During the peak of the N64 era, Nintendo EAD released an extreme sports title known as 1080° Snowboarding. While it wasn't quite as popular as Nintendo's big hitters like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it got enough attention to spawn a follow-up on the GameCube.
The franchise has essentially been dead and buried since then, so what's the chance of it making a comeback? While that's for Nintendo to decide, one person who is happy to get a 1080 game up and running on the Switch is the veteran programmer Giles Goddard - who worked on games like Star Fox and Super Mario 64, and was also the creator and programmer of the classic N64 snowboarding game.
In a recent Reddit AMA about his career and his time at Nintendo as the first foreign programmer, Goddard was asked if a 1080 game would be coming to the Nintendo Switch. While he wasn't able to confirm anything, he did say he would be more than happy to help out.
If Nintendo wanted to make a Switch 1080 I would say, "Sure, I'll do it.."
As exciting as this may seem, it's obviously up for Nintendo to make this kind of decision on whether or not it should revive a franchise such as 1080. Goddard's development and publishing company Chuhai Labs is also currently working on a spiritual successor to 1080 known as Carve Snowboarding for the Oculus VR.
In a separate question, Giles was asked if Switch and PlayStation 5 owners could expect one of his snowboarding games to show up on these platforms one day. This was his reply:
We have both dev kits, so yes it's very likely!
Would you like to see Nintendo revive 1080? How about a snowboarding game from Giles on the Switch? Tell us below.
Comments 75
Do it, Nintendo. This and Snowboard kids were awesome back in the day.
Too often do we see folks previously involved with series say they want to make a sequel/new game in a given franchise but not actually have it come to fruition, it makes me sad. I hope this one turns into something although I doubt it.
I adored Avalanche! It was so chill.
My advice... don't wait for Nintendo! Fund the game another way, under a working title, and then pick up the phone to Nintendo when you have something to show.
Yay, another "would love to" article!
That said, a new 1080° would be cool.
O my God yes!! That would be great. I played the Trick Attack mode so much, trying to beat my own score! Good times.
Yes please, 1080 is still my favourite snowboarding game even after all these years. The feel, the way the board connects and interacts with the snow is unmatched in my opinion.
And just the atmosphere of the game. I have the cart next to my N64 & CRT ready to play any time.
Yes please yes!!!
I’ll totally get another palm blister for 1080, however, I’d def need a pro pad first as I don’t wanna burn out my joy cons that fast!
Do it. And soon. And Wave race and other N64 games.
60fps on the toilet! Check your body, check your body
I love the way Turok, Turok 2, Star Wars Episode 1 Racer, Toree 3D , Fatum Betula, and other games like that look and play. Having 1080, Waverace, their Gamecube sequels, and stuff like that running at 60fps on Switch would be so damn great! (notice I left Mario 64 off this list. I enjoy playing it, but am still disappointed it wasn't bumped up to 60fps)
1080 Snowboarding on Switch, more like 720 snowboarding docked and 540 snowboarding handheld!
@Mr-Fuggles777
Would a theoretical 1080 Snowboarding on Switch really run worse than, say, Mario Kart 8 DX?
@westman98 it depends on how they approach it, Monster Hunter Rise performs worse than BotW for example.
Come on Nintendo, make it happen!
In the Switch every game shines, Nintendo should just bring from death every dormant IP in the next few years. 1080, F-Zero, Wave Race, Golden Sun, Mario Strikers, Kid Icarus...
That would be everyone's dream.
@CactusMan everyone uses Witcher and Doom as examples of what can run on Switch but both are old games that run really poorly on the hardware - Doom in particular is rough looking.
Newer games struggle to get upto modern HD resolution full stop. MHR, Immortals FR & CB4 are all 720 docked and sub HD handheld. It was this that I was alluding towards with my og comment about a new 1080 game.
Mount Wario in Mario Kart 8 really gives me 1080 vibes and makes me think how awesome it would be on Switch... sigh Bring back Wave Race too!
Nintendo needs to stop judging the viability of some of their older franchises based on sales from commercially unsuccessful consoles or sub-par entries (Pilotwings Resort, Star Fox Adventures/Zero...) Switch user base is huge and thirsty for Nintendo software... Plus, there's a whole generation since then, most of whom will have never played any of those dead franchises so they'll basically be new franchises for them!
But Nintendo doesn’t want that unfortunately
Then do it--properly.
@CactusMan steep has not long received a new gen update so might give that a go to scratch that 1080 itch after reading this article.
I think NL is covertly sponsored by Game Pass and usingsubconsciousmarketingtechniquesto drive sales onto the xbox platfor.- Yesterday an article I read on this site resulted in me downloading Rare Replay and now this one has resulted in a download for Steep. Coincidence, I think not!!!
@Mgene15 Love your avatar. Goemon Mystical Ninja needs a remake or at least a re-release!
Yes please, it's about time
@Clyde_Radcliffe Let us pray to the gaming Gods that this may come to fruition.
