bow.
All these memories, of course, were formed in a lower version too, although my ignorance was a blessing at the time. Being in the UK, I was using the PAL 50Hz version, and didn’t realize it was faster and even better in other parts of the world until years later. For those wondering if this is important in the here and now, it is, so I hope Nintendo Switch Online doesn’t go down that path, although, worryingly, it looks like it could.
Seriously, just look at the difference. I am thankful that my young me did not see this when he was happily enjoying the PAL version:
Wave Race 64 is not currently on the N64 list for Nintendo Switch Online, and you have to go back a bit to see hints that the series could make a return in the future. U.S something like winked at the idea at Wii Sports Resort, but as True futuristic racer, this series has been dormant since the GameCube era. At the very least, hopefully we’ll see this classic hit NSO eventually, especially since it got releases on both the Wii Virtual Console and Wii U.
However, if it is the 50Hz version in Europe, I will definitely download the North American app to play it. Until then, here’s Wave Race 64, a classic that was fun, relentlessly upbeat, and remains a blast to this day.
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