I’ve been taking to the waves of late in one of the best N64 games, even though it’s a series that Nintendo has left alone for far too long now.
Quick, name an early Nintendo 64 game!
Chances are, you just thought of Mario 64. That’s OK, it’s still a classic, and clearly the game that sold a lot of Nintendo’s last major console-based cartridge prior to the Switch. I still adore Mario 64, but of late, I’ve been playing the other major game I picked up when it was a relatively new system in Australia.
No, not Pilotwings 64, although that too was a very fine game.
And now, the Doug Anthony Wave Race All-Stars
Instead, I’ve been taking to the waves with Wave Race, Nintendo’s jetski racing game that (admittedly) first saw life on the Gameboy (never played it to date) and then was semi-revived on the Gamecube.
I do love me the Gamecube, but Blue Storm isn’t a patch on the original for handling, track design and, frankly, all out fun.
There’s something that’s just damned infectious about the announcer, the engine noises, the “oomph” noise that you or other racers make when you “accidentally” land your jetski on their head.
It’s just so… joyous.
It really is the whole package. So I hear, Nintendo has registered a trademark for Wave Race again, so maybe… just maybe… it’s on the way back.
But you know what? While I’m yet to take the plunge with a Switch (for financial reasons, but also so I’ll actually damned well finish Final Fantasy VII), it doesn’t really matter if there’s a new Wave Race, or even if it’s any good. Because the classic Nintendo 64 Wave Race will always be good.
Nothing more profound than that.
Play Wave Race.
It’s really good.
Retro recollections are just random musings on retro subjects, usually whatever I’m playing at the moment.