Yes, please. I have been waiting for the next Wave Race since 2001 and the next 1080 since 2003. Both games in HD would be so swell.
World be a great thing to have this Series on Nintendo Switch. Please Nintendo do it!
Another 1080 game would be fantastic. Would be great to see the game running in 60fps in glorious 1080p HD.
I would love to see a new one. Never got the Gamecube version. But the original was a mainstay in my N64.
I'll say this. I never thought I'd see another Pokémon Snap. But here we are and it was worth the wait. So while I won't be waiting by my phone for an announcement, I won't say it can't ever happen
I hope this happens. would love to see another one of these along with a new wave race. remember that one?
It was an awesome game. I hope they make a new one or at least re-release the N64 and the GameCube ones for Switch.
Nintendo: "A new version is not planned until we find a way to make the new game unique." 🙄
One hundred times yes. But looks like it won't happen if it is at the mere contemplation stage!
I remember when people really wanted this on the WiiU!
Why now, because the Switch port/remaster/upgrade/whatever is guaranteed money?
Sorry, but too late!
Your silence during the WiiU years is very telling!
You don't care about the game or the players!
1080 snowboarding was cool and all, but Snowboard kids was the real GOAT.
@Prizm "So instead, here's a 5th port of our 30 year old game."
@Prizm They can literally make so many of these franchises unique versions by adding online play. 😒
Just port or remaster 1080 Avalanche. Given it's not a premium franchise, maybe bundle it with F-Zero GX and Mario Kart Double Dash and call it GameCube Racing Remastered. That would be worth £50 from most Nintendo fans. 1080 Snowboarding should be part of the (hopefully) inevitable NSO N64 app. I spent hours on the N64 original, still enjoy playing it via Wii U VC.
My favourite video game of all time: 1080 Snowboarding 🏂
An absolute masterpiece. Control, level layout, art direction and playability on a different level. I even love the oddball music and weird unlockables. People are still playing it competitively to this day. How this was accomplished on N64 I will never know.
If it was to make a return it would be the best gaming news I could imagine. It would have to be realistic like the older game; I didn’t really like the more Arcade playing / American vibe of the follow-up as much as the first game, although that was still a fun title in its own right.
Nintendo has forgotten the people who made it the company it is today, but you never know!
@Mr-Fuggles777 I would hardly call DOOM Eternal old. And yes it is now how’re near close as it would perform on a Xbox or PlayStation. But still. Playing it on mobile it’s quite impressive to have a game of that caliber.
And in other "never gonna happen" news, the original developers of Wave Race would also like/love to make a sequel...
I just hate Nintendo's stance on this, or rather: Miyamoto-san's stance. It simply doesn't dawn on him, for whatever reason, that people would be perfectly fine with getting HD remasters of 1080, F-Zero and Wave Race, or simply HD sequels with new tracks and environments.
Add online play to the mix and you've got your new way to play, Nintendo. No need to reinvent the wheel EVERY damn time. Sometimes, just give the people what they really want, already.
On a side note: sometimes, I also expect that the whole "we won't release a sequel if we can't find new ways to make it more interesting" is just a poor attempt at an excuse for explaining away that these titles just aren't the big hitters in their portfolio, and as such, it wouldn't really make them all that much of a profit, if any, to release them, so it might even end up costing more to develop them than what financial benefits it would ultimately gain them.
What about a new Wave Race?
@ThanosReXXX I agree, I’d do love to see a wave race sequel.
@GrailUK I did too, the racing was great. I never really understood why it got a bad rap. The SSX series was underway & people just loved the outlandish tricks. It as a straight downhill racer avalanche was fantastic.
@Jamie_R I love that it’s you’re favourite of all time, makes me want to play it again - did you play it back in the day or are you younger?
take my money
100% Yes.
I've wanted 1080 and Wave Race back for years now. Never knew why the Jet Ski part of Wii Sports Resort and it's use of Wiimote throttle wasn't made into a full game Wave Race style to be fair. The joycons could do the same thing now.
This, wave race, and Akari Hayami for smash!
Don't put me through this.
Oh Yes please! I loved 1080 on the N64 and Avalanche was a game I played for many weeks on my GameCube until I had everything unlocked.
@Bizaster Unfortunately, you're probably right. The original 1080 sold really well, but the sequel on GameCube, 1080 Avalanche, sold quite poorly. I don't know if Nintendo would be willing to take the risk on this franchise again.
I played the crap out of 1080 and 1080 Avalanche back in the day. If they did make a new game, which they probably won't, I'd be all for it.
Add to the list of franchises Nintendo is ignoring. F-Zero, 1080, Wave Race, Star Fox, Donkey Kong, Pilot Wings, and the list goes on, but hey, they'll add more obscure characters to Smash so weeeee!
Whoa that Carve Snowboarding game looks great! If there’s no 1080 Snowboarding in the cards, I’ll take Carve as a suitable substitute.
