Reviews

Wave Race 64

By Corey

Wave Race 64 was released way back around the time of the N64's launch. Easily one of the better racers of its time, it is still is played by many.

Graphics: 8

The character models aren't really that impressive, but they do have nice realistic movements such as when you make a turn or jump off a ramp. The lighting and wave effects are among the best of all time. The look of the scenery makes you think you are really there. The framerate is also close to perfect. However, Since it is a 1st generation N64 game fog is present everywhere.

Game Play: 9

It's your basic Jet Ski racing game, except for the fact this one is extremely fun. 4 modes of play are: Championship, where you race against 3 opponents on multiple tracks; Time Trial where you go through the tracks trying to get the fastest time possible; Stunt Mode, where you try to do as many stunts as possible to get a high amount of points; and 2 player vs., where you race against a friend. You'll need to play championship at least a couple times to unlock all the tracks, but after I found that time trial and stunt mode were more fun.

The big thing about the game is that it is easy to just pick up and play. Control is extremely simple, you shouldn't have too much of a problem missing turns even when you are a beginner. Playing the courses on hard is tough though.

Sound: 8

The music in the game isn't bad. The sound effects are good, you hear the Jet Ski engine, animals make noises, waves, and all other stuff you'd hear while being in a race on the water. The announcer does get annoying, like in most N64 games.

Lasting Value: 5

There isn't much here. Unless you really enjoy the game and just want to keep racing, nothing makes you come back and play. Unlocking all the tracks is simple, and beating fast times and high stunt scores is a synch. Multiplayer won't keep you playing either; it's just racing against each other.

Bottom Line

This is a great game, but for a lot of people the fan factor will eventually wear off. It is a great game to pick up and play, and is one of the top racing games on the N64.

Final Score: 8 out of 10 (this is not an average)