Recent
Images
News
Videos
Community
Guides
Wave Race 64 is a racing game for the Nintendo 64 that was released on November 5, 1996 in North America, and on August 6, 2007 for the Wii's Virtual Console. In Wave Race 64 the player races on jet skis in many different weather conditions, on a variety of different courses. The game was sponsored by the Kawasaki Heavy Industries brand.
The objective of each race is to not only to beat the other racers but also to successfully weave the jet-ski through various buoys. There are two types of buoys: red colored, which are signified by an R on them and must be passed on the right side, and yellow buoys, which are marked with an L and must be passed on the left side. Each time a buoy is correctly passed, a power arrow will light and the jet-ski will gain speed. Up to five arrows can be lit in order to obtain maximum power. Failure to do either of these will result in a loss of power (though the arrows can be lit again) and missing five buoys over the course of a race will result in disqualification. Leaving the course (either by leaving the area limited by pink buoys or by leaving the water altogether) for more than ten seconds will also result in disqualification.
The game contained only four selectable characters who each had their own jet ski. There were a few limited costumes for each character and players were able to customize the Jet Ski so that they would handle better or have improved acceleration.
The game only comes with 9 tracks most with a tropical island theme they are still quite different from each other and each evoke a different feel. For each track the wave setting allowed you to set how frequent and big the waves were. This could drastically change the difficulty of a course and also allowed for more stunts. A mirrored version of each track could also be unlocked
The games warm up level set in a very calm tropical island setting. If you follow the tutorial instructions you will follow a dolphin that swims around the area
A very basic course in shape with small waves and once again set in a similar topical island setting like Dolphin Park
A track that is similar to Sunny beach but takes place during sunset. The waves are slightly more powerful here.
This track has some very heavy mist spread throughout the track. It is the first track to not have a tropical water theme to it. Waters are very calm due to it being a lake however it can be east to bank your jet ski on barges.
Set on outside a military base during a thunderstorm this track has huge waves that can throw the player off course.
Similar to Sunny beach in shape without the tropical feel to it.
A fictional city that it is very similar to a water surrounded Vegas.
Regarded as a hard track due to its strong waves and high amount of obstacles on the course such as submerged icebergs.
This level is interesting in that the water level drops each lap which changes how the player has to deal with the different obstacles on the track.
In this mode the player races on a set of courses against three other computer controlled racers. At the end of the race points are given to each player depending on where they placed during the race and then tallied. If the player did not get enough points it would be game over.
The warm up mode was the games tutorial mode that familiarized the player with how to control their jet ski. While there were objectives in this level they were optional and players were free to explore at their own leisure.
The player has to race against the clock in order to finish with the quickest possible time.
The player races on the course driving through colored rings and attempting to preform stunts using ramps and natural waves.
The game only allowed for two players to race at the same time. This is probably due to low frame rates if the game had to account for 4 individual player screens.
Wave Race 64 was regarded as having incredibly realistic water physics when it was released and is still today regarded as extremely solid. It is even argued that Wave Race 64 was one of the most advance Nintendo 64 games ever to appear on the system.
Wave Race 64 was re-released for Nintendo Wii's (American) Virtual Console on Aug 6 2007. It received some press for this as Nintendo were forced to remove all references to Kawasaki heavy industries, including advertising banners and jet skis within the game. Instead of the Kawasaki adverts various Nintendo adverts were implemented instead. The Jet ski's themselves were barely changed other than removing the logo from them.
One of the early titles released on the Nintendo 64, Wave Race combines challenging courses, realistic water effects, and stunt modes into an aquatic racing experience that still stands as the best the genre has to offer
Overview
US box front
Rules
The objective of each race is to not only to beat the other racers but also to successfully weave the jet-ski through various buoys. There are two types of buoys: red colored, which are signified by an R on them and must be passed on the right side, and yellow buoys, which are marked with an L and must be passed on the left side. Each time a buoy is correctly passed, a power arrow will light and the jet-ski will gain speed. Up to five arrows can be lit in order to obtain maximum power. Failure to do either of these will result in a loss of power (though the arrows can be lit again) and missing five buoys over the course of a race will result in disqualification. Leaving the course (either by leaving the area limited by pink buoys or by leaving the water altogether) for more than ten seconds will also result in disqualification.
Characters
The game contained only four selectable characters who each had their own jet ski. There were a few limited costumes for each character and players were able to customize the Jet Ski so that they would handle better or have improved acceleration.
Tracks
The game only comes with 9 tracks most with a tropical island theme they are still quite different from each other and each evoke a different feel. For each track the wave setting allowed you to set how frequent and big the waves were. This could drastically change the difficulty of a course and also allowed for more stunts. A mirrored version of each track could also be unlocked
Dolphin Park
The games warm up level set in a very calm tropical island setting. If you follow the tutorial instructions you will follow a dolphin that swims around the area
Sunny Beach
A very basic course in shape with small waves and once again set in a similar topical island setting like Dolphin Park
Sunset Bay
A track that is similar to Sunny beach but takes place during sunset. The waves are slightly more powerful here.
Drake Lake
This track has some very heavy mist spread throughout the track. It is the first track to not have a tropical water theme to it. Waters are very calm due to it being a lake however it can be east to bank your jet ski on barges.
Marine Fortress
Set on outside a military base during a thunderstorm this track has huge waves that can throw the player off course.
Sunset Bay
Port Blue
Similar to Sunny beach in shape without the tropical feel to it.
Twilight City
A fictional city that it is very similar to a water surrounded Vegas.
Glacier Coast
Regarded as a hard track due to its strong waves and high amount of obstacles on the course such as submerged icebergs.
Southern Island
This level is interesting in that the water level drops each lap which changes how the player has to deal with the different obstacles on the track.
Game Modes
Championship
In this mode the player races on a set of courses against three other computer controlled racers. At the end of the race points are given to each player depending on where they placed during the race and then tallied. If the player did not get enough points it would be game over.
Warm Up
The warm up mode was the games tutorial mode that familiarized the player with how to control their jet ski. While there were objectives in this level they were optional and players were free to explore at their own leisure.
Time Trial
The player has to race against the clock in order to finish with the quickest possible time.
Stunt Mode
The player races on the course driving through colored rings and attempting to preform stunts using ramps and natural waves.
2P VS
The game only allowed for two players to race at the same time. This is probably due to low frame rates if the game had to account for 4 individual player screens.
Rough SeasWater Physics
Rough Seas
Wave Race 64 was regarded as having incredibly realistic water physics when it was released and is still today regarded as extremely solid. It is even argued that Wave Race 64 was one of the most advance Nintendo 64 games ever to appear on the system.
Wii Virtual Console
Wave Race 64 was re-released for Nintendo Wii's (American) Virtual Console on Aug 6 2007. It received some press for this as Nintendo were forced to remove all references to Kawasaki heavy industries, including advertising banners and jet skis within the game. Instead of the Kawasaki adverts various Nintendo adverts were implemented instead. The Jet ski's themselves were barely changed other than removing the logo from them.
| Game Name | Wave Race 64 |
| Platform(s) | |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Developer(s) | |
| Genres |
|
| Themes |
Add a new theme
|
| Original US Release |
Nov. 5, 1996
need a fuzzy date? |
| Original US Release |
know the real date? |
| Aliases |
My N64 games list
a list of 36 items by Retrogimp
a list of 36 items by Retrogimp
Games I've Beaten
a list of 227 items by Vito_Raliffe
a list of 227 items by Vito_Raliffe
Wishlist - Virtual Console
a list of 53 items by pixelrevolt
a list of 53 items by pixelrevolt
