Follow the Dolphin.... (Wave Race 64 Kawasaki Jet Ski (N64))

Member Name: umbongo46

Product:	Wave Race 64 Kawasaki Jet Ski (N64)
Date:	05/09/01 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: brilliant water graphics, loads of different modes to have fun with

Disadvantages: looks a little dated

Wave Race was introduced to the public as one of the Nintendo 64's launch titles. Launch titles make and brake machines, and so a primary objective for companies is to only release a machine when it has a suitable amount of good titles to back it up and show it off. To this extent I think Wave Race succeeds and fulfills its role perfectly. The graphics are crisp and precise, and above all the racing action is good fun.

Deciding to tackle one of the computor games worlds tricky aspects was, I assume, a make or beak decision for the machine. For Water, that moves fluidly, laps up on shores, crashes down in waves, and is in constant motion, had never really been completed succesfully. As well as the motions, there are the tones, the water takes on many shades of green, blue, and white, and has to be mixed together to get maximum reality effects. This worked wonders on Wave Race. I can remember opening the box and looking in awe at the colourful drawings on the box ad cart. Then I slotted it in and began to play. The graphics were amazing. The water truly did move and dance about just like water does! Your jetski bounced and skimmed through the waves with huge satisfaction.

The game has a considerable depth of options and modes to play with, I found the practice mode very enjoyable. As there was no pressures to make it to the checkpoint, round that bouy, or pul off that trick. You could just relax and take in the scenery. Then floor the accelerator and whoosh off towards a distant rock, or bouy. Then zoom back and swish under peirs and pull up on a golden beach. The 1 player race grand prix style mode was very good, perhaps there could have been more tracks, but that is just me bieng picky. There are four racers to choose from, and as usual they all have different statistics and charictaristics that make them different. But as usual I found myself just using the default guy. The tracks are marvelous. There is an amount of interaction in the trac
ks that hadn't been seen on anything before. On one track for example the first lap is fine and you think you can manage it, but the second the tide has come in, and the water level is higher, presenting a whole new challange and keeping you on your toes. And another one where the first lap is shrouded in fog, then as you progressed the fog lifted, and by the end you finished the race in glorious morning sunshine. Another track which I perticularlary enjoy id based in the antarctic, and much of the water is covered in ice. And towards the end you are presented with a huge sheet covering the whole area, and you have to skid accross it, trying desperately to keep gripping and reach the other side before coming a cropper.

Having had the game for many years now, the game has never lost that little something that keeps you coming back for more. I think perhaps that the price when I bought it (£59.99) was quite steep, but now the price varies wildly, from about £20.00 to £3.00. Overall a quality game, brilliantly created to show off the capabilities of a new machine, although now the looks are looking a little dated and the AI takes a bit of a knocking compared to todays rivals. But still, a definate bargain for a soon retiring old favourite.

Summary: