It's Wave Race 64 only more beautiful.
This game feels exactly as I remember WR64 feeling and it's great. However, it's got enough improvements to keep me hooked and not just feeling like I'm playing the same game I used to play so many years ago.
The biggest improvement is the graphics. They are outstanding. I remember playing Super Mario Sunshine thinking about how amazing the water effects in perticular look; WR is just a whole game of these beautiful water effects. The character models are of course nice as well, I just can't get over that water.
The gameplay feels good, all controls do just as they say they do. I never feel like there are impossible to make turns in the game. Some practice learning what your chosen character is capable is all you need.
They've also tossed in some new tricks from what I remember. There's a chance I was never old enough to actually figure out how to do some of the tricks, but to me the cube has brought on some new flash. Some of them are pretty cool, but fairly tricky to actually pull off. When you do though you definitly feel rewarded.
The courses seem like the exact same ones from 64 oddly enough. They all have different names, but I don't think the layout has changed on them. This was a little bit dissapointing as I was looking for a whole slew of new courses like Mario Kart DS brought to the franchise. Maybe even the old ones as well as the new ones (as MK did as well). That didn't happen though.
On top of that there's only a handful of courses for you to play over and over. I guess the 64 version was this way as well, but since it's a new generation I expected a bit more from this one. My other complaint would be the 10ish menu screens you must go through after every single race. This gets annoying really fast. I want to get back in the race, but instead I have to sit through all these stats and stuff. It's a fairly minor annoyance, but an annoyance either way.
The sound from the game is just as I remember it being. With the girl talking you through training things and the countdown noises at the start of the races. Once again, nothing new, just a good memory of the old.
The gameplay feels great and the game itself looks great, I just wish there was a bit more to it. Maybe more will come about with beating the higher up difficulties. Either way I'm satisfied with the game and I would recommend to fans of the old.