Physics hardware? For THAT price? Who needs it...check out Wave Race 64!
The first game I randomly picked off the "half-finished" shelf was Wave Race 64. Suffice it to say, now that I have finally finished the game, I am left to wonder why on earth I had shelved it in the first place. The graphics are extraordinary for their time, with delightfully vibrant colors and gorgeous polygonal character and jet ski models. The tracks are varied and beautifully detailed, and each provide a multitude of subtle and not-so-subtle challenges for both beginners and advanced players alike. Likewise with the racers--although there are only four of them to choose from, each of them handles differently, with varying (and adjustable) stats in handling, speed, and weight (an important factor when it comes to negotiating treacherous waves--more on that in a moment). The sound effects, while somewhat repetitive at times, are easy to ignore, and in some cases enjoyable for their arcade-ish campiness. The music, on the other hand, is every bit as good as the graphics; it serves to draw you into the game experience, and always meshes extremely well with the atmosphere of the course currently being played. The difficulty and learning curve are spot on, with forgiving early courses gradually giving way to more challenging courses as the championship progresses. In the same way, the controls are virtually flawless--as the saying goes, easy to learn, difficult to master.
But the most stunning aspect of Wave Race 64 has to be its wave physics. At a time in console gaming when lifelike physics were unheard of, Nintendo produced the first game to feature realistic waves that were truly different each and every time you played. Yeah, some general patterns are repeated from time to time, and certain areas of certain courses are more prone to repeat wave patterns than others; but overall, the wave physics in this game are so realistic, and so compelling, that it is possible to forget that you are not playing on a next-gen system (well, ok, apart from those blurry polygons). And better yet, the level of polish demonstrated in the wave physics is also evident in every other aspect of the game. Nice touches abound; from the echoes of the jet ski engines in tunnels and caves to the realistic crash animations, there are numerous signs of hard work and dedication on the part of the developers, something that is all too rare in today's game industry.
Icing on the cake includes three unlockable tracks,an unlockable reverse expert championship, a time trial mode, two-player vs. matches, an awesome stunt mode, and a free-roaming practice course for players who just want to goof off a little without any time restrictions. The only real downsides to Wave Race 64 are the lack of four-player multiplayer and the very limited number of playable racers (although with the adjustable stats and unlockable alternate costumes, this really becomes a non-issue).
Even today, Wave Race 64 stands head and shoulders over all other jet ski racing games as the definitive original. Yes, it lacks the crystal clear, lifelike graphics of today's games. Yes, it might be a little shy on options compared to today's games. But nonetheless, it will always hold a place of honor on my video game shelf, no longer among the half-played castaways, but among the true gems of video gaming goodness. Simply put, if you own an N64, you should own this game.