Three Decades Later, Nintendo’s Forgotten N64 Racing Game Deserves a Switch 2 Revival

When the Nintendo 64 made its North American debut on September 29, 1996, our collective gaze was fixed entirely on one iconic, barrel-chested plumber. He dominated television broadcasts through brief, captivating commercials, showcasing mesmerizing 3D environments and triumphant leaps. Our fierce craving to experience Super Mario 64 first-hand was only heightened by the hardware’s remarkably sparse launch lineup; alongside Pilotwings 64, virtually no other alternatives existed on day one. It wasn’t until a month later that Nintendo introduced Wave Race 64 to share the spotlight with those inaugural titles.

Back then, as a cash-strapped teenager, purchasing brand-new releases—let alone an expensive Nintendo 64 console—was completely out of reach. That luxury had to wait another year. Fortunately, my neighborhood video store rented out consoles by the hour, and I eagerly seized the opportunity. Because copies of Super Mario 64 were perpetually checked out, Wave Race 64 became my very introduction to the system. Honestly, I could not have asked for a better initiation.

Wave Race 64 felt nothing short of revolutionary, serving as an astonishingly effective showcase for the unprecedented capabilities of Nintendo’s new hardware. Technically, it was the second installment in the series, following the 1992 Game Boy predecessor. Yet, it delivered an entirely groundbreaking sensation, far eclipsing earlier aquatic NES experiments like Cobra Triangle or Eliminator Boat Duel.

While previous titles relegated water to a mere background element, Wave Race 64 made it the undisputed star of the show.

Initially, developers intended for the project to feature traditional speedboats, positioning it as a water-bound equivalent to F-Zero. However, Nintendo pivoted toward software that could vividly demonstrate sophisticated liquid dynamics while successfully distinguishing itself from arcade contemporaries like 1996’s Aqua Jet. By deliberately tempering the pace and designing tracks where fluid physics dynamically altered navigation, Nintendo proved that digital water could influence gameplay in ways traditional asphalt, mud, and gravel never could.

For solo players, Wave Race 64 provides three distinct configurations: Championship, Time Trials, and Stunt Mode. The experience comprises eight uniquely crafted tracks, though players can unlock mirrored variants via the Reverse difficulty setting after conquering the Normal, Hard, and Expert tiers.

Throughout standard races, the core objective involves steering your watercraft around brilliantly colored buoys, navigating left or right according to their shade to trigger precious velocity surges. Missing the prescribed side of any marker incurs a penalty, stripping away accumulated momentum. Accumulating too many missteps or straying outside course boundaries results in immediate disqualification. Consequently, maintaining a competitive edge demands absolute vigilance regarding buoy placement, ensuring you sustain both optimal velocity and basic survival on the track.

Even on standard difficulty, competitions proved exhilaratingly demanding. Once you establish momentum across the liquid surface, oversteering past a buoy becomes shockingly easy, particularly amidst aggressive jostling from opposing riders. Attempting to throttle down for sharper apexes fails to yield results due to the persistent forward drift of the water, making advanced anticipation and controlled drifting mandatory skills. Factor in unpredictable swells and physical hazards—such as the wooden posts scattered across Drake Lake—and a routine curve can turn disastrous in an instant. Though mastering these mechanics requires genuine patience, the eccentric challenge ultimately amplifies the enjoyment.

Beyond the grueling Championship campaigns, secondary single-player options include Time Trials—focused entirely on recording pristine lap times without rival interference—and Stunt Mode, which tasks players with soaring through suspended rings for points. Additionally, a split-screen two-player Versus mode mirrors the head-to-head friction of Super Mario Kart, granting participants direct bragging rights. Crucially, access to tracks in these alternate modes relies entirely on prior progression through the Championship, providing a tangible incentive to conquer the computer-controlled adversaries.

Driven by delightfully punishing mechanics that brilliantly harnessed the Nintendo 64’s rendering capabilities for 3D fluid dynamics, Wave Race 64 permanently secured a place in a generation’s collective gaming memory. When Nintendo ushered in its subsequent hardware era, Wave Race: Blue Storm debuted as a premier GameCube launch title, though purists occasionally argued it adhered too closely to its forebear’s blueprint.

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Now, a quarter-century after the debut of the series’ most recent entry, it is hard not to ponder how the property might have evolved on subsequent hardware generations. Rumor once pointed to a motion-controlled Wii iteration, which could have been remarkably entertaining. Even though that specific plan stalled, platforms like the Wii U or Nintendo Switch possessed more than enough computing muscle to realize that exact vision. Today, as Nintendo continues expanding its modern catalog, the timing feels ideal for a long-overdue revival of the franchise that originally helped cement the Nintendo 64’s legacy.

While Wave Race 64 joined the Nintendo Switch Online library on August 16, 2022, for Expansion Pack subscribers, one can only imagine how exhilarating it would be to charge through those swells again utilizing contemporary hardware capabilities. That prospect remains entirely tempting, and fans would undoubtedly welcome it with open arms.

Long overdue from the NSO library

Source: Polygon