No joke this game is probably in my top 5, I consider it the best snowboarding game ever made, the feel they gave it is still among the most realistic and fun to control. The Switch desperately needs 1080 IMO, especially considering the total lack of snowboarding games.
-ANY- 3D snowboarding game, I'm all in. If ea won't give switch a re-release or remaster of ssx 3, then I'm desperate for my other favorite snowboarding series.
But seriously, since other companies promised us snowboarding and then failed to deliver (cough, cough, UBISOFT), I will gladly buy whomever puts out a high value game's game first.
(I did buy that indie one on the eshop out of desperation, but I couldn't get into it).
SO BRING ON 1080!
@FredsBodyDouble
Every once in a while, they try again with star fox, but they always try to revolutionize it, or change its controls, or something else, and it is never as good.
Nintendo can't re- capture the magic that was star fox and star fox 64.
Would anyone actually care about 1080 Snowboarding other than hardcore fans of the original N64 title?
It's a series that's considerably more niche than F-Zero, a franchise that at the very least has "some" name recognition due to strong representation in Smash.
@Mr-Fuggles777
Well thankfully, 1080 Snowboarding isn't a systemic open-world action-adventure game like Breath of the Wild, Immortals, or Monster Hunter.
I'm of the opinion that Nintendo won't bother making a new 1080 Snowboarding as the franchise is obscure even by niche standards, but of they ever do, I'd expect them to use Mario Kart as the foundation, not Breath of the Wild.
I can't know why they can't make everything available on Switch. The Switch is selling extremely well. Why is it always Nintendo's decision whether or not they can port something like this on Switch? (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year-Door and 64, for example), I mean, if the Switch is powerful enough to run Mario 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy (Galaxy 2?), then it would be possible for them to port older titles to Switch or Switch 2/Pro
One of a handful of N64 games that I truly mastered.
And it took a long time to do it.
I'd take a new PilotWings, Wii/Switch Sports Resort, ExciteBike and/or Wave Race in terms of 'extreme sports' games before a new 1080 Snowboarding, but that's just me.
... Wun can only hope.
@Mr-Fuggles777 it did? ah thing to look forwards too when I finally get my ps5 sometime this winter... it really is a great game with it's own great vibe
(I would prefer it to 1080*, but I can see the appeal of that game too)
Unfortunately Nintendo doesn’t see any money in 1080 or other titles from that same timeline.
SSX Tricky was one of my favourite games of all time! If they can make it whacky and entertaining then get it done!
Such a shame but at this point I don't see it happening. Nintendo only care about numbers. So many hidden gems in Nintendos history. Not so much for this generation I think. Just Mario and zelda.
Or just make N64 online
@Mips
Sure did. Played it as a teenager in 1998 - a great year in gaming in general of course with classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Zelda: Ocarina of Time released on N64.
Whilst I have fond memories of Zelda and Banjo and will occasionally put them on for an hour to mess around in, I’ll still actually play 1080 for sheer enjoyment to this day. Some games have near infinite replayability and just never get old. I’m talking titles like Street Fighter II Turbo, Sega Rally Championship, Mario Tennis, Wave Race and so on; games that are easy to get back into and are always satisfying to play no matter how long you’ve had them, simply because they have that element of unpredictability and sheer fun.
What was achieved with 1080 on fairly rudimentary hardware is remarkable. There hasn’t been a game with such a realistic ‘feel’ in the snowboarding genre since. Astonishing game to this day.
@westman98 Yep just because a handful of people are excited about 1080º on a fan site doesn't mean it will translate into something they'll take a risk with down the line...it's like when people bring up Eternal Darkness, did that game even sell a million copies?
@WiltonRoots
Eternal Darkness sold below 500,000 copies globally, making it considerably more niche than even 1080 Snowboarding.
Pretty sure 1080 Avalanche on GCN also sold quite poorly, though that may partially be due to lackluster quality and competition from SSX.
@Jamie_R Love it, those games are very special to me too. The weird thing is that I only ever played the racing mode and never the trick mode. Really I have a whole portion of that game still to play for the first time. Were you into the trick mode mostly?
I'd prefer a new Wave Race.
YES PLEASE! AVALANCHE WAS MY GAME OF CHOICE. TOO MUCH FUN, WOULD BUY IMMEDIATLY.
So the hd remaster will be called "1080p snowboarding"?
The best case scenario for US and Nintendo would be a 1080 and Avalanche in a remastered set. When these great games sell well on the eShop (I'd wish for physical though) then release a brand new modern game. The market for it is wide-open and folks that played the originals would love this on the go!
I'd pay $60 for this, and I rarely do that for a game these days
.
I often dream of 1080 Avalanche’s final Avalanche race becoming an online battle royale / death race of sorts. Imagine say 24 boarders racing down the mountain all trying to outrun the avalanche. You can strike opponents. Tricks can give you a boost or perhaps greater top speed. It would be freaking awesome.
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