Nintendo’s ‘Wave Race 64’ Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Game

Wave Race 64 is the perfect relic that showcases the lost brilliance of gaming’s past. While it’s true that games today have become more sophisticated and advanced, bigger has not always been better. This is especially true when launching a brand-new system. Your goal should be to sell people on the investment of a new console. In the case of the Nintendo 64, it has a pretty good sales pitch in Super Mario 64. Recently, we’ve seen a large number of companies play things safe. I hate to say that I can’t tell you what the launch titles were for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but I suspect they were comprised of a number of games that originally released for the prior console generation.

Nintendo was nice enough to give us some new games, but as enjoyable as they are, Mario Kart World and all-new 3D DK platformer Donkey Kong Bananza weren’t exactly risky endeavors.

Screenshot of 'Wave Race 64' as seen on Nintendo Switch 2 (Outrun Gaming: Nintendo's 'Wave Race 64' Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Game) — Image Credit Nintendo

Which brings me back to Wave Race 64, a game that, if released at full price today, would be met with a tepid response at best, while critics and fans would wonder if there’s enough bang for the buck. A full-priced game that has the look and feel of a glorified tech demo? In a world where we’ve rejected Nintendo Welcome Tour at a discounted price, there’s no way this would fly today.

It’s all a real shame, because Wave Race 64 is some of the most fun I’ve had on my Nintendo Switch 2.

The Beauty of ‘Wave Race 64’ Lies in Its Simplicity

Screenshot of Drake Lake in 'Wave Race 64' as seen on Nintendo Switch 2 (Outrun Gaming: Nintendo's 'Wave Race 64' Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Game) — Image Credit Nintendo

One thing I’ve seen several launch titles do over the years is failing to understand the assignment. Of course, we’ve been blessed as Nintendo fans with some incredible launch games. The OG Nintendo Switch, for example, released with Breath of the Wild. Before that, the Nintendo Wii had Twilight Princess and Wii Sports. The Wii U had, um, an average Mario game, but hey, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge was great, and I will defend Nintendo Land until the day I die.

Screenshot of pink racer in 'Wave Race 64' as seen on Nintendo Switch 2 (Outrun Gaming: Nintendo's 'Wave Race 64' Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Game) — Image Credit Nintendo

With some minor exceptions, notably Wii Sports, most of these are games that, once the credits roll, you move on. Wave Race 64 is more akin to Wii Sports in this regard. You keep coming back, sometimes because there’s nothing else, sometimes because it’s what your younger sister wants to play. I was never unhappy when she wanted to play Wave Race 64, though. No matter how often I played it, I’m always challenged by it, always dealing with the turbulence of the water, navigating my jet ski the best I can, and dealing with the elements. It’s a lot like Star Fox 64 in that regard: I’m not necessarily trying to beat it, more so trying to master it, and it’s a high I’m not only still trying to chase, but one I very much enjoy chasing.

Screenshot of dolphin in 'Wave Race 64' as seen on Nintendo Switch 2 (Outrun Gaming: Nintendo's 'Wave Race 64' Is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Game) — Image Credit Nintendo

There’s just something about ‘Wave Race 64’ that captures more than a nostalgic feeling for our youth. It’s just plain old fun.

While writing this piece, I wanted to make sure I had some images straight from the source of me playing Wave Race 64 rather than copying and pasting the same media that’s available anywhere else online. The result was me spending a handful of hours getting lost in the classic Nintendo 64 title. Whoops.

There’s just something about the game that captures more than a nostalgic feeling for our youth. It’s a lot like the magic of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, something that the 1+2 remaster captured so well. There are no overly large stages, no expansive features that stray from the original formula. It’s just a simple, classic, pick-up-and-play experience. Select your racer, your mode, and boom, you’re in the game. No daily or weekly tasks to complete on a Battle Pass or anything silly like that. You keep coming back to Wave Race 64 because you enjoy playing it. It’s fun, vibrant, and it puts you in a good mood.

Sadly, You Can’t Capture Lightning in a Bottle Twice

Nintendo tried to follow up on this magic with the GameCube’s Wave Race: Blue Storm as a launch title as well. While it’s not as well-regarded as its predecessor, Blue Storm has a dedicated fan base, some of whom even prefer it to Wave Race 64. So why, then, did Blue Storm not see the same level of success? Competition.

I present to you the entire Nintendo 64 launch lineup: Super Mario 64, Wave Race 64, and Pilotwings 64. Meanwhile, the GameCube had several more options: Luigi’s Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Star Wars Rogue Squadron: Rogue Leader, Super Monkey Ball, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Pikmin, and a bevy of third-party titles.

Oh, and Wave Race: Blue Storm. Do you see how easy it was to get lost in the shuffle?

That’s not to say that Wave Race 64 was a bad game, but it was buoyed by a lack of options. If anything, I’d like to hope that I’ve proven Wave Race 64 is a fantastic game. Is it shallow by today’s standards? Yes, but 30 years ago, it was the perfect type of game. One you can easily pick up, play, and spend hours enjoying, whether it’s competing in races or just exploring Dolphin Park. It’s timeless gameplay that has held up exceedingly well today, looks as good as it ever has on my Nintendo Switch 2, and we’ll sadly never see anything like it again.

Follow us on MSN for more content you love.